At The Seven Hills School, we believe in the power of connections and community. We strive to promote an environment where every student feels welcomed and supported. We embrace the importance of developing relationships and we search for the bridges that connect us. Our students feel a sense of belonging because peers, teachers, and administrators support an atmosphere where, regardless of similarities or differences, they are an integral part of the fabric of the school community.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At our core, we believe that diversity is an inherent and celebrated aspect of Seven Hills. Accordingly, we define diversity in the broadest possible sense: with respect to race, gender, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, physical ability, family composition, learning style, nationality, language, age, as well as other characteristics, abilities, and perspectives that contribute to one’s view of the world.
However, we recognize that true inclusion is not a passive outcome but a purposeful endeavor. It demands intentional design and fostering environments where every faculty, staff, and student is valued and belongs. Equity, to us, is not a static destination but an ongoing journey. It’s the commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring that everyone has fair access to opportunities, resources, and pathways for success. We understand that achieving equity requires strategic efforts to remove barriers for underrepresented identities and work collectively to bridge disparities.
We view Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as more than just initiatives; they are key pieces to creating vibrant, thriving communities.
We are, therefore, committed to:
- Enrolling a diverse student body, from a wide variety of backgrounds, whose varied perspectives can enrich our learning community.
- Attracting and retaining a more diverse board, faculty, and administration.
- Sustaining a supportive and inclusive school culture that affirms and values the uniqueness of each individual, honoring our differences while embracing shared values.
- Seeking continuous feedback to better understand the experiences of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and using it to challenge and refine our own practices.
- Encouraging all members of the community to explore honestly their assumptions and biases and to modify them when appropriate.
- Training our teachers to recognize and respond to a wide range of needs and learning styles among our students and to use inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies.
- Ensuring equitable access to all of the school’s programs and enabling all students to thrive academically, artistically, athletically, socially, and emotionally.
- Exposing students to a varied, multicultural curriculum that explores the rich diversity of human experience and gives all students chances to see themselves in what they read and study.
- Enriching the curriculum to provide experiences – both in and out of the classroom – that deepen students’ understanding of the world and foster informed and engaged citizenship and service to others.
In pursuit of these goals, the Board of Trustees commits to providing on-going strategic direction and oversight, allocating the resources necessary to ensure continuing progress, and holding itself, as a governing body, to the highest standards of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn more about our Strategic Plan for DEI here.