Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Opportunity:

(noun) a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.

Equity:

(noun) fairness or justice in the way people are treated. The quality of being fair and impartial.

Justice:

(noun) a concern for peace and genuine respect for people.

Inclusion:

(noun) the practice of providing equal access to opportunities for people who might otherwise be excluded.

At St. Anne's School, our students are global citizens. Global learning and authentic connections are paramount. Our students don't just learn about the world, they — along with their teachers — connect on a human level.

Diversity is more than a statistic about our student body.

Our vision is to achieve a school community where our core values of respect, responsibility, honesty, and kindness are reinforced every day, and where students and adults develop the will, courage, spirit, and knowledge to work for a just and equitable world.

We strive to do so by teaching diverse perspectives in our curriculum, honoring the intersections of identity, affirming our common humanity, and creating a culture of belonging.

Our students engage in difficult conversations and speak their truth. Through dialogue, St. Anne’s School of Annapolis promotes awareness and advocacy. We prepare our students to conquer unscripted problems, to engage with the world through creative inquiry, and to employ values-based frameworks when taking action.

The Board of Trustees has created a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Committee. This is an exciting occurrence as it signals our goal to move our school forward through governance and financial support.

Announcing the Equity in Education Scholarship

This need-based scholarship, started in 2020, gives underrepresented minorities an opportunity that they otherwise would not have to attend St. Anne’s School, enhancing the diversity of our student body. The EES is awarded to a Middle School student and covers 100% of the cost to attend St. Anne’s School.

How to Apply

Support the EES

DEIJ Committee and School Goals

Update the School’s diversity mission statement to reflect the School’s priority to develop and sustain an equitable and just community and learning environment.

Create a professional development plan for faculty, staff, parents, and Board members that supports the School in developing a common language and understanding of equity, justice, and inclusion.

Develop and implement a standardized data collection system to identify patterns of inequity for admissions, student achievement, and hiring and recruitment of faculty and staff.

Create a group for students to understand their roles in creating equitable and just communities.

Review the School’s curriculum through a culturally sustaining pedagogical lens to promote an environment where all students thrive, focusing on the assets students bring to the learning environment.

Assess the current admissions process, paying particular attention to outreach initiatives, ethnic and racial representation for enrollment priorities, and the yield of students of color.

DEIJ Committee Members

Kate Dent, Chair, Trustee

Tia McNair

Mollie MacKenzie, Trustee

Levonia Parker, Trustee

Jacob Rasmussen, Trustee

Besse Rose, Trustee

Lisa Zimmerelli, Trustee

Andrea Weiss,
Head of School

Connie Coker,
Associate Head of School

Detra Watson,
Head of Lower School

Karen Davis, Director of Innovation and Learning

Diamond Gray, Middle School Art Teacher

Eighth Grade students recently read 'Stamped' by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi and were tasked with producing a podcast in response to their reading. Students explored race and antiracism in myriad ways — from a deep study of hip-hop music to personal interviews with family members who lived through moments and movements shared in the book. Students' reading of 'Stamped' follows the faculty and staff summer read of 'Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist.' These books and the conversations that follow are critical components in the School's development of culturally sustaining curricula and quest to race equity.