JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity

JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity) COMMITTEE

The purpose of the JEDI Committee is to inspire each stakeholder to cultivate an engaged, inclusive, and supportive community that embraces diversity and nurtures the evolving human experience. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Community Building (Internal and External), Barrier Identification and Removal, Capacity Building (Internal), and data gathering on behalf of the Governing Council.

Diversity Statement created by Normeena and original Diversity Committee Members.

2011-2012

D+I explores equity barriers to attendance at school. They note transportation, nutrition assistance, and ECE access. They then explore financial assistance for ECE participants to have access to the grades pipeline. Solomon attends May meeting for his perspective on this kind of support for equity.

2015-2016

D+I becomes a GC committee. (led by Sandra Konta)
D+I starts the clothing bank on shelves in the kitchen. (Sandra Konta)
D+I secures first equity trainings for staff to be conducted through the district office of student engagement and to be taught the next school year (during interim period between school directors, the previous director refused equity trainings).
MPCS begins nutrition assistance – some holes in program as Pizza Friday is missed and D+I alerts faculty early on to make sure kids have food on Friday.

2016-2017

Request from D+I to GC to include Diversity and Inclusivity as school values vs. a stand alone statement (August 2017)
The first annual Jazz and Friends Day (initiated and led by Tracy Selph)
D+I obtains SecondHand Sale permit in perpetuity.
Introduction to Charter Board Partners with intent to diversity Governing Council with attendance of introductory meetings by Jeff Wilhite and Kia M. Ruiz
- Request for GC to work with CBP to ethnically diversify leadership
- One Colorado webinars – initiated and executed by Tracy Selph
- Michael Heffernan joins the MPCS family as Director of Education
- Clothing bank moves to lower level of main office and concept builds out to a resource room
- Clothing bank/resource room moves to be operated under Family Council (now known as family council)
- First staff equity trainings through the school district (Poverty Lens, Racial Equity or LGBTQ+)

2017-2018

MPCS hosts a Mental Health First Aid Training (October 2018) in attempt to enhance
emotional intelligence of adults in the community as we support each other and engage with
each other in healthy conflict.
Tracy Selph founds JSSCo – Jefferson Safe Schools.
Book club includes foundational works like Steiner”s 1924 lectures and The Conscious Parent.
D+I consults with Second Star to the Right for diverse book titles for lower grades and upper
grades. The emphasis for books with the upper grades is to reduce the gap in reading testing
scores by bringing literary arts that connect more with the student experience.
Hosts a screening of Won’t You Be My Neighbor.
Hosts a screening of The Mask You Live In that becomes a gentle caregiver group for those who
identify as men or more masculine.
D+I consults with Second Star to the Right with school staff to diversify literature and reduce
literary arts testing gaps.

2018 – 2019

Diversity and Access become school value with whole adoption of Core Principles from
the Public Alliance for Waldorf Education vs. piece-meal amendment (January 2020)GC begins working with Education Board Partners (formally CBP).
Asks questions of exit interviews for staff and if there is transparency for support of staff.
members who are not part of the dominant school ethnic culture.
Advises for monthly themes that Melissa Kacel enacts for the school.
Advises the adult community begin conflict training as a conflict adverse community where a
pattern of vocal minorities sway school reactions to topics.
Advises school staff for land acknowledgement as they return to start the school year ahead
of students.
Supports school literary arts with Second Star to the Right on diversity books 2020-2021.
D+I become GC advisory committee.
Supports Governing Council (GC) to make policy topics more accessible. Assists with communication policy.
GC works with Education Board Partners with the recommendation that school leadership learns more before finding ethnically diverse candidates for the board.
GC engages with JEDI training via CBP.
D+I initiates, edits, and approves draft for a school statement following death of George Floyd.
Advises on Inclusivity Statement.
D+I releases an AAPI statement.
Creates a book club concept for the school community following the unrest and reckoning following the death of George Floyd.
D+I establishes communication norms.
Committee members attend Waldorf national conference with The Alliance for Public Education with other staff members.

2019-2020

Land Acknowledgement. We created a five-part land acknowledgement with guidance from the American Indian Law Alliance that was first publicly read at the opening of the Great Hall (previously Assembly Hall) at our Harvest Festival then adopted by Governing for the school in October.
Diversifying Literature Support for the faculty sub-committee. We culled the primary building library and how this related to early reader and middle school libraries. We acquired many books from the wish list via Jolabokaflod and year-round efforts.
Jazz and Friends continued in the classroom with teachers checking out books during a wide window to add into their curriculum in a way that made sense for their classes.
Book Fair. We stepped in to support Family Council and ended up operating and staffing the Book Fair. The book fair included an equity piece that is becoming a model for other schools where the adults in a community contributed funds for every child in a grades class to pick out a book without having to exchange funds themself. The book fair ended up being a massive success and a cultural touchpoint this school community had not had in a few years because of COVID.
Secondhand Sale. Many families found new to them clothing at the sale and we helped keep quality outgrown garments in circulation for others to love in a healthy, sustainable way.
Collaboration with Governing Council. We supported Governing Council with how they consider Diversity and Access for values including a slide for a large presentation they were doing outside of school.

2021 – 2022

Welcome MPCS Parent

Welcome MPCS Parent

JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity) COMMITTEE

Join Us for a Campus Tour!