Dear Newman Families,
I write to provide an important update to the 2020-21 calendar regarding an upcoming scheduled school day.
Friday, April 30, 2021, will now change to a full day of faculty and staff professional development with no school or after-school care for students in all divisions, Green Trees through Upper School.
Creating and supporting a culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a priority for us at Newman and we remain committed to advancing DEI within Newman’s Mission inspiring individual growth and academic excellence within an inclusive community committed to strong relationships and high expectations. Our School’s commitment to strong relationships and high expectations are essential as we work to be a truly inclusive institution where all students and families are known and feel they belong.
On Friday, April 30, Newman faculty and staff will have the opportunity to participate in professional development designed to build common ground on the language we use that continues our school-wide focus on building our collective cultural competency. The program, Racial Literacy 101 and the Power of Language, was part of an ongoing training throughout this year offered by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) and Pollyanna, Inc. School administrators and Community and Inclusion liaisons had the opportunity to participate earlier and we are pleased to now be able to extend the training to all of our faculty and staff.
We understand the short notice of this change, and that changes in general to our school calendar, create challenges for our families, and for that I apologize. We thank you and appreciate your continued support and flexibility given the strategic importance of this work.
Sincerely,
Deena J. Carey
Associate Head of School
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