Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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We are a diverse, inclusive community where everyone belongs. We are leaders – prepared, connected, and responsible to each other and to our local and global communities.

Families come to Foote from greater New Haven and around the world, bringing a range of perspectives and life experiences that deepen children’s understanding about other cultures, as well as their own.

Our teachers create inclusive classrooms that foster respect for differences, break down stereotypes and support each student’s individual identity, giving children a sense of belonging.

From Body Mapping and Persona Dolls in Kindergarten to the ninth grade Comparative Cultures course, students learn about other backgrounds and values while at the same time exploring their own identities.

Foote Facts

39% students of color

25% of students receive financial aid

19 languages spoken in homes of Foote families

DEI in Action

The Unity Project

The Student Experience

F-STAND

F-STAND (Foote Students Together Against Negativity and Discrimination) is a student-led club for grades 7 through 9 that works together to promote the importance of being kind, inclusive and respectful. F-STAND meets weekly to discuss topics that will strengthen their own cultural competencies, and sponsors special activities across the grades.

Affinity Groups

Each year, the school sponsors a number of student affinity groups as forums to explore common experiences and identities. These are voluntary opportunities for children in underrepresented groups to be affirmed and supported. Student Affinity Groups we have hosted:

Children of Color
Oasis - Gender and sexuality diversity alliance group
Children whose parents are divorced or separated
Children with invisible differences
Children who have experienced loss

Student Diversity Leadership Conference

Every year 9th graders attend the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools, where they engage in self exploration and acquire skills to lead the school forward in its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The Parent Experience

Whether sharing family traditions in classrooms, participating in a parent affinity group or volunteering with the Parent Teacher Council, parents are integral to making Foote a welcoming and inclusive community.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force

This group of Foote Board members works with the administration to allocate resources and to ensure that policy and practice align with the school’s mission as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Families for Diversity Equity & Inclusion

Parents/guardians meet monthly in this open group to share personal experiences and strategies with one another and Foote staff related to raising children in a multicultural world. Ensuring clear communication within, and beyond, the Foote School community regarding the school’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, this group is open to any parents, caregivers, faculty or staff of the Foote community.

Parent Affinity Groups

This is an opportunity for parents who share a common identity to come together in community and to affirm and enhance the experiences of the children and parents who share the affinity identity. Active parent affinity groups include:

Parents of Children of Color Affinity Group - hosted by Foote parents Martin Nguyen and Christine Kim. This is a group open to anyone who has a child that identifies as a person of color. Once we get started we will evaluate the need/interest to break off into smaller subsets. Email the co-facilitators: Christine Kim and Martin Nguyen
Latina/o/x and Hispanic Affinity Group - hosted by Foote parents María Ospina and Sabrina Marques, this group is open to all Foote parents and guardians who identify as or affirm with the Hispanic, Latina/o/x and/or Latin American community. Un grupo abierto a padres, madres y cuidador@s, que hacen parte de la comunidad hispana, latina/x y/o latinoamericana. Somos un grupo bilingüe. Proveeremos traducción al inglés a las personas hispanohablantes que lo necesiten. Email the co-facilitators: María Ospina and Sabrina Marques
African American Affinity Group is open to all families and caregivers who identify their child as having African American or Black ancestry. For more information, contact Cindy Crusto or Alexis Robinson.

MOSAIC

MOSAIC (Multicultural, Open-Minded, Supportive, Accepting, Inclusive Community) is a volunteer group of parents, faculty and staff that works to promote diversity and understanding by bringing outside speakers to campus for thought-provoking talks for parents and students. Past MOSAIC speakers—many of whom come from the Foote community—have shared first-hand accounts of Japanese-American internment, the partition of India and Pakistan, school desegregation in Little Rock, the Armenian Genocide and the art of Persian storytelling.

Special Events

Unite Through Understanding Day is a special event held every few years that brings guest speakers to campus for hands-on workshops and discussions that promote appreciation of others' backgrounds and experiences. Best of all, students choose the workshops they want to participate in. Past workshops have included:

The Art of Protest
Brazilian Birthday Party
Exploring How People Eat Food All Over the World
Greek Dancing
Building New Families: Stories of Adoption
Living with Blindness
My Eritrean Experience
Can 2 Men + 1 Baby + 2 Dogs = 1 Family?
Stories from the Beginning of Rap
Body Workshops: Celebrating Our Uniqueness
An Imam, a Rabbi and Priest Walk into a School
Chinese Tea Ceremony
Growing Up Jewish in Iran
Young and Powerful: Fighting Climate Change Together
What is it Like to be a Refugee?

The Faculty Experience

Foote teachers engage students in courageous conversations around race, religion, gender and identity. These conversations are built into the curriculum in thoughtful and developmentally appropriate ways and draw from well researched resources such as Teaching Tolerance, Facing History and Ourselves, GLSEN and the Anti-Defamation League.

Professional Development

Foote's faculty and staff engage in cutting-edge professional development including:

Consultants
Nationally recognized consultants including Rosetta Lee, Sandra “Chap” Chapman, Tony Ferraiolo and Deborah Roffman have trained our faculty and staff.

Seeking Education Equity and Diversity Project
Faculty and staff attend SEED sessions on a monthly basis to explore personal stories and themes around social justice and equity. These sessions are led by a SEED-trained community leader.

NAIS People of Color Conference
Every year, Foote sends interested faculty of color to the People of Color Conference, sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools, where they explore strategies to further independent schools' work in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion, but also to be in community with peers.

White Privilege Conference
The annual White Privilege Conference offers an opportunity for faculty to explore best practice as it relates to developing cultural competencies.

Faculty Leadership in Education
In addition, faculty and staff have shared their skills and experiences through the following opportunities.

Reimagining Education: Teaching, Learning and Leading for a Racially Just Society (July 2020)
Carney Sandoe Diversity FORUM (February 2020)
Local Early Childhood Professional Development - Faculty have led sessions for local early childhood educators regarding best practice and Foote’s own DEI journey in the Kindergarten classroom.

Working at Foote

Foote's faculty and staff share a commitment to creating a community that is welcoming, equitable and committed to better understanding one another. We are always interested in diversifying our faculty and invite you to browse our current job openings.

Anti-Racism Resources

Books

Articles

Videos/Podcasts

Websites

Additional Resources

Alumni News

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Alumni Profile: Jasmine (Tompkins) Nikole ’06

An engineer, an educator, and entrepreneur — among many other roles — Jasmine determinedly keeps her creative side active. During the pandemic she took the leap to become a full-time artist. It’s meant hard work, and requires her to make tough choices, but the rewards far outweigh any reservations she might have had.

Alumni Achievement Award: Chad Curry

By Sue Shaw
Learning Support Program

From kindergarten in 1989 as The Foote Class of 1999 to Hillhouse High School and Southern Connecticut State University to the New Haven Police Academy it has been quite a trajectory for Chad.

Allyx Schiavone ’85: Champion for Children

Allyx Schiavone ’85 doesn’t take “no” for an answer — not if she knows there is a better answer. She has made it her mission — and profession — to take up the causes that are closest to her heart, and she’s made it clear that she will not back down from a challenge.

E is for Everyone — You Belong in the Library

“It is essential for us to think deeply about helping our students see themselves as part of a family, a school community, and in ever-growing circles to encompass the larger world — and at the same time, we completely honor who they are as individuals."

Seventh graders spend the fall semester researching prominent members throughout the history of the New Haven community, and then present their findings to visitors at the New Haven Museum as part of the annual Early America Day.

Click here to review our DEI Timeline

Learning from Experts

Foote’s faculty and staff is committed to growing in our understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion, and works regularly with consultants and experts to further our work in this journey.

Dr. Sandra “Chap” Chapman

In 2017, Foote embarked on a multi-year partnership with DEI consultant Dr. Sandra “Chap” Chapman to provide guidance and professional development around curriculum and supporting parents with their understanding of identity development.

Rosetta Lee

Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee, a recognized expert in diversity, equity and inclusion in schools, has twice visited Foote as a keynote speaker for professional development days (in 2013 and 2016)

Deborah Roffman

Sexuality and gender specialist, author and educator, Deborah Roffman trained Foote faculty, staff and parents about gender roles, identity, expression and sexual orientation in 2017.

Tony Ferraiolo

Gender diversity consultant Tony Ferraiolo shared his story and experience working with trans youth with Foote faculty and staff as part of professional development trainings in 2019 and 2021.

Erica Corbin

In 2021, DEI consultant and independent school head Erica Corbin led all faculty and staff in antiracism training during a Foote Professional Development Day.

Dr. Derrick Gay

Dr. Derrick Gay led a three-part training on diversity, equity and inclusion for members of Foote’s Board of Directors and administrative Leadership Team in the fall of 2021.