"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed if it is not faced."
- James Baldwin
Hello, friends.

Last week Willowwind celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Students, faculty, and staff used this day to study the power of advocacy, activism, and voice. Teachers collaborated on the development of age-appropriate lessons, hands-on activities, and guided conversations surrounding race, equity, justice, and the removal of systemic barriers. Walking through the building you could see stories being read, songs being sung, open conversations being had, and activist art being made. Now more than ever there is a clear need, a call, for communities, schools, and individuals of privilege to make social justice a priority. We hear that call and we are driven by it.

One of the most critical roles of a school is helping students develop the critical thinking, collaboration, self-reflection, and social-emotional skills necessary to foster a better society. Willowwind is proud to offer students a safe space to voice concerns, question unjust situations, and speak about their experiences and beliefs. In our classrooms, students' opinions and ideas are valued and respected. Ideals like kindness, respect, and acceptance of differences are built into everyday lessons and interactions. This provides children with a solid foundation for driving and advocating for change in all areas of their lives.

As faculty and staff, we recognize our own need for learning in order to best serve our students. We aim to look beyond recognizing diversity for just one day, one week, or one month and strive to find ways to bring diverse representation to all subject areas all year long. As Black History Month approaches, we look forward to new opportunities to learn about and celebrate Black lives. In the months ahead, Willowwind faculty and staff will participate in professional development and curriculum development opportunities that will ensure social justice, inclusion, and antiracism education play a pivotal role in our students' school experience.

We believe that this small step in the right direction will be a catalyst for change in our lives and the lives of our students. We are here to take that step together and with purpose.

In friendship and gratitude,

Dana Smith
Director of Advancement
(she/her/hers)

P.S. If you're looking for ways to support Willowwind's commitment to social justice, take a peek below and see how your gift could make an impact on our school community.
Let's Do Better, Together.
Your gift, no matter the size, will have a direct and immediate impact on the daily work of our faculty and staff and the learning our students are passionate about.

Thank you for your continued support
Give to Support Professional Development

Your gift can help faculty and staff learn how to better support students of color, and ensure that inclusion and equity are ever present in our classrooms and beyond.
Give to Support Scholarships

Your gift can help ease a financial challenge to make learning at Willowwind possible for students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Give to Support Curriculum Development

Your gift can help faculty develop engaging, relevant, and impactful curriculum that makes social justice topics tangible, relatable, and actionable for students.
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice at WW
Celebrating diversity and moving towards equity is our constant endeavor.
Here are some resources we like on teaching diversity and inclusion:

A great resource for finding books to diversify your child's library.

A national coalition organizing for racial justice in education.

Short video clips by people of color sharing their thoughts on race.

New York Times podcast

Read Willowwind's Diversity Statement and find more resources on our website.

Above: 5th/6th grade teacher, Ms. Ann leads students in a discussion about race, privilege, and the BLM movement.
Willowwind's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice extends beyond its classrooms, faculty, and staff. In 2019 the Board of Trustees established the DEIJ Committee whose work is to ensure that Willowwind maintains an inclusive culture, equitable and just practices, and no discrimination against any person or group in admissions, employment, work conditions, or otherwise.

Mission Statement:
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Justice Committee

Willowwind seeks to create a diverse learning environment through: 
  • increasing diversity among students, staff, and faculty, 
  • nurturing an environment in which diverse opinions are shared respectfully, promoting equal opportunity for students, staff, and faculty from all diverse backgrounds, 
  • ensuring that students have an understanding and appreciation of diversity in our world, 
  • educating future community members and leaders who will have the lifelong commitment and skills to promote social justice.
From Specials:
See how we are working inclusivity and activism into Specials classes!
S.E.L.

Ms. Rachel has been working with students on looking at and celebrating their identity and differences. From here they will learn about bias and how it impacts injustice.

Students will come to understand that injustices can happen because they are supported by biased opinion and attitudes. Ms. Rachel says her aim is to help students understand that by helping people to challenge biased attitudes we can prevent injustices.
Art

Mr. Ryan continues to introduce children to new art forms and artists of color. Kindergarteners have been working on puppet making, a brand new unit this year, inspired by Black artist, Jeghetto.

Students in other grades are learning about art as a form of activism and creating posters promoting everything from saving pandas to gender and racial equity.
Music

Mr. Sam has introduced students to the power of music and song in bringing about change. School wide, students are learning how music has been used throughout history as a means of comfort, communication, empowerment, and a driver of change. Students have sung songs of solidarity like "We Shall Overcome", and have thoughtfully come up with their own additional verses based on change they would like to see.
Alumni News
Once a Willowwinder, always a Willowwinder!
We would love to grow our alumni community and reconnect with friends we haven't heard from in a while. If you're an alumnus, former student, faculty, or staff drop us a note and we'll be sure to share it with other Willowwinders! We welcome your updates and memories or photos from your WW days. We look forward to hearing from you!
Ignite a passion for learning.
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