Funding Will Support Continued Equity and Inclusion Focused Programs and Learning
— David Muhammad, ID+E Co-Director
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has awarded The Barstow School, an independent coeducational school for students in preschool-grade 12, a $225,000 grant to continue and strengthen its Inclusion, Equity and Diversity (ID+E) initiatives.
“This is a tremendous honor and an acknowledgement of Barstow’s long-standing efforts to support the inclusion, diversity and equity work being done every day at our school,” Senior Vice President of Academics Dr. Tom Niermann said.
“Belonging is the goal of everything we do at Barstow. We want students and families to feel welcome and to know that they belong in our school community,” ID+E Co-Director Jessica Chanos said. “This support allows us to continue our momentum in creating a community where every member feels valued,” ID+E Co-Director David Muhammad added.
Between September 2022 and August 2023, Barstow participated in a cohort of schools learning how to advance equity and inclusion in its practices and to understand the benefits of diversity in learning communities, underwritten by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The program included an equity audit, monthly meetings with participating schools and finally, the development of an equity plan focused on continuing or implementing practices that embrace belonging, engagement, inclusion, diversity and intercultural learning and leadership.
Barstow’s plan includes the continuation of the annual Cultural Enrichment Festival and ID+E community dinners, invitations to featured speakers who can share diverse voices and experiences, and increased efforts to expand faculty and staff recruiting to reflect the diversity of our student body.
The Barstow School is committed to building and sustaining a school community that highly values inclusion and diversity, embraces cultural awareness, supports racial equity and justice, and promotes equal opportunities for all. With 776 students from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, 72 zip codes in Kansas and Missouri and seven countries ( Turkiye, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Mexico and Ukraine), Barstow is ranked as the most diverse private high school in Jackson County, Missouri, by Niche.com.
“The Barstow School is resolutely devoted to the principles of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity,” President Shane Foster said. “We champion these ideals, ensuring that every student and family finds in our community a place that cares deeply about their well-being.”
Lisa Tulp
The Barstow School
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Article originally published on www.einpresswire.com as The Barstow School Receives Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Grant
