Owning Belonging
Owning Belonging
through the admission process and beyond
Tomorrow, I am thrilled to return to where it all began networking with lower-school Parents of Color about ways to consciously engage our scholars and our schools when cultural conflicts arise. We encourage black and brown families interested in independent schools to consider the lower grades as a point of entry -a special place to cultivate a foundation of learning and belonging.
I vividly remember this time in 2008 at a recruitment event when we confidently shook Sarah Lafferty’s (then director of lower school admission) hand, asking what set Riverdale apart from the other indy schools present. Without hesitation, she responded, "Well, that's what you're going to tell me." Then I said, "Well, if you can't tell me, why are you here?" to which she replied, "We have a parent here who can tell you" {admission peeps, this is a great best practice}. This parent of color was a true ambassador.
Ironically, hubby and I would attend an open house that week where I positioned myself in the front row, aisle seat {applying fam: create space for yourself}. As the open house admission hosts walked in, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and whisper in my ear, "Don't forget to tell me what sets Riverdale apart." It was on and crackin' from that point on!
At every turn, I was encouraged to have ownership of the admission process by having voice and visibility. This ownership helped us intentionally navigate through real and perceived barriers to entry. At that point, I could see the potential and vision for our kids' educational opportunities. To this day, the journey and stories continue with transformative experiences and partnerships that offered us the benefits of independent school education as we enhanced and challenged our school community for good.
There is so much ahead of you if you are a parent or caregiver that wants to educate and radically love your children more powerfully.
Ever wonder where the 'mmm' in community comes from? It comes from a diversity of people and perspectives that value and align with the mission and vision of independent schools to be good educational stewards increasing legacy, capacity, and equitable access for future innovators, change-makers, and influencers to impact this world for good!