News

From Kaleidoscope lessons to student-led conversations, NSCD’s equity, diversity and inclusion work is taking shape across divisions with renewed clarity and purpose

What does it look like to teach belonging?

At North Shore Country Day, the answer spans divisions, disciplines and developmental stages — from early lessons about community in the lower school to student-led conversations about identity and perspective in the upper school.

This year, a new equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) leadership structure has helped bring greater focus, alignment and clarity to this work across divisions.

At the spring Parents’ Association meeting, families had the opportunity to hear directly from the faculty leaders guiding that effort — and to gain a deeper understanding of how equity, diversity and inclusion are showing up in classrooms, student life and faculty culture from junior kindergarten through 12th grade.

The restructuring reflects a broader focus centered on three core priorities: belonging, skill-building and civil discourse. These pillars guide both the student experience and the professional culture for faculty and staff.

A More Coordinated Approach

The updated leadership model brings together three faculty members, each with a distinct role:

• Winder Holeman, the lower school Spanish teacher, focuses on curriculum development and alignment across divisions
• Rebecca Reátegui, senior kindergarten teacher, leads faculty and staff culture and belonging initiatives
• Gerald Daye, middle school digital design and STEM teacher, oversees schoolwide programming and community engagement

Together, their work reflects a shared goal: ensuring that equity, diversity and inclusion efforts are both intentional and integrated throughout the JK–12 experience.

“We’re working to map where we are and where we’re going,” Winder explained, noting the importance of alignment across divisions in a school with so many moving parts. 

That alignment extends beyond curriculum to include professional development, faculty support and opportunities for connection across divisions — an area Rebecca emphasized as especially important in a busy school environment where adults can easily remain siloed within their own teams. 

Grounded in Mission — and Student Experience

While the structure may be new, the foundation is not. NSCD’s equity, diversity and inclusion mission statement has guided this work for more than a decade, rooted in the school’s broader commitment to academic excellence and community.

As Winder noted, EDI is not a separate initiative, but a reflection of the school’s core values — and a way to help students build essential skills like critical thinking, communication and empathy. 
Just as importantly, the work is responsive.

“Everything we do — whether in junior kindergarten or in high school — is born out of the needs and desires of students and families, from something a student said or something that happened in a classroom,” he explained.

In the Classroom: Age-Appropriate, Student-Centered Learning

Across divisions, equity, diversity and inclusion learning is designed to meet students where they are.

In the lower school, the Kaleidoscope curriculum introduces foundational concepts like identity, community and belonging through age-appropriate lessons. In one recent example, students read a story about a boy who helped turn a dilapidated wall into a beautiful mural that fills the community with pride and also reflects who they are. Then students reflected on how they could “repair” the cracks in a  community — using the five lower school words to reimagine it.

Even the youngest learners are engaging with these ideas in meaningful ways. Senior kindergarten students, inspired by a current event involving a bald eagle habitat, created drawings advocating for its protection — an early example of connecting empathy with action.

“They’re thinking about how it applies to their life and the things that they really care about in a way that really helps them have a deep sense of awareness and care about the world, Rebecca explained.

In the middle school, the work becomes more explicit and analytical. Sixth graders explore identity and equity through hands-on activities, while seventh graders examine real-world data and representation. By eighth grade, students are leading service projects and applying their learning in community contexts.

A hallmark of the middle school program is its “mirrors and windows” approach, Gerald said, helping students both see themselves reflected and better understand others. 

Creating Space for Student Voice

Across divisions, students also have opportunities to engage more deeply through affinity groups and interest-based discussions.

Affinity groups provide spaces where students can connect around shared identities or experiences, while also offering flexibility to explore broader interests.

Students who spoke at the meeting emphasized the impact of these spaces.

“It’s a very safe, nurturing environment,” said Grace Brennan ’30, who is part of the Black / African American Affinity Group. “It’s preparing you to talk about things you might not be comfortable sharing in other spaces or that you just struggle with.” 

Others highlighted the importance of connection — being able to relate to peers with similar experiences, while also gaining perspective on the wider world.

In the upper school, one of the most visible expressions of this work is Commons Ambassadors, a student-led program that grew out of a desire for more meaningful dialogue.

Students design and facilitate sessions on topics ranging from cultural responsibility to political discourse, creating space for thoughtful, respectful conversation among their peers.

[RELATED: How a Student-Led Program Creates Connections Through Meaningful Dialogue]

“Students know students best,” explained Kaeden Ackley ’27, noting that peer-led discussions often feel more engaging and relevant. 

These sessions are intentionally designed to encourage civil discourse — a key focus area for the school — while helping students navigate complex or sensitive topics with care.

Supporting Faculty and Staff Belonging

In addition to student-facing work, this year’s efforts have placed a renewed emphasis on faculty and staff experience.

Through surveys, affinity groups and onboarding initiatives, the school is working to ensure that all employees feel a strong sense of belonging — an essential foundation for supporting students.

This work has also been informed by outside expertise. Over the past year, independent school consultants partnered with NSCD to gather feedback from faculty and staff, helping to shape future priorities and programming

School leaders emphasized that equity, diversity and inclusion work at NSCD remains ongoing and evolving.

“This is something that I believe in, that the board has affirmed and that the faculty and staff use to orient their work with kids in classrooms,” explained Head of School Tom Flemma. “It’s important to who we are as a school and something we can always learn more about and continue to grow in.”