DEI Communications Archive

Click here to view the newsletter sent on October 3, 2022.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on November 7, 2022.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on December 16, 2023.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on January 30, 2023. 

Click here to view the newsletter sent on March 3, 2023.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on April 26, 2023.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on February 28, 2022.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on March 31, 2022.

Click here to view the newsletter sent on April 29, 2022. 

Click here to view the newsletter sent on June 8, 2022.

Hello Friends School Community,

Welcome to the June Edition of our DEI Newsletter, which will also be our last official newsletter of the year. We will take a short break over the summer and resume at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. We invite you to continue sharing any DEI announcements or opportunities with deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

OBSERVANCES AND MILESTONES

 

 

June marks the beginning of Pride Month, an annual observance and celebration of the contributions of LGBTQ people globally. Pride celebrations have their roots in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. The uprising, led by trans women of color, lesbians, gay men, and drag queens, was a protest against police brutality and other forms of LGBTQ discrimination. If you would like to get involved with Baltimore-based organizations serving the LGBTQ community, check out the following:

• Baltimore Safe Haven is a Black trans-led nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for a higher quality of life for TLGBQ people in Baltimore City living in survival mode. (The org was recently featured in this Okayplayer article)

• FreeState Justice is a legal advocacy organization that seeks to improve the lives of low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (“LGBTQ”) Marylanders.

 

Juneteenth

Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Click here for a shortlist of Black-led Baltimore Juneteenth celebrations.

 

Tulsa Massacre

The Tulsa Massacre is recognized as one of the worst episodes of racist violence in U.S. history. 2021 marks the hundred-year anniversary of the massacre and in recent times, television shows like HBO's Watchmen and Lovecraft Country have brought attention to this tragic event. Click here to watch a survivor give testimony about the massacre to Congress.

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity
Please review the SWP Dashboard for an overview of our year-to-date progress on initiatives listed in the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity.

 

FSB Employee Climate Survey
The DEI Office invites ALL employees to complete the 2020-21 FSB Employee Climate Survey. This Climate Survey is listed in the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity as a tool to explore how racial identity is impacting the experiences of employees. It will also provide an important snapshot of where our community stands, benchmark progress over time, and help us create an inclusive climate where everyone can experience a sense of belonging at Friends. The link to take the survey is listed at the top of the June 2021 End of Year Schedule Google doc. 

Tools for Anti-Racist Teaching

PBS is launching a four-part series to investigate the ways in which racism, mental health, history, and education intersect, and discuss how media and media literacy can be used as tools to deepen our understanding, turn knowledge into action, and create immediate, positive change in the fight against anti-Black racism in education.  

Learn more >>

 

New to the Shelf
New to the Shelf is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.

May was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and this issue of New to the Shelf was dedicated to celebrating AAPI characters and creators. This will be the last issue of New to the Shelf for the year, but it will return in the fall.  

To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Click here to read the May 2021 newsletter.

 

Stop AAPI Hate Presentation — Thank you, Yazmine Flemming
The DEI Office thanks Lower School teacher, Yazmine Flemming, for sharing her time and knowledge with Lower School faculty about combatting discrimination against Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Yazmine presented on the model minority myth, bystander intervention, and shared ideas with faculty about curriculum that focuses on the AAPI experience. In the previous newsletter, we shared Yazmine’s “Stop AAPI Hate” resource (note that some of the links contain hate speech and depictions of anti-Asian violence) which will continue to be a valuable resource for our community.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

You have survived a school year while navigating a pandemic and several other crises. Rest easy this summer!!!!

 

In Friendship,
Sarah Meteyer '08

Hello Friends School Community,

Welcome to the May Edition of our DEI Newsletter. The DEI Office will share our last official newsletter of the year in June before taking a break for the summer. Although we will take a short break, we invite you to continue sharing any DEI announcements or opportunities with deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

OBSERVANCES AND MILESTONES

Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month

May 1 marks the beginning of Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which is a national opportunity to pay tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.

The DEI Office is pleased to share a new “Stop AAPI Hate” resource (note that some of the links contain hate speech and depictions of anti-Asian violence) curated by Lower School teacher, Yazmine Fleming. This comprehensive resource guide was created by Yazmine to support the FSB and larger Quaker community in allyship with the Asian American/Pacific Islander community and includes information about bystander intervention, curriculum plans and ideas, and more. Many thanks to Yazmine for investing her time and energy on the creation of this important resource.

Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month

May also marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month, which was started by the organization Mental Health America (MHA) in 1949. MHA’s goal is to educate, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health struggles, and help individuals find resources. To learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month and download toolkits and resources, click here: https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month.

Standing in Solidarity with Trans Students

Over the last few years, state lawmakers have moved away from “bathroom bills” targeting transgender adults and toward legislation meant to “protect” transgender minors or "protect" their cisgender peers from them. At least 20 states are currently considering bills that would ban transgender young people from competing in school sports or limit their access to medical care, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Almost 50 bills have been introduced so far this year to ban trans women and girls from playing sports and over 100 bills attacking transgender people have been introduced in state legislatures since 2020.  For more information about supporting trans students, including model policies, please use this resource from GLSEN: https://www.glsen.org/supporting-trans-and-gnc-students.

Move Bombing Anniversary

Thursday, May 13 marked the 36th anniversary of the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia. On May 13, 1985, the Philadelphia police department bombed the home of MOVE members (a group of Black folks organizing towards Black liberation) which resulted in the deaths of 6 adults and 5 children, numerous other injuries, and the displacement of over 200 Philadelphians. Please use the resources below to learn more.

Additional Resources:

• Let the Fire Burn (documentary)

• 40 Years a Prisoner (documentary)

• "The 1985 Philadelphia bombing that changed the city forever" (Vox)

• “A Philly museum kept the bones of a Black child killed in a police bombing. Decades later, it’s apologizing.” (Washington Post)

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Survey For BIPOC Students

As part of Friends School’s Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office invites all students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color to complete the 2020-21 student check-in survey. This survey is a first and important step in a longer-term initiative to understand more about the experiences of Black, Brown, and Indigenous students at Friends. Students in grades 5-12 are encouraged to complete the survey on their own, while parents and caregivers of BIPOC students in Little Friends, Pre-Primary, and grades 1-4 are encouraged to complete the survey on their child(ren)’s behalf. Please click here to access the survey and email deioffice@friendsbalt.org with any questions or concerns. Please note that this survey will close on Thursday, May 20 at 9 pm.

Blankets of Hope Fundraiser

Our FSB Middle School community is excited to announce that our students are participating in a nationwide movement called Blankets of Hope. Blankets of Hope is a 501(c)3 nonprofit partnering with schools to deliver blankets and handwritten letters of encouragement to people experiencing homelessness. As part of the initiative, every Middle School student will be participating in a Blankets of Hope Kindness Workshop and will write personalized letters of encouragement. Once the workshop is complete, we'll be delivering 192 Blankets of Hope to Project PLASE in Baltimore. 

To learn more or donate, please click here:https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/friends-school-of-baltimore-blankets-of-hope-fundraiser

LGBTQ Youth Sports Field Day

Unmatched Athlete invites you to join them for a free Field Day event for LGBTQ+ youth, allies, families, and friends. The Field Day will take place on June 12 and will be held at the UA Field House at Fayette. Unmatched Athlete's mission is to encourage LGBTQ+ and ally youth between the ages 5 - 18 years old to engage in sports and fitness.

To learn more and register please visit:https://www.unmatchedathlete.org/2021/04/june_12_field_day/

Equity Audit Focus Groups

The DEI Office would like to thank everyone who participated in the Equity Audit focus groups. A total of 20 focus groups were held, consisting of over 200 community members, including faculty, staff, alumni, and parents.

Congratulations and Thank You

Congratulations to our Diversity and Social Justice Class for leading an extraordinary Convocation Day for Social Justice on April 30. We are also grateful to the many keynote speakers who shared their insights with us about inequities in healthcare.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• FSPA Between Friends: DEI Conversations: The FSPA is continuing a round of small group conversations on DEI topics. The FSPA hopes that parents and caregivers will have opportunities for involvement that fit their interest and ability to commit time and effort. Some groups are drop in, so that you may attend when you can, and others are committed groups that meet on a regularly scheduled basis.  The groups vary in size of participants (6-10 per group) and cover a range of DEI topics. All FSB parents and caregivers are welcome and encouraged to join. Please review the information page to find a group/topic/time that works for you.

In Friendship,

Sarah Meteyer '08
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Hello Friends School Community, In February's DEI newsletter, I shared troubling information about the rising number of attacks on Asian and Pacific Islanders. Since then, we witnessed the murders of six Asian women and numerous physical assaults on Asian elders. We stand in solidarity with our Asian-identified colleagues and loved ones in condemning these hate crimes. Predominantly white institutions like Friends have a collective responsibility to speak out and interrupt racism. Here are a few immediate action steps that you can take: Learn more about what is happening and why [Read] "America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens" (National Geographic) [Read] Reports and data on AAPI violence (Stop AAPI Hate) [Read] "The 'Model Minority' Myth" (NPR) [Watch] “Asian Americans” documentary (PBS) [Watch/Teach-In] Sign up for the Asian Pacific Public Health Network’s Zoom teach-in on the history of the API community and State Sanctioned Violence next week.   Talk to your children about racism How to Talk to Children about Difficult News Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup   Report and/or interrupt racism when you see it Report anti-Asian hate incidents at StopAAPIHate.org Attend a bystander intervention training (Hollaback | Asian Americans Advancing Justice) I also want to acknowledge Women’s History Month and give a special shout out to all of our women-identified folks on campus who make it possible for us to empower future generations of courageous changemakers. We see you!  Below you will find our DEI announcements and events lineup for the month of March. Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity Please click here to view the SWP Dashboard and track progress on SWP initiatives.    DEI Coordinators’ Corner Later this week, our DEI coordinator team will share an important email message with the employee community. The team is looking forward to making a more in-depth introduction during our April 5th Professional Day. General Announcements Thank you! Thanks to all who attended our very first virtual BIPOC family meal earlier this month. Although we would have preferred to be together in-person, we continue to find new ways to successfully build community.    Opportunity for Upper School Students: HackBAC 2021 - A Social Justice Hackathon     This spring, the Black Alumni Collective, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the D! Lab, and The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning at St. Andrew's Episcopal School are collaborating on a social justice hackathon for high school students. This hackathon will explore the broad theme of how to encourage, develop, and build literacy around business, finance, and entrepreneurship for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. The free online event will take place over the weekend of April 9-11. BIPOC-identified students will gather together to hear from leaders in finance and entrepreneurship, and ideate on products or services through the tracks of education, communication, technology, and entrepreneurship that could promote financial literacy in underserved communities.   Please click here to register for this event.   Black History Month Recap & Thank You Shout out to all of our student groups, faculty, and staff who organized and ran an incredible lineup of Black History Month programming. If you missed out, you can see a few highlights on our social media channels, including our Director of Marketing, Theo George’s, presentation about the history of Black Counterculture on our YouTube channel.    Lower School Author Visits Some of our Lower Schoolers were recently treated to the premiere reading of MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD. Author, Matt de la Peña, read the story while the illustrator, Christian Robinson, drew and shared much about his life. Students from several area schools were able to join this Zoom event. During the presentation, de la Peña shared with the children, “I hope that readers see pieces of themselves and understand what others are experiencing in the world around them. I want to reflect the country that we’re living in.” These visits are made possible by the Joan Sandler Fund for Young Writers and the Klein Visiting Artists Fund.   New to the Shelf New to the Shelf is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.   To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. If you missed the February 2021 newsletter, you can read it by clicking here.   New Affinity Group Opportunities for Employees Below is a list of new affinity group offerings for the 2020-21 school year. If you are interested in leading an identity-based affinity group space, please reach out to Sarah Meteyer at smeteyer@friendsbalt.org.  Affinity Space for People with Physical Disabilities and Nondisabled Allies - If you are interested in participating, please contact Paula Easton at peaston@friendsbalt.org  White Antiracist Affinity Group - If you are interested in participating, please contact Claire Cunliffe at ccunliffe@friendsbalt.org  White Parents/Caregivers of Children of Color - If you are interested in participating, please contact Sarah Carter at scarter@friendsbalt.org  Multiracial Affinity Group - If you are interested in participating, please contact the DEI Office at deioffice@friendsbalt.org     Equity Audit Focus Groups In 2019, Friends School engaged Randolph Carter and East Ed to conduct an Equity Audit to assess various areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As we continue with the qualitative stage of the audit process, East Ed will conduct 20 focus groups over the next few weeks with various FSB constituent groups, including parents/caregivers, faculty, staff, and alumni. So far we have completed 13 groups with 7 remaining.    Book Club Opportunity The DEI Office is excited to announce a new book club for practitioners! The first book in the series will be Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. This book club is open to folks of all racial identities and aims to collectively explore identities and how they impact our work with students, and our entire community. If you are interested in participating, please contact Claire Cunliffe at ccunliffe@friendsbalt.org.    Parents of Black Students (POBS) POBS is a community of parents, caregivers, and family members of Black students representing all divisions at Friends School of Baltimore. Their mission: "We support the Friends School of Baltimore in creating a racially just, culturally diverse and socially equitable learning environment for all students, staff, and teachers. We advocate for the particular needs and concerns of Black students. We work in partnership with the administration, faculty, staff and Parents Association to address inequities that many Black students face." Please look for details at: POBs Flyer and POBs Contact sheet Google Form   Upcoming Events Kids of Color - The next Kids of Color gathering will be on Thursday, April 8 at 6:30pm. Employee BIPOC Affinity Group - The next BIPOC Affinity Group will be on Thursday, April 8 at 4:00pm. FSPA Speaker Series - This year, the Friends School Parents Association (FSPA), has been hosting a guest speaker series focusing on DEI-related topics.The series will continue on Monday, April 19 with Paige Hernandez. Click here to view the save the date. FSPA Between Friends: DEI Conversations - The FSPA is piloting small group conversations on DEI topics during this winter and spring. The FSPA hopes that parents and caregivers will have opportunities for involvement that fit their interest and ability to commit time and effort. Some groups are drop in, so that you may attend when you can, and others are committed groups that meet on a regularly scheduled basis.  The five groups will vary in size of participants (6-10 per group) and cover a range of DEI topics. All FSB parents and caregivers are welcome and encouraged to join. Please review the information page to find a group/topic/time that works for you. Sign up now before groups are filled! New LS student group:  White Anti-racist Kids (WAK) - On Thursday, March 25 from 5:30-6:00 pm, the WAK group will have its first Zoom meeting. At that meeting, students will talk about how to be an antiracist and inspire other people to be antiracists. Please click here and register your child(ren) by Wednesday, March 24 in order to participate.   Have news to share?   Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, or office? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org   In Friendship,   Sarah Meteyer '08 Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Hello Friends School Community,

I want to open our newsletter this month by holding our colleagues, families, and friends who identify as members of the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities in the light. If you have not heard about the recent national surge of anti-Asian racism and violence, you are not alone as this tragic development has barely registered in the media. These constant waves of hate-fueled violence are a stark reminder of why we must continue to be deeply invested in equity work at Friends School and beyond.

As I look ahead to next week’s Black Lives Matter Week of Action, I feel energized by the collective care, wisdom, and passion that our students and colleagues have poured into the planning for all of our Black History Month events. I am inspired by how they have modeled what it looks like to authentically and compassionately center Black voices and experiences on our campus. Check out this list of events taking place in the Middle and Upper School next week, and jump in wherever you can! http://bit.ly/2021BLMWeek.

Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity

• Reminder: Please click here to view the SWP Dashboard and track progress on SWP initiatives. 

General Announcements

Equity Audit Focus Groups

Last year, Friends School engaged Randolph Carter and East Ed to conduct an Equity Audit to assess various areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As we begin the qualitative stage of the audit process, East Ed will conduct 20 focus groups over the next few weeks with various FSB constituent groups, including parents/caregivers, faculty, staff, and alumni.

If you are interested in participating in a focus group, please fill out this form by Sunday, February 28, 2021.

First Annual Virtual BIPOC Family Collective Meal

The DEI Office and the Parents of Black Students (PoBS) welcome all families of color to join us in a collective virtual meal on March 11th at 6:00pm. Please click here to register for the event.

[Recording] Lunar New Year Celebration

In lieu of celebrating the Lunar New Year in-person with our entire community, some of our faculty, staff, and students created a video to celebrate the year of the ox! Click here to watch the recording.

New Affinity Group Opportunities for Employees
Below is a list of new affinity group offerings for the 2020-21 school year. If you are interested in leading an identity-based affinity group space, please reach out to Sarah Meteyer ‘08 at smeteyer@friendsbalt.org.

• Affinity Space for People with Physical Disabilities and Nondisabled Allies - If you are interested in participating, please contact Paula Easton ‘09 at peaston@friendsbalt.org.
• White Antiracist Affinity Group - If you are interested in participating, please contact Claire Cunliffe at ccunliffe@friendsbalt.org.
• White Parents/Caregivers of Children of Color - If you are interested in participating, please contact Sarah Carter at scarter@friendsbalt.org.
• Multiracial Affinity Group - If you are interested in participating, please contact the DEI Office at deioffice@friendsbalt.org. 

From the Friends School Parents Association— Between Friends: DEI Conversations

The Friends School Parents Association is piloting small group conversations on DEI topics during this winter and spring. Their hope is that parents and caregivers will have opportunities for involvement that fit their interest and ability to commit time and effort. Some groups are drop-in, so that you may attend when you can, and others are committed groups that meet on a regularly scheduled basis. The 5 groups will vary in size of participants (6-10 per group) and cover a range of DEI topics. All FSB parents & caregivers are welcome and encouraged to join. Please review the information page to find a group/topic/time that works for you. Two of the five groups are already full. Sign up now before all groups are filled!

Click here to find out more and to sign up

Major Gifts for DEI Initiatives

Friends School is thrilled to announce another round of major gifts for DEI initiatives. Through the support of a generous alum, we will be able to grow the endowed C. David Julian Harvey Scholarship. The Harvey Scholarship currently provides tuition, fees, and books for 3-4 students of color each year. This gift of an additional $1.5 million doubles the number of students who will be supported by the Harvey Scholarship in the future. 

Similarly, another transformative scholarship gift arrived from Dr. Michael & Mrs. Shelly Camp, who were named Honorary Alumni in 2018 for their many decades of support of the school. Their endowed scholarships currently support 4 students of color from Baltimore City each year. Wishing to do even more, the Camps recently contributed philanthropically to ensure that two additional students of color could be guaranteed to attend Friends, from 6th through 12th grades.

Girls Who Code Website

Check out the new Girls Who Code website to keep updated with the group! Special thanks to: A. Taylor, A. Johnson, Cat Noppenberger, Tracy Thompson, Gab Sussman, and Claire Cunliffe for their work on creating this website. Families who are interested in joining should email: fsbgwc@friendsbalt.org.

[Recording] Environmental Racism, Ecojustice and the Future of Sustainability in our City

Students and faculty in our Ecojustice Planning Team recently hosted a panel with members of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's Sustainability Transition Team. Click here to view the recording.

New to the Shelf

New to the Shelf is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.

To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email Jocelyn Boothe jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Read the February 2021 newsletter by clicking here.

Parents of Black Students (POBS)

POBS is a community of parents, caregivers, and family members of Black students representing all divisions at Friends School of Baltimore. Their mission: "We support the Friends School of Baltimore in creating a racially just, culturally diverse and socially equitable learning environment for all students, staff, and teachers. We advocate for the particular needs and concerns of Black students. We work in partnership with the administration, faculty, staff and Parents Association to address inequities that many Black students face." Please look for details at: POBs Flyer and POBs Contact sheet Google Form.

Upcoming Events

• Kids of Color - The next Kids of Color gathering will be on Thursday, March 11 at 6:30pm. 

• Employee BIPOC Affinity Group - The next BIPOC Affinity Group will be on Monday, March 1 at 5:00pm.

Have news to share?

Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, or office? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

In Friendship,
Sarah Meteyer '08
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Hello Friends School Community,

Welcome to our first official DEI Newsletter for the new year! This time next week we will be a few days into Black History Month. There are many ways that Friends School observes Black History Month, including encouraging participation in the Black Lives Matter Week of Action. This year, each division will participate in a range of actions and events throughout the entire month. Middle and Upper School friends, please stay tuned for an announcement from the Black Lives Matter Club and Middle School Diversity Council for more information. 

If you are interested in additional Black History Month-related resources (including Early Childhood resources), please click here for more information. Below are a few other events taking place this month:

 

 

Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity

• The DEI Office is pleased to announce the official launch of the Strategic Working Plan Dashboard. The Dashboard is designed to be an accessible document where the DEI Office will track progress on initiatives listed in the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity.  Please click here to view the SWP Dashboard.

• In alignment with the Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity, as approved by the Board of Trustees, we are launching an initiative to examine Friends School’s connection to the systemic displacement of First Nations/Native American/Indigenous people and its historical connection to slavery, segregation, and other racist policies. If you are interested in being a part of this multi-year initiative, please complete this form. We are inspired by colleges, universities, and schools across the country that have engaged with reconciliation work.

General Announcements

Thank You!
Thanks to everyone who joined us last night for the Baltimore BIPOC Affinity Space. Our next gathering will be held in Spring 2021 and is open to all BIPOC-identified, independent school employees at: Roland Park Country School, Gilman School, Bryn Mawr School, and Boys' Latin School of Maryland. 

FSPA Board Position Openings: 2021-22 

The Friends School Parents Association (FSPA) recently announced Board openings for the 2021-22 school year.  Parents and caregivers are invited to consider applying for a leadership role on the Board. This is an exciting way to get involved in your child(ren)’s school experience, share your expertise and talents, and make a positive impact on the entire school community. In addition to making new friends, you get a valuable “inside look” at how the school functions across many areas.  

This year is special! With new Bylaws in place, there are a host of additional positions and opportunities for your involvement at the Board level. Many of these are one-year commitments or a year in training to learn the ropes before moving into chairing a position. The FSPA is also excited to announce a brand new position — Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair. A detailed description of each position can be found in the FSPA Bylaws. Interested individuals will have the opportunity to connect with a current board member to get a better understanding of the scope of the position. Please contact the Nominating Committee Chair, Katherine Hancock Porter at: fspanomcom@gmail.com with any questions or to submit your name for consideration. 

Board openings for 2021-22: 

Chair-Elect

Governance Chair

Communications Chair

Recording Secretary

Events Chair

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair

Members at Large (3)

Upper School Division Chair-Elect

Middle School Division Chair-Elect

Lower School Division Chair-Elect

Pre-Primary Division Chair-Elect

Treasurer-Elect

Parents of Black Students (POBS)
POBS is a community of parents, caregivers, and family members of Black students representing all divisions at Friends School of Baltimore. Their mission: "We support the Friends School of Baltimore in creating a racially just, culturally diverse, and socially equitable learning environment for all students, staff, and teachers. We advocate for the particular needs and concerns of Black students. We work in partnership with the administration, faculty, staff, and Parents Association to address inequities that many Black students face."  Please look for details at: POBs Flyer and POBs Contact sheet Google Form

New to the Shelf in the Lower School Library & Pre-Primary Reading Group

New to the Shelf is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.

To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Read the January 2021 newsletter by clicking here.

Environmental Racism, Ecojustice and the Future of Sustainability in our City

Some students and faculty have been hard at work to prepare a panel of community experts for a webinar from 10:30 - 11:15 AM on Friday, February 5th on the topic of: Environmental Racism, Ecojustice and the Future of Sustainability in our City.  Please join us to engage with these three panelists from Mayor Scott’s Transition Team for the Environment and Sustainability about what they see now as the greatest problems and possibilities for hope and action.

 

MLK, Jr. Day Convocation Recap

Typically, there is an all-school Convocation in the gym the Friday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In recent years this has been a student-led program to honor Dr. King, Jr.’s life. Since we were unable to gather as a whole school, members of our community worked to put together a 17-minute video to honor the 2021 MLK, Jr. Convocation, which you can view by clicking here.

This year’s virtual program titled "Young Champions" featured student responses to the following queries:

• What dream must no longer be deferred?

• What makes you a young champion?

• What cause will YOU champion?

• What passion for justice moves you?

• How do you re-imagine this world?

Special thanks to: Ms. Countess, Mr. Wright, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Black, Mr. McNeal, M. Carnes, W. Gibbs, K. Britt, C. DeVeaux, C. Lyons, D. Mueller-Kralli, R. Brown, S. Linkroum, S. Samuel ’18, I. M. Prada-Enzmann, D. Trewick, I. Elson, T. Gilmore, B. Tasker, A. Jenkins, C. Carducci, and S. Handwerk!!!

Upcoming Events

• Kids of Color - The next Kids of Color gathering will be on Thursday, February 11 at 6:30 pm. This session will be led by our 5th-grade friends. 

  Zoom link https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72252492199?pwd=TGNNSGRQUmx2MTdoMWtZdGFJdUc0dz09

  Meeting ID: 722 5249 2199; Passcode: justice

• DEI Office + PoBS - Please join the DEI Office and Parents of Black Students in a virtual collective meal on March 11th at 6:00 pm. Stay tuned for more information!

Have news to share?

Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, or office? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

 

Sarah Meteyer '08
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Welcome to the November edition of our monthly DEI newsletter! 

Next week, I am looking forward to joining 13 faculty/staff and 6 students at this year’s virtual People of Color (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership (SDLC) Conferences. POCC is the premier conference for BIPOC teachers and personnel who work in independent schools and SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of Upper School student leaders from across the U.S. and abroad (with over 2500 students in attendance!) This year, Friends School was able to send all faculty and staff who wanted to attend. As an SDLC leader and affinity group captain, it is always a joy to witness the growth of our students. We will all be positively impacted by the knowledge our faculty/staff and students will bring back to campus to push DEI work forward. 

General Announcements

Recording Now Available: FSPA DEI Speaker Series

On Sunday, November 8 the Friends School Parents Association welcomed Rosetta Lee of the Seattle Girls School for our kickoff DEI Speaker Series. Click here to view a recording of the presentation.

WJZ Black History Oratory Competition

Please see below for an announcement about WJZ’s Black History Oratory Competition:

Announcing WJZ’s Black History Oratory Competition: Due to the pandemic, this year's WJZ Black History Oratory Competition will be conducted entirely online, but now more than ever, we need our students need to speak up and speak out about the issues that matter. High School Students write an original essay (600 words or less) based on a quote by a prominent African American historical figure. The students with the highest-scored essays will be invited to record themselves performing their original speeches at home to compete for scholarship prize money. The top speeches will be broadcast on WJZ News, and for the first time in BHOC history, the winners will be announced on TV! Stay tuned for this year’s quotes! Essays will be due January 31st. Questions? Email: Oratory@wjz.com.

Recording Now Available: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Virtual Information Session

On November 12, FSB welcomed Middle and Upper School students and their families to attend our 4th annual HBCU Information Session. This virtual program was co-sponsored by Bryn Mawr School, Friends School, Garrison Forest School, Gilman School, Roland Park Country School, and Sandy Spring Friends School. To view a recording of the event, please click here.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

On Friday, November 20, members of our school community paused to recognize the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). TDOR is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. One of the many campus activities included a vigil led by Middle School students. Click here to view a recording of the vigil. 

New to the Shelf in the Lower School Library & Pre-Primary Reading Group

New to the Shelf is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.

To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Read the November 2020 newsletter by clicking here.

Pre-Primary Reading Group: A new reading group for pre-primary parents is launching. This four-week virtual workshop will use picture books to spark conversations between parents and their children about race and identity. To learn more, click here. 

Among Friends: Alumni Speaker Series

FSB recently welcomed Portia Wood, Esq '02 to speak about estate planning for the third installment of our “Among Friends” alumni speaker series. Click here to watch the presentation recording.

Upcoming Events

• Kids of Color: The Lower School Kids of Color group meets once per month for 30 minutes to connect and affirm identity. The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 14 at 6:30pm.
• Girls Who Code: The Girls Who Code club meets every Friday from 12-1 PM.

Have news to share?

Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, or office? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

Sarah Meteyer '08
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Dear FSB Community,

 

Welcome to the second installment of our monthly DEI newsletter! As a reminder, our DEI newsletter will be shared at the end of each month, and include a recap of the month, updates about ongoing initiatives in our Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity, upcoming events, and other general announcements.

 

2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity

The DEI Office is thrilled to present the finalized version of our 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity. We could not have reached this important milestone without the contributions from all segments of the FSB community, and are deeply grateful for all who worked hard to make this happen.

 

The full plan can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/2021FSBSWP

 

General Announcements

 

Expanding the DEI Office-  Announcing the DEI Coordinators

 

We are also thrilled to announce our first roster of DEI Coordinators! Learn more about them by checking out the bios below.

 

 

 

Myresha Williams (Little Friends DEI Coordinator) is an Early Childhood Educator at Little Friends Early Learning Center, and has worked in Early Education for 11 years. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Myresha supports Little Friends’ teaching teams, and families on their journey to cultivate diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities and classrooms for our youngest of learners.

 

Mary Kelley (Pre-Primary DEI Coordinator) is a passionate educator who has been an elementary teacher for over 10 years. She earned her Master’s degree in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction from American University. In addition to teaching, she served as District Course Chair for DC Public schools where she was tasked with creating and facilitating professional development courses for teachers in DC Public Schools. She also served as Regional Director for a local child care organization. She is a people person and thrives on building relationships with her students, parents, and colleagues. She is excited and looks forward to leading this work.

 

Nabil Odulate, he/him/his (Lower School DEI Coordinator) is a current 5th Grade Homeroom Teacher and a Friends School alumnus from the class of 2012. In addition to his new role as the Lower School DEI Coordinator, he also serves as the Lower School Social Studies Department Coordinator, an Upper School Girls Soccer Coach, and a member of the Equity and Inclusion Committee. Some of Nabil’s passions include soccer, music, and social justice. Nabil is very excited to get started as part of the DEI team, and looks forward to cultivating a Friends School community where members feel welcomed and celebrated as their true, authentic selves!

 

Hailing from Gum Spring, VA, Luke Stratton (Middle School DEI Coordinator) comes to Baltimore after 15 years out West and Midwest. He completed graduate work in Russian and taught French in the San Francisco Bay Area for 12 years before a brief (and freezing) two-year hiatus in Minnesota. During his time in California, he frequently volunteered at numerous LGBTQ+ organizations across the Bay Area and co-directed the GSA at the school where he taught French. He and his husband, Allen, are very glad to be in a new city and to explore it with their delightful pup, Falko. Luke is looking forward to the rich discussions and rewarding diversity and equity work that will emerge in collaboration with the amazing DEI team at Friends School!

 

Claire Cunliffe (Upper School DEI Coordinator) is an Upper School Math Teacher and Teacher Coach. Claire grew up in Berkeley, CA and moved to Baltimore five years ago. She received a B.A. in International Development from UCLA and continued her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins, receiving an M.S. Ed. Claire is passionate about creating environments where all students, teachers, and community members can thrive. She has worked as a teacher coach, done both math and DEI facilitation, and is eager to grow with others as they seek to understand how educational spaces inform their intersectional identity development. In her free time, Claire likes to explore the trails around Baltimore, cook good food for friends, complain about leg day, and dream of big vacations. Claire is excited to work with this amazing team of DEI practitioners!

 

Theo George, he/him/his (Staff DEI Coordinator) is a Baltimore-based communications strategist and arts manager, with a passion for promoting and preserving the cultural legacy of contemporary Black artists and artforms. He holds a Master’s of Arts Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Bachelor’s in Africana Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Theo’s passion for elevating marginalized voices and stories has been a steady theme in his work. Theo worked at the forefront of the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement as the Lead Digital Strategist for the National Center for Transgender Equality on a variety of national campaigns, including the first-ever LGBTQ+ Congressional Caucus on transgender violence on Capitol Hill to consulting on MTV’s Transgender Day of Remembrance programming. He was named to the Trans100 list in 2015 and received a Rising Star Award from Black Transmen Inc.

 

Damion Scott, he/him/his (Staff DEI Coordinator) is the Upper School Library Assistant. Before coming to Friends School of Baltimore, Damion worked as a Community Educator with the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, and as a Literacy Coach in Baltimore City Public Schools. He has degrees in English Literature and History, and is passionate about teaching history as a way to build community and improve the conditions of disadvantaged people. Damion hopes to get into graduate school one day soon.

Isaiah Noreiga, he/him/his (Cross Divisional DEI Coordinator) currently works as a PE teacher and the Girls Varsity Head Coach. He has a Master’s in Clinical-Community Psychology. Isaiah has an extensive background in community organizing, participatory action research, and disability justice work. Isaiah also co-created a community and trauma-informed training program (endorsed by Duquesne University) for practitioners who work with kids and young adults. 

 

Get Involved with Girls Who Code!

 

 

The Friends School of Baltimore Girls Who Code Club is meant for girls and nonbinary students to join our collective of supportive peers and role models, and use Computer Science to change the world. When you join our club, you will be able to learn from fun and simple online coding tutorials, build community through interactive activities and learn about inspiring role models. You then work in teams to design and build a Girls Who Code Project that solves real-world problems you care about through code! Whether you're a beginner or a computer master, you're invited to join the movement!

 

Club leaders: Ms. Cunliffe (US), Ms. Thompson (MS), Ms. Noppenberger (MS), Ms. Sussman (LS)

 

Major Gift for DEI Initiatives
The world lost a shining light, FSB alumna Sarah Goldsborough Pitts ’03, on September 7, 2020. Sarah’s family has credited Friends School of Baltimore with helping to shape her extraordinary character and igniting her passion for social justice, which led to her career as a senior assistant district attorney in NY and as an activist with Riders4Rights in support of Black Lives Matter and Occupy City Hall marches.  In recognition of her life and her work, family-friend Roland Harvey recently gifted $50,000, which will be used to honor and support the faculty and staff at Friends who guide our students in social justice work, fostering their learning and empowering them to make a difference in the world beyond their FSB experience. We are deeply grateful for this gift, knowing that it carries forward Sarah’s legacy and makes an immediate impact on our community.

 

New to the Shelf in the Lower School Library

 

 

“New to the Shelf” is a newsletter for the Friends School community. It is meant to help families and students find books that best reflect the world around them and the world that is sometimes out of reach. We encourage you to learn more about these influential artists who are devoting their time and talents to fostering a generation that values all people. If you would like to borrow one or more books from the library, you may reserve a copy through the online portal located on the resources page in MyFriends. You may also request a loan by emailing John Scott and Linda Fowler at jscott@friendsbalt.org and lfowler@friendsbalt.org.

 

To subscribe to New to the Shelf, please email jocelyn.boothe@gmail.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Read the October 2020 newsletter by clicking here.

 

Upcoming Events

 

• FSPA Speaker Series: This year, the Friends School Parents Association (FSPA), will host a guest speaker series focusing on DEI-related topics. The series will kick off on Sunday, 11/8 with Rosetta Lee, Seattle Girls’ School. Click here to learn more and register.
• Kids of Color: The Lower School Kids of Color group meets once per month for 30 minutes to fellowship, connect, and affirm identity. The next meeting will be on Thursday, 11/12 at 6:30 pm. 
• Girls Who Code: The Girls Who Code club meets every Friday from 12-1 PM.

Have news to share?

 

Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, or office? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

 

Warmly, 

 

Sarah Meteyer '08

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Dear FSB Community,

 

Today we are excited to launch the first of our monthly Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) newsletter series! At the end of each month, the DEI Office will share a recap of the month, including updates about ongoing initiatives in our Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity, upcoming events, and other general announcements.

 

2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity

 

The 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan and Equity Audit presentations are now complete. The DEI Office presented the plan to the Board of Trustees, Administrative Council, employees and families, Parents of Black Students group, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and the Alumni Association Board. Thank you to everyone who has shared their feedback! Your feedback is vital in helping shape the final version of this plan.

 

We are now entering the last phase of the community-informed Strategic Working Plan process for the current school year. Students have been invited to participate in focus groups.  We are also hosting a series of conversations for Middle and Upper School students to talk about and process the National BlackAt Movement and the Black@FSB account. These conversations will inform the final version of the Strategic Working Plan, which will be shared with the community via email in the coming weeks. The current year Strategic Working Plan will grow and develop into a long-range, community informed multi-year strategic plan.

 

General Announcements

 

Expanding the DEI Office

• We recently released a job description for an Assistant DEI Director/DEI Counselor and convened a search committee. Please share this job posting widely with your networks.
• We also announced this summer that we would be adding seven cross-divisional DEI Coordinators to the DEI Office. We are wrapping up the interview phase and hope to announce the DEI Coordinators the week of October 5th.

 

Major Gift for DEI Initiatives

Friends School is thrilled to announce a major gift for DEI initiatives. Through the incredible support of a $100,000 gift from Jerry Ann Putt and Bill Putt ’55, we will be able to:

• Expand the Mission Fund endowment, which is a family of funds that provides support for needs above and beyond tuition.
• Increase access to faculty professional development around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Provide additional resources for Educational Testing, an often expensive endeavor, but one that affords students the benefit of learning accommodations on standardized tests like the SAT.

Thank you, Bill Putt ’55! This gift will have a profound impact on our DEI work this year and beyond, and inspire others to give to these efforts, too.

 

Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED)

ABOUT SEED: The National SEED Project is a peer-led program that “creates conversational communities to drive personal, organizational, and societal change toward social justice.”

 

• Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) groups will begin this October. 
• This year’s first Parent/Caregiver SEED Group session is scheduled for Monday, 10/5. Please email smeteyer@friendsbalt.org by Friday, 10/1 if you would like to join the 2020-2021 parent/caregiver SEED group. 
• This year’s Faculty/Staff SEED Group session is scheduled to begin Monday, 10/19. Please email smeteyer@friendsbalt.org and/or Gab Sussman at gsussman@friendsbalt.org by Tuesday, 10/6 if you would like to join the 2020-2021 faculty/staff SEED group.

 

Equity and Inclusion Committee (EIC)

The Friends School of Baltimore Equity and Inclusion Committee (EIC) is a coalition of current community members (faculty, staff, and students) who are actively working to create a more equitable and inclusive school.

• The Equity and Inclusion Committee is off to a great start this year. This committee has gone through many iterations since its inception as the Diversity Council in 2001. This summer we introduced a new mission statement, membership guidelines, subcommittees to support the initiatives in the Strategic Working Plan, and an application process.
• We currently have 36 members and three student reps: Kyla Griggs ’22, Morgan Hudgins ’22, and Maria Angelos ’21.
• The following subcommittees were formed to support the 2020-21 SWP Initiatives: 
  • Hiring Subcommittee
  • Curriculum Subcommittee
  • Data Collection Subcommittee
  • Restorative Justice Subcommittee
  • Peer Coaching Subcommittee, which focuses on Diversity Pedagogy and Culturally Responsive Teaching 

 

Diversity Practitioners Course

The FSB Diversity Practitioners course has the largest enrollment yet with 20 students signed up this year!

 

Upcoming Events

• • Racial Justice Training - All employees are required to complete a racial justice training. This training is made possible by an endowed gift as part of the INSPIRED program. The first Racial Justice Training for the 20-21 school year will begin on Monday, 10/26.
  • FSPA Speaker Series: This year, the Friends School Parents Association (FSPA), will host a guest speaker series focusing on DEI-related topics.The series will kick off on Sunday, 11/8 with Rosetta Lee, Seattle Girls’ School. Stay tuned for more information!
  • Vigil for Breonna Taylor: The Upper School Black Lives Matter Club will host a Vigil for Breonna Taylor from 6:00-7:30pm on Friday, 10/2 on Deering Field.
  • Kids of Color- The Lower School Kids of Color group meets once per month for 30 minutes to fellowship, connect, and affirm identity. The next meeting will be on Thursday, 10/8 at 6:30pm.

 

Are you working on exciting DEI initiatives in your classroom, division, office or at home? Do you have suggestions for potential partnerships with Baltimore-based organizations? If you have any updates, questions, or announcements that you would like to share with the DEI Office, please send us a message at: deioffice@friendsbalt.org.

 

In partnership,

 

Sarah Meteyer '08

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Click here to view the newsletter sent on April 26, 2023

Dear Friends Families,

 

This past week, we’ve been holding modified versions of many of our end-of-year rituals that commemorate the hard work and accomplishments of our students as well as the commitment and sacrifices of the families who have so faithfully supported their efforts.  I congratulate all the members of our community on the resilience and fortitude you showed in completing this unprecedented school year with all its many challenges!  This year, far more than ever, it was truly a team effort.

 

Reflection and Action

 

These events and celebrations all took place, of course, against the somber backdrop of our ongoing and long overdue reckoning with issues of racism and bias.  Baltimore’s citizens, I think we’re all proud to say, have been a model of peaceful and energetic protest against the historic and continuing injustices visited upon Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, at the hands of the police and their fellow citizens. 

 

Words make a difference, and so I want to affirm that Friends School believes deeply that Black Lives Matter and state that the need to speak these words emerges from the painful but undeniable fact that those with black and brown skin in our society have often been treated as though their lives do not, in fact, matter.  The hateful and demeaning racism that has fueled such actions is the original sin of our nation, and one that none of us, no matter how virtuous our intentions nor how enlightened our politics, can fully escape and completely rise above.  Even in a school founded on and dedicated to Quaker values, we have not been able to create a fully equal and just community for our students, families, and employees.  We must, and we will, do better in the future.

 

But words, however true or timely, are empty in the absence of action. Many of our students, alumni, and employees have been actively organizing and supporting action to address the inequities and bias in our city and nation.  At Friends, as well, we are continuing our efforts to live up to the values we espouse.  We recognize that we have much to do in this regard, and that, on the individual and institutional level, we have to examine the ways in which, through our actions or our inaction, we perpetuate the injustices of the wider society.  We have been having structured conversations around this topic among our professional community recently, and we are committed to continuing those discussions through the summer and beyond.  We are also developing action steps and goals so that we can hold ourselves accountable for making much-needed progress.  Some broad areas of focus for us will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Curriculum - As part of our decennial self-study through the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), we will be reviewing our academic program Pre-K through 12th grade, with a particular eye towards de-centering whiteness and including the voices and perspectives of all people, especially those who have traditionally been excluded or marginalized.  We want every child to have both windows and mirrors in their school experience; windows into the perspectives and lives of others and mirrors that hold up and affirm their own culture and values.  This work will also be part of our professional development program, Stride, as we prepare to be able to nimbly move between remote and on-campus learning as needed.

• Professional Climate -  In listening to our colleagues of color, both in recent weeks and throughout this school year, it has become clear that we need to address the environment on our campus.  Colleagues have expressed their concern about both systemic racial dynamics and individual microaggressions they have experienced.  Because of their willingness to share these observations, we have the opportunity and the obligation to create a more just and equitable culture for all on our campus and will be working to do so.  As just one part of this effort, we are redesigning and enhancing our orientation and mentoring programs to ensure that our newest employees understand and can work effectively within the culture, norms, and systems of our school.  This revamped program will be in place for the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

• Equity Audit - While the progress on this initiative was stalled somewhat by the COVID pandemic, we have nearly completed the data gathering component of this work.  Our consultant, Randolph Carter of East Ed, and his staff have collected information on disciplinary referrals, course placement,and co-curricular involvement, among many other items.  They will be generating a report on their findings, which we will share with the community as a starting point for finding ways of remediating the issues and discrepancies they observe.We’ll begin the qualitative component of this work (including surveys and focus groups) this summer.  This phase will also culminate in a shared report and a debriefing of the report to determine further action steps.

• Restorative Practices - We will continue to train employees and build our understanding of Restorative Practices for use with students and colleagues, through our work with both the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) and the Baltimore Wisdom Project.

• Student Discussion Protocols - In each division, new protocols for our professional conversations about students are being developed and refined.  By doing so, we hope to uncover and dismantle any ways in which these conversations unfairly label or disadvantage students.  Beginning in the fall, these procedures will be used for grade-level meetings and will also inform the way we frame reports and comments to students and parents.

• Racial Justice Training - We are continuing to conduct our Racial Justice sessions, an intensive 40-hour cohort-based experience through which faculty, staff, and administrators explore how race shapes our perceptions and experiences in the classroom, on our campus, and in the wider world.  At this point, some 60 employees have completed this training.  We aim to have all employees complete this experience by the summer of 2022.

• Faculty Coaching and Evaluation -  We’ve been developing a list of descriptors to be used for the coaching, supervision, and evaluation of all faculty. These descriptors include an emphasis on culturally responsive teaching and other equity-based pedagogy and will be in place for the 2020-21 school year.  Also, as we move forward, supervisors will be asking all employees to report on how they are nurturing their understanding of issues of equity and diversity in their teaching or departmental work, including workshops, conferences, readings, etc.  The results of this reporting will be reflected in the supervision process for all employees.

• Summer Learning - All employees will read either Grading for Equity or Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain for summer learning.  Those who have already read both books – or who are not working with children in the classroom - will have the choice of several other books on issues of race and equity.  We will use these texts as catalysts for continued conversations on the topics they explore as we conduct professional development next year.

These measures are, of course, just a next step on the long road to becoming a community that lives out the Quaker SPICES to which we aspire.  We will need your help and support on this journey, and I thank you in advance for providing it.

 

Preparing to Re-Open

 

FROST (the Friends Re-Opening of School Task Force) has been hard at work planning for a return to campus in the fall.  We’ll be collaborating with similar groups from other local independent schools to ensure that we all have access to the best information and guidelines for health and safety when we welcome our students back.    

 

An important part of our preparations for the fall is gathering feedback from families regarding your experiences with distance learning this past spring and your hopes and expectations for any distance learning that we may have to do next year.  Please complete this survey by Tuesday at noon.

 

To keep the community informed of our progress towards reopening, we have developed a new web page, to answer questions you may have, and to give you an ongoing update as the pieces of the puzzle come into greater focus.  Please check the Friends Connected page on a regular basis throughout the summer for news and information.

 

 

With best wishes for the health and well-being of your families,

Dear Friends School of Baltimore Community: 

 

We are listening deeply to the many Black students, families, employees, and alumni of Friends School of Baltimore who have recently shared stories of racism they have experienced in our community. We are sorry for the collective feeling of unsafety and trauma that these members of our community have described in their messages.  As friends adhering to the Quaker principle that there is that of God in everyone, we know that your hurt is our hurt, and we acknowledge that dramatic and unprecedented change is needed for the School to become an anti-racist institution. 

 

Despite our intentions to build a school where all people feel valued, treasured, and loved, the resulting impact is that we have failed to do so for some members of our community, who have instead felt marginalized, devalued, and tokenized. That must change.  Hatred and bigotry will not be tolerated at Friends. Our school, in love and support, will move forward by continuing to elevate Black voices and implementing new platforms for honest and open dialogue that speaks to the truth of each person’s experience. For those who identify as Black, and wish to speak their truth (from the “I” perspective), we invite you to attend an upcoming open listening session to support and inform the changes our institution is in the process of making.

 

Parents of Black Students Open Listening Session, 7/7, 6:00 PM-

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuf-yvqj8vGtRZ4rkPrqeLRGw9d61HIiKG

Black Current and Former Employee Open Listening Session, 7/9, 6:00 PM- https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYod-ygrT0vEtH3-uLYUVfuQ8z5iFAtNglq

Black Alumni Open Listening Session, 7/14, 6:00 PM - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErceqvrjwjH9WZAWUbpCJaGXQX4JkEZ2lQ   

Black Student Open Listening Session, 7/15, 6:00 PM - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrcOCuqzMqGNVFrzU0L1K_hPrHYPP82K4Y

 

We recognize the urgency in needing to act now. To our Black, Indigenous, and friends of color: we hear you, we see you. We know you don’t need our sympathy; you need our action. 

 

Today, we are sharing the beginning of a longer-term plan, and we are designating Sarah Meteyer, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to lead these efforts, which will grow and evolve as our understanding deepens. The next steps that the school takes will be community-informed, by faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and the Board, and informed by the results of our Equity Audit. Reports on our actions will be made to the Head of School, the Board of Trustees, and our broader community.

 

Our immediate or ongoing actions include:

 

• Developing a standard for respectful communication and behavior that is consistent with our Statement of Respect and applicable to all members of our community.
• Continuing the comprehensive equity audit begun earlier this year -- including surveys and focus groups -- with a report shared with the community this fall.
• Redesigning and enhancing our hiring, onboarding, and mentoring program to create a more equitable climate for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and staff with the assistance of an outside Human Resources expert.
• Continuing to conduct Racial Justice sessions, an intensive 40-hour cohort-based experience through which faculty, staff, and administrators explore how race shapes our perceptions and experiences in the classroom, on our campus, and in the wider world.  Approximately 60 employees have completed this training so far.
• Training employees and building our understanding of Restorative Practices for use with students and colleagues, through our work with both the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) and the Baltimore Wisdom Project.
• Restructuring our curriculum with a particular eye towards de-centering whiteness and including the voices and perspectives of all people, especially those who have traditionally been excluded or marginalized.
• Requiring all employees and trustees to read books on issues of race and equity such as “Grading for Equity” and “Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain” with the texts serving as catalysts for continued conversations.

We are dedicating ourselves to working with you in partnership to bring about real change by seeking true equity and inclusion for all members of our community. 

 

In Peace,

 

 

Meredith van den Beemt

Clerk, Board of Trustees

 

 

Norman Forbush

Incoming Clerk, Board of Trustees

 

 

Matthew Micciche

Head of School

Dear Friends School Community Members,

 

We are writing to follow up on our June 26th message. The Board of Trustees and the Administrative Team have taken seriously the feedback we received from our community members, including the contents of a recently published Petition, published by the Instagram account @BlackatFSB, and signed by many alumni, students, faculty and friends. When we add these voices to those heard during past listening sessions and surveys, we recognize that FSB must provide evidence of our commitment to change, in order to rebuild trust and move forward as an inclusive, anti-racist school community. 

 

To that end, we share with you some concrete actions that have taken place since we last wrote to you, as well as information on future steps and how they will be reported. 

 

UPDATE 1: LISTENING SESSIONS - Black, Indigenous, and POC community voices made clear that we misstepped in calling for additional listening sessions. BIPOC Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Parents have consistently communicated about specific actions the School must take to progress as an anti-racist institution, and we recognize that going forward it is our responsibility to take what we have heard and put it into action. While we acknowledge the importance of continued dialogue with the community, we have cancelled the current listening sessions and are focusing our time and efforts on creating change. 

 

UPDATE 2: STRATEGIC PLANS - The FSB Administrative Team received and carefully reviewed the Reclamation of Justice priorities shared in the Petition by @BlackAtFSB. These priorities, including curriculum changes, creating a bias-response system, improving data collection measures, and overhauling the discipline system will be outlined in the forthcoming 2020-21 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Working Plan (SWP). This plan will also be informed by data from the Equity Audit, past listening sessions with BIPOC faculty, and surveys. Details about the 2020-21 DEI SWP, as well as details about the longer-term, community-informed DEI plan will be shared in our next round of bi-weekly updates the week of July 20. 

 

UPDATE 3: IDENTITY-BASED SLURS POLICY* - The FSB Administrative Team has approved an “Identity-Based Slurs in Curriculum Policy” that will be immediately implemented. Many faculty and students feel trauma and pain when hearing identity-based epithets and slurs, which can impact their ability to focus and learn. In order to ensure that the classroom is a safe space for all, FSB faculty and students will not read or say identity-based epithets out loud.[To reference the full policy, please click here.]

*Please note that this policy was developed for the School by former Director of Diversity, Equity and Social Justice, Jessy Molina, and reflects minor changes. 

 

UPDATE 4: RESPECT FOR HAIR STYLES, ADORNMENTS, AND COVERINGS* - The FSB Senior Administrative Team has approved a “CROWN Policy” that will be immediately implemented. [To reference the full policy, please click here.]

*Please note that this policy was developed for the School by Friends School’s Parents of Black Students (POBS). Resource: https://www.thecrownact.com/

 

UPDATE 5: HIRING & RETENTION - We are partnering with Charlene Hayes of Human Capital Consulting (former Vice President for Human Resources at Johns Hopkins University) to enhance our hiring and retention practices for BIPOC faculty and staff. Charlene will also be a resource in helping us develop a bias-response system, revamping our mentoring program, and reviewing all of our employee policies through an anti-racist lens. 

 

UPDATE 6: INCREASING SUPPORT FOR THE DEI OFFICE - Friends School has committed to adding staffing support to our DEI Office in the form of stipended coordinator roles for the divisions and staff.

 

UPDATE 7: HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR BIPOC STUDENTS & EMPLOYEES - One of the most pressing concerns identified by Black students and employees is the urgent need for increased health and wellness resources. FSB will provide access to a BIPOC-identified counselor, starting in the 2020-21 school year. Additional resources will be outlined in the 2020-21 DEI Strategic Working Plan, and in future, community-informed, long-range plans. 

 

ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY - We have fallen short in our efforts to create a culture of accountability, and to respond as effectively as we could have when confronted with racism and bias on our campus.  We believe that accountability and transparency are crucial in order for us to make progress, build trust with BIPOC community members, and become an actively anti-racist institution. A proposal outlining how we will create a culture of accountability and transparency will be included in the 2020-21 DEI Strategic Working Plan, and opportunities will be provided for community participation in the development of future, long-range plans. 

 

As Friends School moves forward in our efforts to be an anti-racist institution, we will share bi-weekly updates about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts through the end of August. We will develop an updated communication schedule at the beginning of the school year. Bi-weekly updates will be posted here: https://bit.ly/FSBRacialEquityUpdates.

 

We are committed to continuing this work to bring about real change that will make our community a better place for all of our students, families, employees, alumni and friends. 

 

We can do better. We must do better. We will do better.

 

Respectfully,

 

 

Matt Micciche
Head of School

 

 

Norman Forbush ’78

Dear Friends School Community Members,

 

Please find the latest installment of our ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion updates below. You can also view these updates at: https://bit.ly/FSBRacialEquityUpdates.

UPDATE 1: EQUITY AUDIT
In March 2020, Friends School contracted with East Ed to launch an extensive Equity Audit to examine systems, policies, and practices and collect data on academic outcomes, school climate, discipline, and more. The report from this first, quantitative phase of the Audit is scheduled to be finalized in the coming days.

 

Current employees and parents will be invited to attend upcoming Equity Audit presentations in mid-August and early September. Randolph Carter of East Ed will share findings from this initial component of the Audit and School administrators will discuss the actions contained in the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan.

UPDATE 2: STRATEGIC WORKING PLAN
The first draft of the 2020-21 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Working Plan has been shared with the Equity and Inclusion Committee, Parents of Black Students group, and the Senior Administrative Team. These groups are collaborating to provide feedback and contribute to a second draft. FSB current parents and employees will also have the opportunity to give feedback at the upcoming Equity Audit presentations.

Friends will continue to work with Randolph Carter and East Ed to conduct focus groups and gather additional qualitative data in the fall. This work will inform the longer-term (3-5 year) strategic working plan.

UPDATE 3: HIRING & RETENTION
Charlene Hayes of Human Capital Consulting has begun a comprehensive review of employee policies. She is also working with faculty, staff, and administrators as we strengthen the mentoring program and the orientation process for new employees.

UPDATE 4: INCREASING SUPPORT FOR THE DEI OFFICE
FSB is expanding the capacity for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts on our campus. The new position descriptions for seven stipended DEI Coordinators were released to current employees on Wednesday, July 22 via email. For information about the hiring process, please contact the DEI Office at smeteyer@friendsbalt.edu.

DEI COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES— 

• Develop and implement programs, initiatives, and strategies that are informed by the Strategic Working Plan (including, but not limited to at least two professional development opportunities, one of which will reflect Restorative Practices)
• Complete Culturally (DEI) Responsive Peer Coaching with Equity Audit Consultant to provide peer coaching to colleagues
• Collaborate with DEI Director to help create a DEI Database (topics page) with a collection of resources
• Collect information from divisions/departments about current DEI initiatives, in order to track progress
• Work with the DEI Director to further design and facilitate Racial Justice TrainingsWork with the DEI Director on concrete projects related to DEI that unfold each school year
• Publicize community (surrounding neighborhoods, etc.) DEI programs, resources, and opportunities

UPDATE 5: HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR BIPOC EMPLOYEES & STUDENTS
The Counselors and the School Nurse, in collaboration with the DEI Director and the Head of School, have begun the hiring process for a BIPOC-identified counselor. For information about the selection process, please contact Sarah Meteyer at smeteyer@friendsbalt.edu.

 

Sincerely, 

Friends School of Baltimore

Dear Friends School Community Members, 

 

We are pleased to announce that the first, quantitative phase of the Equity Audit is complete. You are invited to attend four special presentations coming up soon. Hosted by Matt Micciche, Randolph Carter of East Ed will share significant findings from the Audit, and Sarah Meteyer ‘08, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, will share a high-level overview of the actions contained in the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity (SWP). 

 

Following these special presentations, the latest draft of the 2020-21 Strategic Working Plan for Racial Equity will be shared. The SWP was developed by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in partnership with the Friends School Senior Administrative Team, the Board of Trustees, and several parent, faculty, and student groups. Grouped into five categories — Culture, Retention, Accountability, Learning, and Data — this plan is heavily informed by findings from the Equity Audit, several Faculty Listening Sessions, Surveys, and other sources.

 

REGISTER: Equity Audit & SWP Presentations

Note: You will have the opportunity to submit any questions you may have as part of the registration process.

 

Presentation for Parents ⏐ Monday, August 10 at 6:30 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvc-yqrjwsH9b6h8h0Ba_mvHxVHIZ0X_VY

 

Presentation for Parents ⏐ Tuesday, September 8 at 6:30 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrcOGgqDoqG9HKlbh0z1oNOAuEEQ9l3qvt    

 

Presentation for Employees ⏐ Monday, August 10 at 12:00 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpcu6vrDgvHNMfw7boF4Q3HGgdwPBr2FaJ

 

Presentation for Employees⏐ Monday, August 24 at 5:00 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArc-iorTooHddJqGAU6KOlGJq2hqX7_hfk

 

We look forward to seeing you during one of these presentations. 

 

Sincerely,

Friends School of Baltimore

Dear Friends School Community,

 

On Tuesday, March 16, we witnessed another bigotry-driven attack that stole the lives of eight people, six of whom identified as Asian. We say their names and hold their loved ones in the light.

 

Soon Chung Park, 74

Suncha Kim, 69

Yong Ae Yue, 63

Hyun Jung Grant, 51

Xiaojie Tan, 49

Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33

Daoyou Feng, 44

Paul Andre Michels, 54

 

While many have noted a disturbing uptick in anti-Asian violence, it is a disservice to Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to describe this as a new or unprecedented trend. Anti-Asian violence, misogyny, and oppression are consistent storylines in American history.

 

At Friends, we let our lives speak when we see that of God in those who have been marginalized by society. When we interrupt the everyday acts of racism that lead to widespread violence, and do the difficult work of dismantling these practices in our own school and our own neighborhoods to build a more just and equitable world.

 

Here is a list of immediate action steps you can take (shared via the Friends School DEI Office):

 

Learn more about what is happening and why

• [Read] "America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens" (National Geographic)

• [Read] Reports and data on AAPI violence (Stop AAPI Hate)

• [Read] "The 'Model Minority' Myth" (NPR)

• [Watch] “Asian Americans” documentary (PBS)

• [Watch/Teach-In] Sign up for the Asian Pacific Public Health Network’s Zoom teach-in on the history of the API community and State Sanctioned Violence next week.

 

Talk to your children about racism

• How to Talk to Children about Difficult News

• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup

 

Report and/or interrupt racism when you see it

• Report anti-Asian hate incidents at StopAAPIHate.org

• Attend a bystander intervention training (Hollaback | Asian Americans Advancing Justice)

 

Sincerely,

The Board of Trustees + Administrative Council