Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice at Bridge School

Bridge School DEIJ Mission Statement

Bridge School actively works to embrace, honor, and celebrate the uniqueness of each person in our community and to recognize the ways in which their multifaceted experiences contribute to our school. We strive, with ongoing determination, to create an inclusive culture where all are welcomed, valued, empowered, and heard.

We are committed to developing, nurturing, and growing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice within all facets and among all stakeholders of our school. This commitment comes from our strong belief that diversity is a source of strength, excellence, joy, and creativity in our learning environment. We know that learning environments which foster diversity promote academic excellence, social-emotional growth, and more cohesive, healthy communities. Furthermore, we believe that hatred and bigotry in all forms is unacceptable and runs counter to Bridge School’s values. We are committed to speaking out and taking action toward racial equity and social justice, challenging systemic inequity and oppression, practicing empathy, working to understand privilege, transforming conflict, and exploring creative solutions. We strive to foster in our community members a sense of hope, an impetus to act, and a firm belief that standing up for social justice and equity is the responsible and the right thing to do.

Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice work has four pillars. Here are some examples of actions taken or to be taken in each pillar:

Educator Growth: Professional Development, Training, Hiring Practices

We provide diversity, equity, inclusion and justice training and professional development opportunities for staff.
We foster staff relationships built on trust, understanding, and shared commitment so that staff may give and receive feedback safely, vulnerably, and non-defensively, and in doing, so elevate their awareness of their own privilege and unconscious bias.

School and Classroom Climate: Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Practices and Curriculum

We create and continuously re-evaluate curriculum so that it reflects the depth of our commitment to diversity and to a global and multicultural perspective.
We value, make time for, and practice restorative justice so that harm can be repaired in a way that makes room for all voices and strengthens community.

Student Belonging: Identity, Empathy, Inclusion

We honor each student’s identity by using their preferred pronouns, correctly pronouncing their names, and learning about the stories and cultures behind them.
Our classroom environments (posters, pictures, books, music, toys, and other materials) reflect diversity in terms of categories such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, and ability.

Community Cohesion: Family/Guardian Education and Involvement, Town Partnerships

We provide information and tools to enable the community to act in accordance with the values of the school, engage in healthy discussion, and create an inclusive environment.
We partner with local organizations, leaders, and community members in order to facilitate shared learning through community events and to uplift DEIJ work as a whole.

The Hillsboro City School District in California conceived of the Four Pillars (https://www.hcsdk8.org/Page/383). Our conceptualization is based upon their valuable work.