Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Purpose statement
Louisville Collegiate School’s mission is to inspire academic excellence, extraordinary character, and global citizenship. Central to our mission is our commitment to creating an inclusive community that nourishes students and families from all backgrounds and perspectives.
As such, we seek:
- To enrich our students’ academic excellence by cultivating pedagogy, programming, and instructional resources that empower each of our students to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
- To enhance our students’ extraordinary character by nurturing and fostering skills and practices at every age that contribute toward a community where each member feels a sense of belonging and engagement.
- To develop students’ global citizenship by considering multiple perspectives and increasing a sense of responsibility to live, work, and engage respectfully with a diversity of people in an interconnected world.
As we teach, learn from, and celebrate the many differences that make up our school, we work together to uphold the pillars that embody the mission of the Louisville Collegiate School community. We expect our students and families to demonstrate integrity and respect for all individuals and to act in the best interests of others and the community as a whole by demonstrating honor, compassion, responsibility, and respect.
WORK IN ACTION
This year, the school is working to create a framework of Core Competencies, including one competency focused on Intercultural Engagement. This work will continue in the fall, and we look forward to sharing more information soon!
Black History Month
This website was created this year by Collegiate student Max LeDoux ’24, to highlight the lives and contributions of Black Americans in American History. The first four Black Americans featured on the website were presented by the Black Student Union for the Black History Month Upper School morning meeting. These four little-known Black Americans prioritized service in the Black community during their lives.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve”
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Since 2021, in my role as diversity director, I have highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s National Day of Service.
While living on the East Coast, the Day of Service was a way for my friends and I to honor Dr. King in a manner that allowed us to put the principles steeped in his “I Have a Dream” speech into practice. Community, unity, service, and transformation – these ideas were important when Dr. King addressed thousands of Americans around the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington in Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963. They continue to resonate today. Since coming to Louisville, I have held on to these ideals. At Collegiate, we work with our students to help them build habits that enable them to embrace the themes of community, unity, transformation, and service as they grow and develop into global citizens.
As in previous years, AmeriCorps and Volunteer.gov have created databases with various suggestions of volunteer opportunities on January 15. In the city, the Muhammad Ali Center is also honoring the Day of Service. Finding a valuable way to volunteer today does not have to be difficult, nor does it require you to travel outside of your immediate neighborhood. In the past, I have helped my neighbors paint or address and stuff envelopes. I have also spent the day reading the morning paper to neighbors or mentoring first-generation college students attending my alma mater. Likewise, I have found volunteer opportunities through work with my church in Alexandria, VA and I will participate in a volunteer opportunity with my sorority sisters again this year. Service, volunteering, or giving back, the words we use to describe how we help one another do not matter. We all benefit from time spent doing for someone else.
Like Dr. King, I believe everyone can serve and that our communities are better when we serve. He believed service is about uplifting and caring for all of the communities we love. Dr. King did not view age, race, religion, or socio-economic background as barriers to service. Dr. King saw them as assets. If you have not considered doing something to support your community today, it is not too late. I encourage you to consider ways to give back to our city. Be the change you want to see!
Student Affinity Groups
The Equality Coalition: The Equality Coalition is made up of three groups: the Black Student Union (BSU), Collegiate Feminist Club (CFC), and the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA). These student-led, teacher-facilitated affinity groups are leading conversations through morning meetings and grade-level-specific discussions about a range of topics.
Why Affinity Groups Matters: Collegiate is committed to creating student-centered affinity groups. The role of student-centered affinity groups is to provide safe spaces for students with a shared identity to speak, share, and to grow with one another from the sharing of personal, firsthand experiences shaped by a particular identity lens. These groups are sponsored by Collegiate faculty and staff. Their role is to facilitate these student groups in setting goals for the year, creating agendas for meetings, organizing events, and celebrations. The sponsor also takes on the role of a teacher leader for their groups in partnership with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Head of the Upper School, and Head of the Middle School.
Student Affinity Group Work at LCS
Once again this year, our student affinity groups led activities highlighting and celebrating cultural heritage months in the Upper School.
The GSA has had Pride Week celebrations annually since 2014. This year’s Pride Day meeting included speakers from the Fairness Campaign, ACLU, and a panel of Upper School students and teachers. Our Pride celebration highlighted students and teachers who identify as LGBTQ+ and a message of “You Are Not Alone!” Nearly 100 faculty and staff had a picture taken holding a sign with our theme! The GSA has seen increased student involvement and now has an off-shoot club, the GSA-S, a social group for students who identify as LGBTQ+.
The BSU focused on acts of service highlighting Black Americans who used their financial successes to give back to the Black community, especially activists who have given back to support historically black universities and colleges. The BSU created a webpage to honor local and national black business people throughout February. During February, BSU students volunteered at Gilda’s. They also donated bake sale proceeds to Gilda’s to support three art projects for twenty of Gilda’s members.
The Feminist Club’s presentation, during Women’s History Month, included a panel of students and faculty who highlighted the importance of gender equality for a sustainable future. Panel members shared personal stories of influential women in their lives. The panel also celebrated this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Break the Bias.”
Meet the DEI Team
