Equity & Inclusion

• Affinity Groups: Students can choose from a variety of affinity groups where they can meet with students of similar identity characteristics to connect and share experiences. 

• Curriculum Initiatives: Teachers and librarians have worked hard to ensure that the books and materials available are reflective of the rich variety of identities that our students hold, so that all students can see themselves represented in the curriculum. In addition, faculty stay current on research around how to reduce bias and ensure equitable educational outcomes for all students.

• Justice Day: While social justice learning is woven throughout many classroom activities all year long, the entire school commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday by devoting a day to learning about social justice through the arts. 

• SOAP Club: SOAP stands for Service, Outreach, Advocacy and Partnership, and is a space for students to actively participate in creating a more inclusive and just world by putting their values into action.

• Our school partners with a number of local organizations that work for justice, inclusion, and equity in our community. Through conversation, food/supply drives, education, fundraising, and volunteering, students learn about community needs and the many ways they can respond to the world around them. Our partners include Care for Real, Evangeline Booth Lodge Shelter, Misericordia Home, Centro Romero, Ten Thousand Villages, Family Matters, Inspiration Corporation, Howard Area Family Center, Cradles to Crayons, and Loyola School of Environmental Sustainability.

• Justice Tuesdays: As part of the Middle School curriculum, students spend time participating in community service both at school and at our community partner sites.   

• SEED: SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) is a year-long seminar experience in which participants engage in deep learning and conversation to explore their own and others’ identities and experiences of the world, to drive personal, organizational, and societal change toward social justice. 

• Equity & Inclusion Council: ​​The EIC meets once a month, usually on Friday mornings. Its mission is to center, celebrate, affirm and embrace individuals and families of all identities. EIC endeavors to foster an inclusive community by creating safe spaces for dialogue and building bridges of understanding and respect among our diverse school community, hosting events, connecting with and supporting members, working with Parents of the Heart (POTH) to cultivate an environment where all families feel welcome and included, collaborating with administration to encourage an anti-bias environment, sharing resources, and creating opportunities for outreach. Check the school calendar for more information about meeting times and dates.

• Justice Evening: In connection with the students’ celebration of Justice Day, parents are invited to also experience speakers and artistic presentations that address various social justice issues.

• Parent Education: The Equity & Inclusion Council works with the Director of Equity and Inclusion to offer parents opportunities to hear speakers and workshops around issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout the year.

• SEED: SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) is a year-long seminar experience in which participants engage in deep learning and conversation to explore their own and others’ identities and experiences of the world, to drive personal, organizational, and societal change toward social justice. 

• Professional Learning Communities: Each year, faculty and staff participate in a variety of small group learning experiences reading a book or studying a topic together. Topics of recent studies included creating equity using discussion in math class; practicing how to use Learning for Justice’s “Speak Up at School” guide; and a book study of Textured Teaching by Lorena Escoto Germán.

Simply put, educational equity is ensuring that every student gets what they need, every day. Nothing about a student’s identity, ability or background should impact their access to programs and resources, their care and treatment, or their opportunities to learn. In addition, academic and social-emotional outcomes for students of all identities, abilities, and backgrounds should be comparable to one another. Sacred Heart is committed to this goal because it is the fair and just thing to do, in line with our Goals and Criteria. See What is behind our Statement on Equity and Inclusion? for more information.

When you walk in the door of our Sheridan Road campus, one of the first things you see is a statue of Jesus with the words “I know you and I love you.” Every educator strives to make this statement come to life by getting to know each student deeply as individuals and responding to their unique needs. Faculty and staff receive ongoing professional development in social-emotional learning, implicit bias, and inclusive practices; they constantly update classroom libraries and lessons to ensure that all students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Affinity groups and lunch bunch groups provide opportunities and spaces for students to connect with and relate to others. Teachers balance opportunities for students to share and celebrate their unique families, cultures and experiences, with team-building activities to build commonality and unity. And financial circumstances need never be a barrier to full participation in the life of the school community.

Belonging is not a function of how similar or different we are, but of our intentional actions towards one another. The science of child development shows that when students see themselves represented in curricula, they stay engaged and are better able to learn; likewise, keeping silent about differences results in students feeling unseen and uncared for. Therefore we joyfully acknowledge and celebrate each person’s uniqueness, and help students understand that what we have in common is our humanity and dignity. When we teach and model for students how to authentically connect across differences, we prepare them to move through our globally connected world in a way that helps everyone thrive. 

As detailed in our Portrait of a Graduate and Goal 3, we teach students to be aware of and examine the world around them to see where it can be better. To prepare students to move successfully through the world, they need critical thinking skills which help them hear varying points of view and learn how to make sense of them. Rather than avoiding difficult or uncomfortable topics, students should feel welcome to ask questions and disagree respectfully. When students listen to understand perspectives that differ from their own, they can better discern their own thinking and live into their values.