ESDiversity
Mission Statement
Program Overview
Programs & Experiences: 2009-2010
Mission Statement
The Episcopal School of Dallas is committed to creating, maintaining, and nurturing a diverse environment as it prepares young men and women for lives of intellectual discovery, integrity, and purpose. We value diversity in ethnicity, culture, religion, language, gender, age, family structure, and socioeconomic background. The ESD community fosters a global perspective, an understanding of alternate viewpoints, and sensitivity to the interests, traditions, beliefs, and concerns of others. We believe that diversity in our school community enhances the quality of the education that ESD provides and is essential to the development of well-rounded people in the twenty-first century.
Program Overview
The diversity program at the Episcopal School of Dallas focuses on providing a better environment for all students through education. We believe that every student has qualities that make him or her unique; therefore, we seek to educate the student body on ways to embrace our differences as we come to realize that we are all one body.
ESD has three diversity coordinators: Martha Bowden (Lower School), Meg Fahrenbrook '01 (Middle School), and Sharon Stout Bales (Upper School). The coordinators develop programs that touch on the various forms of diversity in our community and in our world. Students in the Lower School participate in Mix It Up at Lunch, Middle School student discussed diversity issues during advisory, and Upper School students attend the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Both the Middle and Upper Schools have active Diversity Clubs that meet regularly to plan activities such as the Holi festival, movie night, or a speaker.
The Upper School Diversity Club also participates in DADYO (Dallas Area Diverse Youth Organization) along with several other private schools in the Dallas area. Students participate in monthly activities at different schools, and ESD hosts an annual DADYO Retreat at Wolf Run.
ESDiversity strives to make every student in the ESD community feel safe, secure, and proud of our educational environment.
Programs & Experiences: 2009-2010
One of the highlight activities in 2009-2010 was the opportunity to hear actor/activist Lou Gossett, Jr. speak in Dallas at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. Mr. Gossett has begun a movement to eradicate racism in the 21st century. Sharon Bales and Martha Bowden took six Upper School ESDiversity Club members to the event. Mr. Gossett was inspired by our dedicated students.
Throughout the year, students participated in Mix It Up activities. In the fall, the Lower School enjoyed a fun day of Mix It Up at recess activities with some of our Upper School Diversity Club students as well as all of our ESD School Counselors. Organized recess activities focused on cooperation, inclusion, and fun. Last January, Father Swann and the ESD School Counselors joined the students and teachers at the Lower School for a Mix It Up lunch event where we discussed the importance of Religious Diversity. Students reviewed a version of the Golden Rule from twelve different religious perspectives to help understand the connection between faiths. Other topics discussed include responsible Global Digital Citizenship.
Culminating our year was a tremendous Spring Diversity Banquet well attended by our school community. The theme this year was a celebration of our global outreach and our connection to our sister school in India. We look forward to expanding our global focus in years to come.
