Program Updates

The High Achieving Schools Survey created by Dr. Suniya Luthar of Authentic Connections will be conducted with the SMH community. Dr. Luthar will meet with SMH students, faculty, administration, and parents about our survey results and ways to improve this year. Dr. Luthar is a researcher and psychologist who has dedicated the last 30 years of her career to understanding risk and resilience. She has focused on students in high achieving schools and on the conglomeration of familial, educational, and social factors that place students in these communities at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. 

Multiple members of the faculty and administration have engaged in professional development spanning topics such as critical consciousness and racial literacy, as well as equity in education. They have attended and plan to continue attending seminars and courses developed by Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Independent School Association of the Southwest, the Child Mind Institute, and Independent School Management, to name a few. Under the supportive facilitation of Upper School English Teachers Dr. Breanne Hicks and Megan Soukup, the Student Equity Collective has been established within the Saint Mary’s Hall Upper School. This student-led organization seeks to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school community, connecting our school mission to the context of our lives. Two Upper School students, sought to create a group from within the gates of Saint Mary’s Hall to support and promote positive progress for and with Upper School students. Six Upper School students attended the Student Diversity Leadership Seminar sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools. Additional students will attend in December 2021.

The adult community, including the DEI Task Force, participated in a workshop led by Diversity Directions consultants Christine Savini and Dr. Keith Hinderlie, during which members learned about the research-based reasons for creating inclusive school cultures. Participants concluded the workshop by engaging in a rich cultural exchange exercise. This exercise promoted the use of a common language for the work of equity and inclusion, as well as built community within the task force. SMH leadership participated in the Diversity Directions hiring workshop, Unconscious Bias and How It Affects the Hiring Process. In addition, the SMH Board of Trustees took part in a workshop, Why Create An Inclusive School Culture, presented by Diversity Directions. 

October 9 -Dr. Gene Batiste, Assistant Head of School for Engagement, Dwight-Englewood School 

Dr. Gene Batiste serves as Assistant Head of School for Engagement at Dwight-Englewood School. He also has a thriving consultancy specializing in engagement, DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging), leadership, and organizational development in independent schools, higher education, and nonprofits. Dr. Batiste will be on campus to give a presentation to the community on Saturday, October 9 at 10am-1pm. The presentation will be in-person, but also available via Zoom. More details coming soon! 

To learn more about Dr. Batiste, click here.