Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
DEI at Shipley: Cultivating Belonging
Strategic Plan Update - Goal #1: Educational Excellence
How is Shipley strengthening students’ ability to engage and lead in an increasingly complex and interconnected world?
The five strategies supporting educational excellence are aimed at equipping students with the skills they will need to thrive and succeed in an increasingly global world, where empathy, critical thinking, and social competencies are essential. In this feature from the Summer/Fall 2023 issue of the Shipley Magazine, we explore how we are addressing these goals through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.
Cultivating Belonging
Goals Addressed: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5“Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed.”
~ Mary Parker Follett
One of Shipley’s accomplishments in the last seven years is the creation of the DEI Strategic Plan, stemming directly from Goal 1.4 of Vision 20/26 to “Cultivate a diverse and inclusive community.” Investments have been made in building an Office of DEI to steer these efforts, including three coordinator positions—one in each division, as well as one for the adults in the community. A standing DEI committee was added to the Board of Trustees as well.
Celebrating Joy & Diversity
Diversity is celebrated in divisional assemblies, including a parade for Hispanic Heritage Month in Lower School and a visit from the University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Rev. Charles Howard in Upper School, among others. An All School Assembly with the theme of “Black Joy” spotlighted contributions of Black Americans in the visual arts, literature, athletics, and music.
Professional & Leadership Development
The DEI department led Professional Development sessions for teachers, administrators, and operational colleagues on belonging, microaggressions, gender inclusivity, and Shipley’s Bias Awareness Reporting system. In the spring, the Board of Trustees participated in a workshop led by Dr. Gene Batiste and focused on Board governance through a DEI lens.
Affinity Spaces
Affinity groups create opportunities for people who share a common identity to build strength and pride. This year, Shipley’s affinity spaces were expanded to include Lower School students. Student groups include Jewish, Black/African, and Asian American Pacific Islander heritages, as well as LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies. Adults in the community have formed Colleagues of Color and LGBTQIA+ Colleague affinity spaces. More groups will continue to be created based on community interest.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
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Meet Deauntra Thompson-Smith, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Deauntra Thompson-Smith has been Shipley’s Assistant Director of DEI since January 2024. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education from Neumann University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in history from Delaware State University.Read More -
Nurturing Belonging & Connection in Lower School Affinity Groups
Affinity groups at Shipley help to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, empowering students of diverse backgrounds to build authentic relationships, celebrate their identities, and grow into confident, compassionate global citizens. Learn more about our Lower School Affinity Spaces.Read More -
Creating a Culture of Kindness in Middle School
“Shipley is really special because three kids can go to a teacher and say, ‘I think it would be cool to do this.’ And the teachers and administrators support them all the way through.” Learn more about the Middle School's culture of kindness and November's Kindness Month events.Read More -
DEI at Shipley: Cultivating Belonging
Shipley's commitment to educational excellence extends to cultivating a sense of belonging within its diverse community. This article delves into how Shipley has embraced its DEI Strategic Plan, celebrating diversity, providing professional development, and creating affinity spaces to foster inclusivity and unity.Read More -
Shipley Recognizes AAPI Heritage Month
Shipley’s Asian Student Alliance (ASA), led by co-presidents Amber Feng ’24 and Anne Gu ’25, recognized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with programming for Upper School students, including a presentation about AAPI Heritage Month by members of the ASA, and one by guest speaker Elvis Zhang ’17 about his life as an entrepreneur and Asian American.Read More -
Shipley Celebrates Lunar New Year with Musical Performance
Read MoreView a performance of the Lunar New Year Overture by Shipley's Chamber Orchestra, in an arrangement by Richard Liu ’25 and Bambi Tang ’23, and conducted by Mr. Jhonnatan Mata. The performance was organized by the Asian Student Alliance and the Chamber Orchestra in celebration of Lantern Festival, or the end of Lunar New Year. -
3-2-1 Care to Share? A Quiet Lesson in Diversity
Middle School is a time of physical and emotional growth and transformation, but the process that each child goes through is uniquely beautiful, messy, and complex. Through conversations in sixth grade SEED, teacher and Middle School counselor Lindsay Fick hopes that her students learn to acknowledge that for themselves and build the skills to accept it when it comes to others—a powerful lesson in viewpoint diversity.Read More -
Diversity in the Sport of Rowing
Shipley's Director of Rowing, Scott Gavin-Wisniewski discusses the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the sport of rowing and how Shipley's Rowing Academy is working to counteract that. The program's strategic partnership with Philadelphia City Rowing (PCR) both informs how we advance DEI within Shipley's program, while also advancing equity in the broader Philadelphia community through our support of their efforts.Read More -
Shipley's Black History Month Celebrations
Black History Month was celebrated throughout the month of February as divisions and as a school. Take a look at the many activities that happened on campus.Read More -
Celebrating Black Voices During Black History Month
Shipley's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion asked members of the Shipley community who identify as Black or African American what their race/ethnicity means to them, why Black History Month is important, and what are their hopes for the future.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: Rafhia Foster, Director of Enrollment
Rafhia Foster, Shipley's new Director of Enrollment, was the only African American girl in her class at a local independent school. As a Black, Muslim-raised Trinidadian, she brings with her to Shipley a rich tapestry of lived experiences. She knows well the feeling of not being heard or seen. Now, she embraces each opportunity to share her voice and story, bringing an effervescent spirit to Shipley's Admissions Office.Read More -
Paving the Road Ahead: Examining Shipley's DEI Efforts
Vision 20/26 compelled Shipley to “Cultivate a diverse and inclusive community” as a means of “increasing our ability to work across differences in our school, in our communities, and in the world.” Five years later, Shipley has taken great strides with its DEI efforts. Are we doing enough? Too much? How can we work together as a community to advance this important work? Our panel explores these questions and more.Read More -
Kathy Guy Dawson ’78: Creating a Safe Space for Shipley’s LGBTQ+ Community
Kathy Guy Dawson ’78, an Alumni Council member and former Trustee, became an inaugural co-chair of LGBTQ+ Alumni Association in 2021. She was the first black student in her class and the first member of her family to attend private school. Learn more about this Shipley Changemaker and how she's supporting the LGBTQ+ community at Shipley.Read More -
Rik Morris ’80: Giving Forward to Shipley’s LGBTQ+ Community
Rik Morris ’80 is a strong example of the Shipley spirit and the School’s commitment to supporting everyone in the community. “I don’t believe in giving back,” says the 2020 Alumni Service Award recipient. “I believe in giving forward.” Following his retirement as a Trustee a few years ago, Morris is serving as inaugural co-chair of the newly formed Shipley LGBTQ+ Alumni Association,Read More -
Peyton Turner '22 Named Main Line Student of the Week
Shipley Junior Peyton Turner has been named Main Line Student of the Week for the week of June 6.Read More -
Hakiem Coles ’07: Raising Funds for Shipley’s Black Students and Teachers
“Shipley was life-changing for me. It opened up my world," says alumnus Hakiem Coles ’07. His belief in the power of education to positively impact the lives of other black students inspired him to join Shipley's Black Alumni Association and establish a named endowed fund, the Black Alumni Association Fund, to support the curricular and cultural needs of Shipley’s Black students and teachers.Read More -
Spotlight on DEI in Lower School Classrooms
In the Lower School, a lot of DEI work revolves around helping students learn about themselves and aspects of their identities, as well as encouraging them to learn about their classmates and communities. From first through fifth grade, many of our students devoted classroom time to important discussions about different identity markers, the concept of community, and how we can support one another.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: Q&A with César Hidalgo
Valente Hidalgo, an eighth grader, interviewed his dad, César Hidalgo, who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador as a child. César describes what it was like growing up in Ecuador versus what it was like in the U.S., how he learned English, and how he shares Ecuadorian culture with his children.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: What Being Tibetan Means to Me
Tenzin Kyizom is one of our Middle School proctors. She shares about her Tibetan identity and what it means to her, exploring what it was like to be an Asian minority during elementary and middle school, celebrating favorite Tibetan customs, and examining some triumphs and painful moments she has experienced as an immigrant to the U.S.Read More -
Identity Interview: Wendy Eiteljorg ’86 Explains Her Purple Hair
Exploring and understanding identity is an important part of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work at Shipley. There are many parts of our identity that we are born into, but others that we choose. Middle School DEI Coordinator and English teacher Lila Corgan interviewed Wendy Eiteljorg ’86, Director of Curricular Innovation and Learning Design about her purple hair.Read More
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The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.
