About | WIS | Diversity

IN THIS SECTION

INTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are committed to being a community where all are welcome and valued, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, cultural practices/beliefs, nationality, or perspective.

As an institution that has valued global citizenship since our founding, we wanted to ensure our diversity and inclusion programs extend beyond national boundaries. In accordance with the CIS Code of Ethics, we strive to model inclusivity, exploring how we can learn from each other and express our ideas, beliefs, and opinions with empathy and civility.

Therefore, WIS’s diversity programs fall under the umbrella of international-mindedness, diversity, and inclusion, known as IDI. We established the following definitions so community members will have a common understanding of these terms.

International-Mindedness
A view of the world in which people see themselves connected to the global community and assume a sense of responsibility to its members. It is an awareness of the inter-relatedness of all nations and peoples, and a recognition of the complexity of these relationships. Internationally-minded people appreciate and value the diversity of cultures in the world and make an effort to learn more about them. (This definition comes from the International Baccalaureate.)
Diversity
The full range of differences and similarities — visible and non-visible — that make each individual unique.
Inclusion
The process of recognizing, valuing, and maximizing the opportunities that arise from having different perspectives and backgrounds.

IDI PROGRAMS

WIS’s Director of IDI Aldaine Wynter oversees programs for students, faculty/staff, and parents, assisted by IDI coordinators from each school division.

Highlights from the 2023–2024 school year
A monthly IDI newsletter featuring community profiles, IDI playlists and media recommendations, and highlights of activities on campus and beyond. IDI Drop-in Parent Sessions, which delved into issues affecting individuals with the following identities: chosen children, Black, individuals of color, faith-based, AAPI, Latine, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse. Receipt of the Seal of Excellence from Welcoming Schools, at both the primary and secondary school level. Paritication in CONNECTdmv programs as a member school. Student field trips, including a Civil Rights exploration to Georgia and Alabama and participation in the UNIS-UN conference Equal Rights Equal Heights: Climbing the Ladder of Gender Equality. Student and staff participation in the NAIS People of Color Conference and the Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Assemblies focusing on: National Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Jewish families and the Holocaust, and more. The continuation of Middle School Affinity Groups, which allow students to explore their identities in a safe and supported environment. “IDI and Me” programs for students.

Highlights from the 2023–2024 school year

A monthly IDI newsletter featuring community profiles, IDI playlists and media recommendations, and highlights of activities on campus and beyond.
IDI Drop-in Parent Sessions, which delved into issues affecting individuals with the following identities: chosen children, Black, individuals of color, faith-based, AAPI, Latine, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse.
Receipt of the Seal of Excellence from Welcoming Schools, at both the primary and secondary school level.
Paritication in CONNECTdmv programs as a member school.
Student field trips, including a Civil Rights exploration to Georgia and Alabama and participation in the UNIS-UN conference Equal Rights Equal Heights: Climbing the Ladder of Gender Equality.
Student and staff participation in the NAIS People of Color Conference and the Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
Assemblies focusing on: National Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Jewish families and the Holocaust, and more.
The continuation of Middle School Affinity Groups, which allow students to explore their identities in a safe and supported environment.
“IDI and Me” programs for students.

IDI FUNDS

WIS has two funds specifically designated to support IDI efforts:

The Mara Wilson Fund
The Mara Wilson Fund honors the memory of Mara Wilson, a WIS Middle School Art and Design Technology Teacher and artist whose work was defined by her love for her community and her vision for a more just and equitable Washington, DC. The fund is designed to support initiatives at the School that increase awareness about racial inequities; instill a culture that directly challenges and denounces racism; and cultivate a school environment where individuals of color feel safe and confident, and where all community members are equipped to recognize racial insensitivity and feel compelled to take action against it.
The CEJA Fund
The CEJA (Community Equity and Justice Award) Fund supports social justice and equity initiatives at WIS. Each year, members of the Upper School community are invited to apply for the CEJA, which underwrites projects—particularly those which establish multi-year partnerships with local groups—that raise awareness about social inequities and injustices in the Washington, DC area. Awardees are granted between $200-$400 to complete their project.

IDI DOCUMENTS

The document linked below outlines WIS's approach to diversity and inclusion, as well as the intersection between IDI and the School's mission and approach to education.

WIS IDI Overview

It is a complementary document to WIS's Communications Policy, which explains how the school approaches messaging around current events.

WIS's Communications Policy

IDI AUDIT BY PHILIP MCADOO

Dr. Philip McAdoo performed an IDI Audit for WIS in late 2020/early 2021. He briefed the Board and the Parents Association Board, as well as faculty, parent, and student groups. His report identified five key areas to address in regard to IDI. The first of these was to clearly define terms, which has been accomplished. The other four areas identified in the IDI Audit are outlined below, as well as some steps the School has taken.

HIRING
The community suggestions gathered through the 2020-2021 IDI audit regarding hiring referred almost exclusively to increasing racial diversity amongst the teaching faculty (specifically US-born Black and Latine individuals). While fair employment practices prohibit the school from hiring based on anything other than qualifications for a position, WIS is committed to the belief that a diverse faculty and staff contributes positively to the school experience. In support of this effort, WIS attends local and national diversity hiring events.
TRAINING
All faculty members must now include an IDI-focused goal as part of their annual appraisal process. Professional development has addressed bullying, embracing all families, implicit bias, gender inclusion, international-mindedness, microaggressions, intercultural competency, and JusticexDesign.
INCLUSIVITY
Efforts have included affinity groups, community discussions, introducing a diverse range of speakers at student assemblies, development of school-wide policies on the Use of Slurs and Gender Inclusion, and numerous student clubs that meet on a regular basis to discuss issues and advance understanding within the School community.
CURRICULUM
The Primary School uses a tool to assess texts to determine whether they were limited, outdated, or relied on stereotypes, as well as to identify missing voices. Middle and Upper Schools engaged in updating curricula (this occurs in an ongoing cycle) must analyze offerings in regard to IDI. WIS launched a new DC History course for Grade 7 students in fall 2021. WIS began a comprehensive review of library resources and the curriculum in 2020, to determine alignment with the Strategic Plan curriculum and diversity goals. The Tregaron Media and Research specialist finished a diversity audit of the entire English language Middle School fiction collection in summer 2021.

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WELCOMING SCHOOLS HONORS WIS

WIS is officially a Welcoming School! A member of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (which runs the Welcoming Schools program) team attended a June 2024 ceremony at WIS to officially bestow this honor. WIS is the first school in the United States to achieve this designation at both the primary and secondary school levels.

BOARD IDI TASK FORCE

In support of the strategic goal to improve and optimize International-mindedness, Diversity, and Inclusion (IDI), the Chair of the WIS Board of Trustees established a Board IDI Task Force in 2021. Members of the Task Force met regularly over the course of two years to develop core strategic recommendations. The recommendations were presented to the Board in spring 2023.

WIS students and their families hail from more than 100 countries.

Click on the map below for an interactive view.

Diversity (IDI)