Embracing Inclusivity at CIS
The world is a large place filled with
a diverse group of individuals.
The CIS strives to be inclusive to all who join our community. We use three pillars of our community to be inclusive: A focus on our Guiding Statements, including our Vision, Mission, Definition of Learning, and our Core Values; we genuinely care about each other as to have a sense of belonging, we must be caring and feel cared for as human beings and as learners; and third, we strive for excellence in our learning and professional growth. As learners and educators, we know that learning is a process and that we are all committed to continued growth and excellence in all that we do.
Being inclusive is very much like being; to learn and grow we must stretch beyond our comfort zones to develop our conceptual understandings, our competences and the depth of our character. To learn is to place oneself in a state of “not knowing”. Only then can we internalize and grow beyond what we are currently capable of. The same holds true for being inclusive. It is easy to include others who are very much like us. There is no stretching of capacity to include others who think, look, and act as we do. The real test of being inclusive is when our assumptions and beliefs of what we believe are challenged by others who bring a different, yet equally important set of values to the community.
By focusing on our Vision-”...strives to nurture, challenge and empower learner’s to be impactful leaders, shaping a remarkable future.; our Mission to be “...As a student-centered school, CIS creates opportunities for learners to develop their ability to be reflective, adaptive, and inclusive as they become socially responsible, inspirational voices for positive change.
By Caring for each other as human beings and as learners, we create a safe place where I diversity becomes a strength, as it becomes a source for us all to learn and grow from; a place where the best ideals and ideas are welcomed, listened to and debated; and where decisions are made by consensus that include the best from all of us.
By understanding that Learning is a Process we can all continually invest in ourselves and each other as learners as we co-create the CIS Culture of Learning. We support and challenge each other as learners in a safe and inclusive environment.
Our Inclusivity creates Collective Efficacy as we all strive towards a single vision, care deeply about each other and each other’s success, and continue to challenge and support each other as learners. This is how CIS strives to be an inclusive environment for all who seek positive change in the world.
CIS has several initiatives that nurture acceptance in our community. The Elementary School encourages students to join as ambassadors who help new students adjust to the school. Our Core Values are highlighted as well in monthly Core Value shows that highlight and appreciate members of our community who show exceptional capacity in each of our Core Values.
CIS Allies, a High School student-led group, is a club that also tries to educate students to be more inclusive and morally responsible citizens. The club, consisting of high school students, was started in 2018 as a few students felt that CIS could become a more open and inclusive community. The CIS Allies Group conducted our First Symposium for Inclusivity in April, 2019 that continues to this day as an annual event for students and adults to further what we mean when we say we are “inclusive”.