MARGARET CHADWICK, 1963
A strong feeling of belonging to each other and of belonging to the whole family of man develops, and once a child has grasped the concept of ‘we’ as meaning ‘old and young, rich and poor, of every color and all nations,’ he has found himself at home in the world.
A Message from Dr. John Aden – Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At Chadwick, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are at the core of who we believe we are and continually strive to be. Our Mission "to develop global citizens with keen minds, exemplary character, self-knowledge and the ability to lead” cannot be realized without investing the time to get to know the rich diversity of cultures and communities in our midst. Moving beyond general statements of appreciation for cultural differences to actually relating to one another through our Core Values of respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness and compassion requires humility, commitment and skill.
As a community, we are committed to developing our skillfulness in this area just as we do in so many other areas that are part of the journey of learning, growth and achievement at Chadwick School. Our school’s founder, Margaret Chadwick, expressed her vision that Chadwick School would be a “Dipperful of Humanity.” She understood that if the cultural richness found in the world were increasingly reflected in this community, everything that the school is trying to accomplish missionally would be deepened and catalyzed.
Our K-12 curriculum continually invites students into deeper ways of knowing, being and understanding as they progress through each grade level and across every surface of school life. We take seriously our responsibility not only to create a diverse community but also to remain attentive to the degree to which every member of our community is being valued, celebrated and invited to make a lasting imprint on who we are. The adults in this community — faculty, staff, administrators, trustees and parents — are also aware of our role in modeling the behaviors and beliefs that we are teaching and expecting of our students.
It has been said that Diversity invites everyone to the party; Inclusion adds everyone’s songs to the playlist (and then makes sure that those songs are actually played); and Equity affords all of us the opportunity to dance. This vibrant, joyful, inclusive, connected community is in constant pursuit of recognizing and embracing the challenges that come with that pursuit. Forward!
Our Commitment to a More Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Future
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are deeply ingrained in the ethos of Margaret Chadwick, our founder, who believed in a school community that reflects a “dipperful of humanity” in which “the winds that blow so vigorously across our beautiful acres will one day sweep away all prejudices.” We continue to aspire for this idealized vision while recognizing the essential work to be done and actions still to be taken to create a more equitable and inclusive Chadwick for our entire community. During this long-awaited moment in our nation when we are confronting injustice and racism with a heightened urgency and renewed commitment to equity for all, Chadwick’s participation in this movement is paramount and DEI will be a central lens in all that we do.
This commitment to DEI is a collaboration and a partnership among our administration, faculty, staff, students, parents, the board, and alumni. Equity work must be prioritized and personal to all of us. As we confront our opportunities for growth and aspire to progress further, we all must participate in blowing those winds of change across our campus toward a more equitable community.
Affinity Groups
Social Justice Day
Chadwick's Social Justice Day is held annually in March. This year's theme was “Where There is Love, There is Justice.” Throughout the day, Chadwick's community engaged in meaningful and hands-on learning — a testament to our commitment to social justice and our Core Values of honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect and compassion. Highlights of the day, included an inspirational speech from Alexander “B. Honest” James, an award-winning poet and author, and performances by our grades 6-8 dancers and the Village School chorus. Village students participated in workshops with renowned mixed media artist Narsiso Martinez, poet Luivette Resto, author Oliver Simms, and Alexander “B. Honest” James. Our youngest K-6 students also watched a musical performance from the Terminal Island Historic Preservation Initiative, who played the Taiko drums. Middle and Upper School students attended workshops led by guest speakers and fellow classmates. A few of the workshops included: “The Structure of Belonging: How are We Going to Be When We Gather Together?,” “Remembering Resilience: Stories and Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration Camps” and “Black Maternal Mortality and its Connection To Reproductive Justice.”
Multicultural Food Festival
Chadwick's Multicultural Food Festival is celebrated every spring. This vibrant event was ideated and organized by our students, and gives attendees an opportunity to experience food and cultures from diverse regions and backgrounds at various booths. Festive decorations and delicious dishes from Filipino, Black, Korean, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Danish (and more) cultures give the Chadwick community a true taste of diversity.
Bus Stop Meet-and-Greets
During the fall, Head of School Jessica Donovan, Assistant Head of School Elizabeth Imende-Cooney, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dr. John Aden and Chadwick Parents Association President Nazly Westernoff hosted Bus Stop Meet-and-Greets at some of Chadwick's morning stops. It was delightful to see our students, parents and staff connect over coffee and donuts throughout our community's neighborhoods.