Equity & Inclusion

As an Episcopal school, we are rooted in the values of compassion for our human family, the strength of dialogue to promote understanding, and a commitment to inclusion. Our Episcopal roots further challenge us to create an environment—both within and beyond our school—that recognizes and values each person’s lived experiences and where everyone thrives and is known.

To be an inclusive institution, however, we need to become both individually and institutionally culturally competent by:

• Building self-awareness: understanding who we are in relationships to those around us.
• Developing intercultural communication skills: understanding how culture impacts communication and developing skills to communicate effectively with people of many cultures.
• Cultivating cultural knowledge: listening and learning about the experiences and dynamics of cultures that are not our own.
• Acting to be inclusive: acting on an individual and institutional level by reflecting and evaluating our individual actions as well as our institutional structures and systems.

This work takes on a number of forms, all of which are rooted in our “essential competencies” of Exploring, Creating, Connecting, and Committing. Below are some examples of how we engage with OES and the broader community:

Exploring

We invite students, families, employees, and community members to attend presentations on campus and to participate in dialogues to cultivate deep thinking, social action, and cultural competence.

Creating

We work with local, regional and national experts to create intercultural competence training and facilitate equity-based dialogues for our faculty and staff in order to create a school environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all.

Connecting

We connect with the Beaverton School District via school-year tutoring, summer educational and enrichment programs, and educational exchanges that provide those involved the opportunity to serve and lead.

Committing

We commit to living our mission, vision, and values by creating a Director-level position for Inclusion and Community Engagement and providing the time and resources needed to achieve its goals.