Ongoing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programming

Imperative

The school is called to create a truly diverse community so that we may authentically live our mission. Our diversity encompasses numerous forms of difference that enrich our school: economic, geographic, and racial as well as difference growing out of gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, family structure, and more. 

In particular, the school is acutely aware of the widening income disparity in our community and in independent schools. We recognize inequities that are present in the different schools that our students come from and thus hope to meet the needs of those students by fully embracing strengths. Additionally, we want students to view education as a way to make a positive difference in the world and not just use it as a stepping stone to college and a job. 

We are committed to embracing students for who they are and not requiring that all students fit one mold. We recognize the responsibility and obligation to serve the needs of those who are in our community and beyond. 

We want to dismantle the culture of privilege that is an assumed identity of independent schools.

Board of Trustees

List of 1 items.

  • Inclusion Chairs

    Committee Co-Chairs: Mika Varma and Jack Chin
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Ongoing Work

List of 6 items.

Support Positions

List of 3 items.

  • Dean of Adult Equity & Inclusion

    • Encourages The Appetizer adult conversations: The Dean of Adult Equity & Inclusion partners with the counselor to offer lunchtime conversations every other Tuesday. The purpose of the conversations is to support LWHS adults in developing infrastructure and capacity to engage themselves in conversations about class, gender, politics, race, religion, and other topics related to their own and their students’ civic engagement. 
    • Works with the Board of Trustees to create guiding principles viewed through the lens of equity and inclusion to govern the board. 
    • Partners with the Parent Association on inclusive planning and on creating equitable practices and policies around leadership structures and recruitment.
    • Serves as a resource for network co-chairs. Three family networks have been established in the parent community: the Black Student Union Family Network, Latinxs Unidos Family Network, and Families of Neurodiverse Students Network.
    • Supports families new to independent schools with programming throughout the school year. 
    • Provides in-service workshops specific to equity and inclusion for the faculty and staff community. 
    • Conducts outreach to area schools.
    • Works in collaboration with the Director of Human Resources, the Assistant Head of School on recruitment and retention efforts, through a lens of underrepresented populations. 

  • Director of Student Inclusion

    The Student Inclusion Director supports the student body by developing and implementing programs designed to foster a sense of belonging for all students and activate student compassion in the face of inequalities and conflict. The Director will work to ensure systems are in place that promote equal access to success and extracurriculars at LWHS. The Director regularly uses discretion and independent judgement to manage programs.

    • Oversee Student Council Inclusion Chairs to foster an inclusive community
    • Recruit and prepare students for local and national conferences related to student leadership and diversity.
    • Create programs that support students making the transition to independent school/LWHS school culture
    • Support College Counselors, deans and other administrators in facilitating communications with non-English speaking families and families with no internet access
    • Design social justice events throughout the school year such as Sam Mihara Day of Justice, affinity groups and Center-sponsored initiatives to bring guests to campus 2–3 times a semester to discuss current social justice issues
    • Collaborate with the Institutional Researcher with diversity and inclusion based projects as needed
    • Manage partnerships with organizations supporting our students, such as First Graduate, KIPP, Making Waves, other scholarship organizations
    • Serve as an advisor to a group of approximately 13 students
    • Partner with 9/10 dean, in design and implementation of freshman orientation program.
    • Work with the grade level deans of students to coordinate student inclusion work with Mastering the Educational tools for Achievement (META), advising and class meetings.
    • Coordinate with the Dean of Adult Equity and Inclusion to align faculty and adult programming with the student experience
    • Develop and promote systems that ensure equity in access to resources, such as lending laptops, home internet, sports apparel/gear, etc. 
    • Participate in the Admissions process including attending weekend Open Houses and Interview Days.

  • Institutional Researcher

    • Creates a window into student experience (through student experience surveys).
    • Possesses the ability to cut dada along important demographic lines to fully understand the experiences of different demographic groups.
    • Trains faculty to do database inquiry so that LWHS relies less on narrative; learns to be disciplined in reading data; and learns to make decisions after careful research.
    • Works to create demographics of individual classes; has the ability to create classrooms that are diverse along gender and racial demographics.

Working Groups

List of 6 items.

  • Equity & Inclusion Round Table

    The LWHS Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Roundtable convenes to unpack institutional challenges requiring the collective power and coordinated efforts of the entire school community. We are dedicated to listening and responding to the needs and feelings of the LWHS community, centering the most vulnerable.
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  • Ethnic Studies Working Group

  • FacStaff Appetizer

    In the first FacStaff meeting of 2016, LWHS adults expressed a need for support to fulfill their commitments to supporting student conversation around the Presidential Election. In response, Nikkia Young, Director of Counseling, and Tamisha Williams, then Dean of Adult Equity and Inclusion, founded The Appetizer: Faculty and Staff Lunchtime Conversations, a bi-weekly equity-centered ongoing program designed to support adults in deepening their capacity to think, express, take in, and connect in “challenging” conversations about class, gender, race, religion, politics and other topics related to LWHS adults’ and LWHS students’ civic engagement.

  • Repair Shop

  • Restorative Justice Working Group

  • Student Leadership

    All LWHS student leaders, including student club leaders, peer connect mentors, and the student council executive board, are required to attend the Student Leadership Training in August.
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Implementation

This work can’t just be an initiative. It needs to be present and part of every part of the school. It’s vital to take a holistic approach.

The work is never done. There’s always more to learn.

It’s a slow process to get things right. Allow yourself room to constantly evolve. Have a growth mindset about the process. 

Seek feedback. Take a non-defensive approach to feedback.

The school must devote the necessary resources. Committing resources toward full-time positions has a deep impact.



Lick-Wilmerding High School

755 Ocean Avenue | San Francisco, CA 94112 | 415.333.4021
A private school with public purpose, Lick-Wilmerding High School develops the head, heart, and hands of highly motivated students from all walks of life, inspiring them to become lifelong learners who contribute to the world with confidence and compassion.