Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity

At Springwell, we are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This commitment first and foremost is reflected in our diverse student body, teaching faculty, and administration staff. Our sliding scale tuition policy reflects our commitment to broad economic diversity on campus. Finally, we cultivate an intentional culture at Springwell where all students, teachers, and staff can feel at home in the world.

Empowerment

The Springwell vision of inclusion is centered around developing a sense of personal power and cultivating a sense of belonging for students as individuals. If we are successful, students will rely on their own intuition, values, talents, purpose, and sense of self to feel empowered and engage in the world. Each child will be honored as a special member of the community with unique assets to be celebrated and developed. There will be boldness about our school. Students will be coached to give words to their visions, develop their will, discipline, and drive, and garner the resources and knowledge needed to bring their ideas to form. With this training, we prepare our students with the resilience, mindset, and fortitude needed to live a bold, empowered life.

Community

Springwell is committed to nurturing an inclusive community.  Students, teachers, and staff will continuously practice knowing and understanding their own perceptions and emotions, while also knowing and understanding the perceptions of and emotions of others, including those outside of the immediate Springwell community. We will develop the important skill of asking great questions, and having the posture and deep ability to listen to and create space for true answers. This emotional intelligence is key to developing a community that is well versed in humanity and truly celebratory of its variety. We have to get messy, learn how to fight fairly, establish and re-establish peace, and accept paradox and gray areas. These are integral 21st century leadership skills.

Curriculum

How do we develop this sense of belonging in our curriculum? It will start with an early exposure to stories, archetypes, and mythologies from all around the world. We will study the concept of indigeneity and how stories and cultures have developed based on experiences of people all around the world and their relationship with the land and the climate. This rich exposure and foundation will expose students to the vast diversity of humanity. This diversity will show up not only in what is studied, but in the languages used to access the curriculum. At Springwell, students will never have to question if one culture or another is of greater value. And, questions that counter normative messages or dominant narratives will be encouraged and acknowledged. Curiosity and critical thinking will be valued. Students, teachers, and administrators alike will be practiced at having honest, authentic, and age-appropriate conversations about both times of enlightenment and the darkest times in history.

Social justice and impact: a generative approach

The Springwell approach to social justice and impact strives to transform conversations about "minorities" and injustice. Instead of training students from a place of deficiency — to bang on the door from the outside to demand that they be let in — it involves an empowered, creative, and generative approach. They will explore their own proclivities and identities, their own family histories and lineages. They will also explore their local community histories. Based on authentic personal experiences, our students will get to decide for themselves how they are called to make an impact in the world. In other words, we see our student activism or social justice orientations and speaking truth-to-power as organic, authentic, empowered developments of their own personal narrative, influenced by their family stories and personal calling — not influenced by any adult or school agenda. 

A new way of being

Overall, the Springwell approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion strives to give voice to all members of society and equitable access to those least heard or represented. Our approach is one of empowerment and creativity in service of generating new ways of being in community.