DEIJ Statement
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Statement
Being inclusive of others — true and deep effort to understand and welcome folks with different lived experiences than ours — fosters diversity. Diversity, by bringing many people with different stories, backgrounds, skills, and needs into one place, requires equity to be sustainable. And equity, which strives to give people the specific resources they need to live up to their own individual or collective potential, aims to remove unfair barriers to opportunity and ultimately build a just society: one where everyone, regardless of who they are, is equally able to live a full and meaningful life.
—Taimur Ahmad, Access Fund
At Tibshelf Community School we always aspire to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in our community. This statement articulates our goals as a community. We recognise that each person defines their own sense of self. We believe the school has an obligation to advance the common good and encourage each participant to help build capacity in each other. We encourage critical thinking about the structure of society, infusing inclusionary curriculum and pedagogy in the classroom. More importantly, we encourage students to realise their power as advocates and allies. In doing this, we encourage children to envision a world they wish to see and help them build the resilience and conviction necessary to create it. We also recognise that making a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice requires ongoing review and examination of our beliefs, processes and structures. As a result, we view this statement as a dynamic one that will change and develop with the support and feedback of our community.
Diversity
Difference makes us stronger
We believe celebrating, nurturing and pursuing diversity are essential to maintaining a vibrant school community. We recognise that diversity makes the world more engaging. Diversity of voices and stories helps us empathise and encourages us to understand multiple perspectives.
We commit to:
- Creating a staff team that represents a diversity of backgrounds to ensure a variety of voices and perspectives are represented in our school.
- An ongoing review of our curriculum to ensure diverse perspectives are represented, and our instructional strategies meet the needs of our students.
Equity
Everyone gets what they need to shine
At Tibshelf Community School we continually strive to help students identify and celebrate their unique learning needs and to provide the support and challenge necessary for our students to thrive.
We commit to:
- An educational environment where students can grow and develop based on their own individual strengths and needs.
Inclusion
Embrace everyone for who they truly are
At Tibshelf Community School we foster a sense of belonging where everyone feels empowered to showcase their unique self while creating space for others to do the same, especially those who have experienced more barriers based on their identities.
We commit to:
- Honouring and supporting students, parents, teachers and staff as they explore and present their whole selves to the outside world by providing a safe environment.
- Implementing the concept of inclusion into our curriculum, so students can begin to understand and explore its meaning.
- Teaching students and families about the transformational power of social emotional learning and empowering children to serve as allies to those who have been marginalized and targeted.
- Displaying Tibshelf Community School’s diversity statement publicly on the website, in any relevant materials and embedding it as part of the school interview process-all people are welcome.
Justice
Stand up for what is right
Tibshelf Community School is dedicated to the ideals of justice. We encourage our children to treat all people with dignity and fairness.
We commit to:
- Providing students the opportunity to transform their world peacefully through engagement in age-appropriate advocacy.