North Country School is a vibrant educational community that values the distinct backgrounds, preferences, and talents of individuals and encourages group dynamics that sustain a healthy school. In our community, words like cooperation, equity, compassion, and social justice find their way into even our youngest students’ vocabularies. Respecting one another’s rights and responsibilities as members of the community gives children a sense of belonging and helps them develop strong social identities.
North Country School strives to create a community that supports, includes, and appreciates students, faculty, and staff of all racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic identities; of all genders and sexual orientations; and of varying abilities, interests, and life experiences.
We understand that to give children self-confidence, knowledge, skills and values to lead satisfying and productive lives, we need to cultivate empathy and respect for all voices.
As children develop an awareness of struggle and inequity in all communities near and far, we equip them with knowledge and projects that demonstrate that they can and must take action to improve the lives of others.
By treating our students – and teaching them to treat one another – with fairness we practice social justice every day. Students learn that “fair” does not always mean “equal” and that reaching out to help others does not take away from personal achievement (but instead enhances experience). Students study economic and political systems that achieve, and some that fail to achieve, equal rights and opportunities for citizens around the world.
Since its founding, North Country School has been committed to creating an inclusive environment in both admissions and hiring. We have further to go toward this goal and we continue to pursue the knowledge and resources necessary to reach equity and further inclusion in our community.
With the establishment of the faculty-led Equity and Inclusion Committee in 2017 and the Student Equity and Inclusion Council in 2020, we are working to promote empathy and respect throughout our campus. This includes faculty and staff professional development, faculty and student leadership training, adopting more inclusive language and moving our community toward an ever more inclusive culture.
Resources:
NEA Diversity toolkit
Black Lives Matter
Books:
White Fragility
How to Be An Antiracist
Between the World and Me
So You Want to Talk About Race
Stamped
The Undefeated
Hair Love
Something Happened In Our Town
Instagram:
@blklivesmatter
@colorofchange
@naacp
@ethelsclub
@unitedwedream
@theconsciouskid
@blovesoulpower
@marilyn.zuniga
@educationforliberation
Farms:
Soulfire Farm