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Guiding Principles for Equity

St. Patrick’s has developed a set of principles to guide us in nurturing and supporting our inclusive learning community in all aspects of school life. It is our intention that these Guiding Principles should serve not just as a statement of conviction but also as a basis for evaluating our progress as an effective, equitable, just, and inclusive community. 

  1. Understanding
    As a community of valued individuals, we celebrate our differences and appreciate our commonalities as children of God. Areas of measurement: 
  • Our school environment—visually, aesthetically, programmatically, and in all other ways—represents, and is accessible to, all children. 
  • Our curriculum emphasizes the educational value of seeing issues from multiple points of view and fosters critical thinking about bias. 
  • Our curricular materials are up-to-date. They value differences in culture (including geographical and historical settings), religion, socio-economic status, family configuration, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical and cognitive abilities. 
  1. Inclusion
    An inclusive community is one that represents a diverse population, embracing people of varying ages, abilities, ethnicities, family configurations, genders, sexual orientations, races, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds. Each member of the St. Patrick’s community is responsible for promoting equal access and equal respect in the school setting and in the greater St. Patrick’s community.
    Areas of measurement:
  • Our school has admission policies and processes that promote inclusion. 
  • Our school actively seeks faculty and staff who come from diverse backgrounds. 
  • Our school reaches out to all parents and includes them in the life of the School in meaningful ways. 
  • Our school is a place that reflects and represents the diversity in our community and beyond. 
  1. Honesty
    It is our ongoing responsibility to represent St. Patrick’s accurately as we clarify who we are and who we want to be and to be aware of our own biases and prejudices. 


Areas of measurement: 

  • Assessment is valued as a continuous process in the classroom and in the community and is recognized as a way to promote responsiveness to change.
  • Assessment is included as a formal part of the faculty evaluation process.
  • Ongoing education is a premise and a reality for faculty, administration, staff, parents, and Trustees