Student DEI Groups

Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees 

Our Student DEI Committees celebrate and engage in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each division has its own committee (Lower School - 4th & 5th grades; Middle School - 6th & 7th grades; Upper School - 8th & 9th grades). The foundation of each group is built on honoring our individual cultural identities and learning how to become active global citizens. We explore topics including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, and current events. The committees are open to all, meet separately on a weekly basis, and aim to:

  • Promote cross-cultural understanding and celebrate diversity

  • Encourage self-reflection and consideration of becoming change-makers

  • Build skills that enable active listening and thoughtful engagement with different perspectives

In both Middle School and Upper School, students are invited to join the Leadership Board, a smaller subset of the DEI Committee. Interested students complete a short application in which they thoughtfully self-reflect, draw connections to their lived experiences, and describe how they want to be a leader in regard to DEI related activities and programming. Each Leadership Board develops programs and leads discussions in the larger group.

Student Racial Affinity Groups

Students have the option to attend monthly Racial Affinity Groups. Members of the DEI Office currently host two groups in each division, one for students who identify as People of Color and another for students who identify as White. Monthly meetings provide the opportunity for discussions related to race and provide a space where participants can converse openly and honestly about their experiences, working together (in the affinity group and with others) to manifest racial equity at Fenn. We begin the year with questions such as: What does it feel like to be a person of color/white at Fenn? What kind of support do you need at Fenn? What is one thing you want white students to know about your experience as a student of color at Fenn? What is your responsibility as a white ally?

Lower School Introductory DEI Programming

Each fall, students in 4th grade engage in a four-session introduction to the ideas of DEI. Students explore diversity, equity, inclusion, and identity, developing an understanding of the basics of these topics. Students in 5th grade engage in a three-session program that builds on these themes and dives deeper into a specific area. For the last two years, the 5th grade curriculum focused on responding to hurtful language.

These programs evolved out of a desire to ensure all Lower School students had a preliminary understanding of DEI themes and could engage in discussion in thoughtful, meaningful, and informed ways.

Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA)

In 2019, a group of Upper School students requested that The Fenn School hold a space in which LGBTQ+ students and allies could meet to build a supportive community and organize discussions about gender and sexuality. SAGA grew out of that request. Currently, SAGA meets once a month in all three divisions. Students raise topics of interest, and adult facilitators (all teachers at Fenn) create programming that meets student needs. Students are invited to lead discussions on topics of particular interest. SAGA works to build understanding in the larger community about issues facing LGBTQ+ folks both within our school and on a global level.

Additional Programming

All-school programming is presented at All School Meeting and asks students, faculty, and staff to engage with DEI themes through slideshow presentations, assemblies, trivia, and more. This programming occurs multiple times a year.

Grade level program is presented to one grade at a time when smaller groups are preferred. Students engage with topics ranging from hurtful language, to gender and fashion, to the use of music in protest movements.

Optional advisory programming is provided on a regular basis. Programming often aligns with a month’s theme, such as National Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Pride Month. Advisors receive slideshows and facilitator guides and are encouraged to share presentations and guide discussions with their advisees.