Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We recognize that a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion requires attention across all layers of our institution to ensure that our values are reflected in every aspect of our boarding and day community. In doing so, we can provide a welcoming and safe school community that is affirming and inclusive, where all students, faculty, and staff, feel a strong sense of belonging and see themselves reflected in our curriculum, resources, and spaces.

 

To become the institution we aspire to be, KES commits to the following actions:

• Building on a school culture that respects, values, and embraces the voices, perspectives, and differences that arise from having a diverse community who live, learn, and play on this campus that we share.
• Engaging in open dialogue, questioning, and examining assumptions with our students about topics related to bias, prejudice, privilege, power, and systemic oppression.
• Increasing the cultural responsiveness of our curriculum, professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, and thoughtful co-curricular programming.
• Reviewing, adapting, and developing curriculum that both affirms and represents a broad range of perspectives with particular attention to those stories and events that have historically been excluded from the classroom.
• Listening to and amplifying all student voices.
• Regularly auditing our policies and practices to ensure they are sustainable, equitable, and inclusive.
• Continuing to diversify our student body, faculty, and administration by bringing a DEI lens to our admissions and hiring practices.
• Re-evaluating some of the traditions that are reflective of the time in which they were created.
• Prioritizing future construction of campus facilities to incorporate principles of universal design and barrier-free access and working towards the renovation of existing facilities to improve accessibility for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.