Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Friends Academy educators, believe that every student possesses personal and cultural strengths, achievements worthy of celebration, and the intellectual capacity for academic success. Our educational philosophy embraces a pedagogical approach that places Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Culturally Responsive Classroom (CRC) at the core of instruction. We are committed to providing students with an educational experience that nurtures character development, emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, and holistic growth. Our curriculum is designed to integrate canonical and traditional bodies of knowledge with nontraditional knowledge systems, fostering critical inquiry and ensuring that our students are well-prepared to engage in meaningful academic discourse at the collegiate level.

The DEI programs focus on three core elements: community building and engagement, cultural exchange and awareness, and education. Events such as Holidays with Friends and Family Night highlight our commitment to celebrating cultural traditions and heritage as a community. The DEIJ Parent Group provides a platform for parents invested in this work to partner with the school in examining and advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice practices. Student affinity groups offer spaces for connection through shared experiences, fostering both a stronger sense of self and a deeper sense of belonging. The Cultural Symposium serves as a forum for educators, parents, and students to engage in dialogue that directly connects to educational inquiry.

All new faculty and staff participate in a DEI onboarding experience designed to introduce what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean within our Quaker school community and how to partner effectively with our DEI office. The onboarding begins by connecting DEI work to the Quaker testimony of equality and equity. New colleagues engage in a reflective process to examine how their own identities shape their instructional approaches. This practice is essential for developing identity literacy skills, a critical foundation for creating inclusive learning environments.

Professional development for current faculty is ongoing. The DEI office actively engages with current and emerging educational research in areas such as curriculum, student engagement, instructional activities, and assessment. We then partner with faculty and staff to identify PD opportunities that will best support the work of our educators. Recognizing that education is dynamic, we embrace a multidimensional approach to content and instruction. While SEL and Culturally Responsive Classroom (CRC) remain foundational practices, we also draw on collaborative efforts and best-practice models across our institution to continually strengthen our work.

We believe that the relationships we build with our families form the culture we create. Our goal is to foster an educational space that values and cares for every member of our community. Guided by our Quaker mission, we understand that being open, inclusive, and supportive lies at the heart of who we are. We are committed to cultivating a more diverse and representative school community, one that inspires students to work together and grow into the inclusive leaders our world needs. Real-world understanding is the foundation of our teaching and learning, and it is an essential competency for success in all careers and in life.