Introduction
Episcopal schools across the country are working purposefully to ensure we embody the core tenets of our Christian faith by being spaces where all people feel like they belong. Our mission statement highlights this in two places: first by stating we are open to “families of all backgrounds and faiths” which makes us unique amongst many area religious schools. Secondly, we strive to cultivate “virtuous global citizens” which means we understand the importance of our children knowing how to exist in harmony with the many different ways of being human. A global citizen can cooperate and communicate across cultures, religions, and languages. A virtuous global citizen does this with a sense of respect and fellowship.
We are pleased to announce that our Board of Trustees has created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee which will help continue these most important aspects of our Episcopal mission. This committee consists of myself, teachers, board members, St. Thomas Church vestry members, and non-board parents with a passion for the work. Two critical goals established by the committee earlier this summer were to identify a curriculum that would help teachers to guide our children, and the establishment of a scholarship fund so that we may expand the economic diversity of our family community.
This is the first of a new series of newsletters which will be published quarterly to highlight the impact that our Diversity and Inclusion initiative has on our St. Thomas family. Thank you for being part of our family, and for helping us be the living hands and feet of Jesus in the world.
