Community

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

OUR DEIB STATEMENT:

At The Peck School, our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts are guided by our firm belief in Consideration of Others, which has long been a hallmark of our school and the guiding principle for students, faculty, staff, and families.  Through our efforts, we foster a community of inclusion that respects the dignity and humanity of each individual. We genuinely embrace and celebrate uniqueness and promote respect for all. We honor and value each person’s identity, inclusive of diverse races, ethnicities, genders, religions, socio-economic classes, abilities, sexual orientations and learning styles.

Peck’s K-8 program actively seeks developmentally appropriate opportunities to teach empathy and embrace diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency.  Through a focus on developing a global perspective, Peck students gain a deeper appreciation for other cultures and backgrounds. The school is fully committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for our community and for the greater good.

DEIB Committee Work at Peck

Formed in 2016, The Peck School's school-wide Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, & Belonging (DEIB) Committee meets frequently as an open group of faculty, staff, and administrators to discuss and advance efforts at the school.


About the Steering Committee:

In 2020 Peck formalized the DEIB Steering Committee to allow for focused work on inclusion, equity, and belonging initiatives relating to curriculum, professional development, teaching resources, and community norms. With representation from the Lower School, Upper School, and staff, the steering committee is itself a resource for members of the entire Peck community.  It acts as a vehicle to promote DEIB work throughout all aspects of the teaching, learning, and community aspects of Peck.

Steering Committee Charges 
  • Supporting professional development opportunities, including training and conferences
  • Assisting in the creation of personal and professional DEIB-related goals for individuals, divisions, and the school as a whole
  • Developing DEIB curriculum for seventh- and eighth-grade Themes classes
  • Maintaining a DEIB resource database and website
  • Overseeing faculty/staff affinity group
  • Establishing community conversation norms


About the K-8 Curriculum Committee:

In November 2020, Peck formed an DEIB K-8 Curriculum Committee to address topics relating to equity and justice throughout the curriculum. Working under the auspices of Peck's Academic Council, the committee is charged with comprehensively researching, reviewing, and formulating a plan for DEIB-focused curricular criteria at Peck.

K-8 Curriculum Committee Charges 
  • Review Peck’s current DEIB frameworks and curriculum K-8
  • Research available DEIB curricula, as well as DEIB programs at peer schools
  • Create a K-8 scope and sequence for DEIB
  • Provide recommendations for implementing this scope and sequence, in regards to schedule, personnel, and training
  • Summarize findings and present a general plan for implementation to the Academic Council

DEIB in the News


Working Towards Antiracism

  

Andy Delinsky, Head of School

As a K-8 school, we have the incredible power and opportunity to partner with our parents to help our students learn, to help them be the global leaders we need, and to help them understand that injustice is not reserved for history books; it’s all around us, and our students can be the morally grounded and value-centered citizens who can and will bring change.

We pledge to ensure our work as a school is thoughtful, age-appropriate, mission-driven, and inclusive as we uphold the values we hold so dear. We welcome input and participation from all corners of the Peck community.
Peck's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives aim to touch upon all areas of the Peck experience, from academics to community and programming . Over the past few years we have expanded our DEIB initiatives among parents, students, faculty, and alumni—a sampling follows.

List of 9 items.

  • Faculty/Staff Affinity Groups

    Peck’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee launched faculty/staff affinity groups in 2022. Faculty and staff members have the option to participate in one of the many affinity groups offered.  Our affinity groups provide a safe space to connect with colleagues who share a similar identity characteristic or interest.

    “Affinity groups promote self care and wellness, cultivate a sense of belonging, and can be a vehicle for positive change within a community,” said Alex Soudah, Eighth Grade History Teacher and Advisor.
  • Heritage Month Celebration Meals

    In partnership with our family dining team, FLIK Dining, Peck offers twice-monthly menus inspired by cultural heritage celebrations. For example, during Hispanic Heritage Month in 2023, we offered a Cuban-inspired menu and a Bolivian-inspired menu.
  • Parents Association Group on Inclusivity

    In 2021, The Peck Parents Association (PA) launched a new group to give time and space for open conversation, connection, and relationship-building between all parents, and to foster a sense of belonging for all families.

    Building upon existing PA initiatives surrounding inclusivity, PAGI (Parents Association Group on Inclusivity) acts as a vehicle to better connect parents with Peck’s core values and commitment to Consideration of Others, particularly in ensuring that a sense of belonging is integral to the Peck experience for all families.

    PAGI “recognize[s] each family’s unique story brings strength and richness to our school, and [is] committed to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion, and equity.”

    Meetings occur approximately monthly, and are open to all parents. Agendas often draw from news articles, books, or other resources on topics of diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice.
  • NAIS People of Color Conference

    Peck sends several community members to the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference (POCC) each year. The conference strives to provide a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. Among the many opportunities provided for professional development, this is consistently named as one of the most impactful by Peck employees.
  • Far Brook 'Widening the Lens' Conference

    Each fall Peck students, faculty, and parents attend The Far Brook School’s annual Widening the Lens diversity conference for New Jersey independent schools.

    The Far Brook conference is notable for its emphasis on the representation of various constituencies from participating schools, including students, faculty, trustees, parents, alumni, and Heads of School.
  • Learning and Development with Liza Talusan

    In the fall of 2020, all Peck faculty and staff attended a series of workshops led by Dr. Liza Talusan—an engaging, award-winning educator and facilitator for topics on diversity, inclusion, and antiracism.

    Topics discussed included:
    • Defining diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice
    • Identity-conscious leadership
    • Working toward antiracism
    • Dismantling oppressive structures
    The Peck Parents Association offered a series of three one-hour-long Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Parent Workshops on the following topics:
    • Why diversity, and race in particular, matters
    • Learned biases and how they show up in our work and personal lives
    • Action steps to support diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Board of Trustees Diversity Committee

    The Diversity Committee works to examine and define the definition of diversity as it applies to the Peck community and our mission, especially with regard to racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds; to understand key trends across independent schools with regard to diversity and the support of it, and to ensure Peck’s policies support an inclusive and diverse community.
  • Data and Benchmarking

    NAIS AIM Survey
    In January 2020, the Peck community (students, faculty and staff, and current parents) completed the NAIS AIM Survey (Assessment for Inclusion and Multiculturalism). This survey is designed to elicit feedback on school climate and culture and was intended to assist the Board and Administration in identifying strengths that can be built upon and areas that need work to ensure our community’s continued growth. In the assessment of results, community members noted that the school is a warm and welcoming environment where both students and adults are treated with respect. The school’s commitment to ethical values and character development led to a sense of pride in Peck for many. 

    Survey respondents indicated a need for multiculturalism and related efforts to be more deeply woven into the curriculum, with a greater emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion.


    Alumni Survey
    In 2021, we sought alumni feedback as we sought to better understand how they were (or were not) prepared for what they encountered beyond Peck through the lens of diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion. The responses are informing us in the development of our plan to ensure our graduates have the tools they need to navigate and thrive in a vast multicultural world, where our differences are both acknowledged and celebrated. With these tools, and with our Peck values, we hope that our graduates will not be bystanders, but rather actors, when it comes to recognizing and disrupting systemic racism and injustice in all of its forms.
  • Building Belonging Curriculum

    The building belonging curriculum was developed in 2022 to serve as supplemental education for the Peck students. It provides enhanced learning opportunities on real world topics that are tailored specifically for each grade level. The BBC (Building Belonging Curriculum) happens in conjunction with the focus on InDeCore Values that happens in the classroom each day. Peck students are curious, lifelong learners who leave our school ready to contribute to greater communities. The BBC provides a safe space for students to learn, have thoughtful conversations and prepare for what lies ahead at Peck and beyond.

DEIB Committee Membership

While all Peck faculty and staff are members of the full DEIB Committee, the steering and curriculum committees are the primary vehicles through which Peck is able to advance DEIB-related initiatives throughout the full Peck experience for students and their families.

DEIB Steering Committee

List of 6 members.

  • Photo of Cymone Williamson

    Cymone Williamson 

    Director of Community Connections & Belonging
  • Photo of Jane Attah

    Jane Attah 

    Grade 2 Homeroom Teacher
  • Photo of Scott Beil

    Scott Beil 

    Upper School Visual Art Teacher; Arts Department Chair
  • Photo of Heather Burchfield

    Heather Burchfield 

    Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing; Capstone Teacher
  • Photo of Jennifer Cleary

    Jennifer Cleary 

    Associate Director of Visual Brand Strategy
  • Photo of Alex Soudah

    Alex Soudah 

    Upper School History Teacher

DEIB Curriculum Committee

List of 3 members.

  • Photo of Alex Soudah

    Alex Soudah 

    Upper School History Teacher
  • Photo of Laura Rose

    Laura Rose 

    Upper School Math Teacher
  • Photo of Sarah Chan

    Sarah Chan 

    Upper School English Teacher

 

THE PECK SCHOOL

247 South Street  |  Morristown, NJ  07960
973-539-8660
Northern New Jersey's timeless and transformative co-ed independent elementary and middle school education for grades K-8.