Hi everyone,
The diversity committee is meeting tomorrow, Tuesday from 5 to 6 pm in the room upstairs from the school. Apologies for the short notice. We just wanted to try to get things rolling.
We will be discussing outreach for next year as well as building diversity within the school. Everyone is welcome! Please feel free to email me or Meki with any comments, suggestions, questions etc… All input is very welcome. Collective credit is available for the hour.
Below is a description of the diversity committee’s goals, as it currently stands.
Thanks,
Meredith (mom to Ciri, Bear)
mkolodner@gmail.com
917.881.3896
Meki (mom to Iskinder, Little Star and Lulit, Bear)
meki208@gmail.com
The diversity committee was started last year (2011-12) is an effort to ensure that the school was attracting and making welcome a diverse group of families and children. It became clear during the 2010-11 school year that, mostly due to the racial and socio-economic make-up of PSCCC’s Park Slope location, an active effort was needed to get the word out about the school and its mission. Our main activity last year was postering in neighborhoods outside Park Slope and posting on listserves and websites to make sure a diverse group of families was informed about the school and its Open House, held in December. We also talked to existing families and alumnae to ask them to reach out to their friends, neighbors and co-workers. These small steps made a big difference in the applicant pool for this year.
Another important part of maintaining and increasing the school’s diversity is fundraising, so people are able to come even if they can’t afford the full tuition. The fundraising committee directed this work last year and did a great job, raising more money than the school had in years.
This year, we hope to continue and broaden our outreach efforts. Also, if there are things that would make the Collective more welcome and comfortable to all kinds of families (of all races, income levels, ethnicities, sexual orientation, children with special needs, single parents, etc.), we would like to help make those things happen. For example, last year a parent suggested an evening get-together for parents of children of color. It never quite got pulled together, but we could do it this year if there’s interest. Also, if there are curricular suggestions, we could pass those along to our new ed. director Martha.
Please come to the meeting or email or call with any thoughts.