Building community requires connection, compassion and leadership, and St. Paul’s School students and teachers are well-equipped to both lead their peers when called to or engage in deeper learning and knowledge sharing by participating in discussions and programs with others. Through the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice and through the myriad connections nurtured both on grounds and off, SPS community members actively engage in pursuing the work of building Beloved Community.
Under the leadership of Bethany Dickerson Wynder, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the School continues its commitment to build Beloved Community and integrate equity and inclusion work into community life through the development of new programs and structures that deepen existing partnerships and collaborations among students, faculty, staff, and SPS alumni of color.
The Council’s work centers on identifying sustainable initiatives within the SPS community that support equity and inclusion as a defining ethos for life and work at the School. The Council partners with various groups on the grounds to enhance practices, policies, and procedures that foster inclusivity and a sense of belonging for every member of the community.
In September 2020, the School created the Student DEIJ Council, a student-led group whose purpose is to focus on issues pertaining to identity at SPS and serve as an advisory board to the Rector and the School’s administration. The Council is a vital voice on equity and inclusion initiatives and planning and works to increase student input and partner with the Faculty DEIJ Council.
Faculty and students attend conferences during the academic year to celebrate diverse perspectives, engage in meaningful conversations with peers and colleagues, and refine their own understanding of issues of inclusion and belonging.
On April 6, 2024, a group of 10 St. Paul’s School students traveled to The Wheeler School in Providence, Rhode Island, for the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) High School Students of Color Conference. Representing a variety of SPS affinity groups, the student attendees were selected for the opportunity after demonstrating excellent work as leaders on campus.
Known across the St. Paul’s School campus for his warmth, compassion and genuine engagement, Humanities Teacher Omar Brown left a huge hole in the School community when he died unexpectedly in 2022. To carry forward his legacy, the School established the Omar Brown Fellows — a group of students selected annually to pursue a variety of educational and service-learning projects with faculty mentors.
St. Paul’s School sponsors and partners with leading organizations actively engaged in the work of equity and inclusion education. These organizations include:
