Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AT LAUREL HILL
Background
Cooperative Nursery Schools have always attracted community-oriented members. Since our inception in 1947, we have invited families and educators from different backgrounds into a community where everyone's voices are respected. Founded on the principles of shared work, supportive environments, play-based learning and affordable tuition, Laurel Hill Nursery School strives to cultivate an inclusive and diverse community and to ensure equity in our practices.
In 2014, Laurel Hill took steps to dig deeper into its work around diversity and inclusion, by participating in Michigan State University's 60/50 Project which was aimed at creating inclusive dialogue across communities. The 60/50 Project allowed the school to explore a developmentally appropriate approach to discussing diversity and inclusion with preschoolers and their families. This work reminded us that cultivating empathy and a sense of justice is at the heart of everything we do at Laurel Hill. Standing up for yourself, taking a stand for others, and taking responsibility for our actions is what we strive to model and support every day.
Curriculum
At Laurel Hill we provide a rich, stimulating, and open environment where the children learn through free play and supported conflict resolution. The cooperative philosophy also invites parents and educators to work together to engage the children in real life issues as they organically occur in children's play. These issues often include:
inclusion/exclusion
differences/similarities in appearance and development (including those centered around race, gender, age, ability)
differences in family structure
justice (figuring out what is fair and unfair)
Through observation, teachers collect threads and themes that arise during the day for the children and then help the children to think more deeply through dictation, books, songs, and conversation. We also work to incorporate art projects, demonstrations and children’s books into the day that help prompt kids’ thinking on differences, fairness and justice.
Free play, scaffolded by staff and parent observation and support, fosters the curiosity, independence, confidence, empathy, accountability and positive sense of identity that serve as the foundation for kids to grow into conscious and engaged community members.
DEI Committee
In 2018 Laurel Hill families and school leadership formalized the school's commitment to enduring equity in our institutional practices by creating the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. The parent-chair of the committee sits on the school's Executive Board in order to ensure that a DEI lens is brought to bear on all of the Board’s decision-making.
Goals. The committee’s core goals are:
To cultivate and nurture a diverse community of families and staff who reflect the racial, ethnic, socio-economic, sexual orientation and disability backgrounds present in our broader community
To ensure our membership obligations, events, outreach and recruitment and enrollment processes are accessible, inclusive and equitable
To ensure that caregivers, children and staff are actively engaged in learning about race and antiracism, sexual and gender diversity, disability and difference and differences in family structure and identity
Action. Since its inception, the DEI committee has:
Coordinated a yearly slate of speakers and workshops on DEI-related topics (see below)
Created a members’ resource hub (also available to the public) consisting of articles, books, podcasts, webinars and children’s book recommendations focusing on Race and Racism, Gender, LGBTQ Families, Diversity in Family Structure and Disability and Inclusion
Designed and implemented the annual Family Background Survey, which collects information on how our member families identify in terms of race and ethnicity, national origin, LGBTQ status, disability status and family structure
Spearheaded the creation of the LHNS Emergency Fund to provide member families experiencing unexpected financial hardship with tuition forgiveness
Instituted a requirement that at least one of the required parent education credits per year be a DEI parent ed event
Provided monthly content in the school’s internal newsletter
Created a three-year strategic plan for the committee
Parent Education
As part of its robust parent education program, the school hosts five to seven speakers, workshops and small group meetings focused on DEI-related topics each year. Past DEI committee-hosted speakers and workshops have included:
“How To Talk To Kids About Race,” a presentation by Carol Swainson, Head of School, SF Schoolhouse
“The Power of Storytelling: Exploring the Many Ways Representation Matters,” an interactive workshop by SEED facilitators Lisa Duque and Megan Leppla
“Sexual and Gender Diversity,” a workshop by Lissa Moran, MPH
“Teaching Kids about Disability and Difference,” a multimedia presentation by Emily Smith Beitiks, Longmore Institute on Disability, SF State University
“SF Homelessness 101,” a presentation by the SF Coalition on Homelessness
“Reflecting on Anti-Bias Education in Practice: The Early Years,” a screening of the film by John Nimmo and Debbie LeeKeenan and discussion
“Teaching our Kids about Antiracism and Social Justice,” *SF Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools annual coop-wide speaker event
The DEI committee and school leadership welcome all current and prospective Laurel Hill members to join us in this critical and collaborative work.