Equity at Compass
Compass Montessori School Equity Commitment 2024-25
Compass Montessori recognizes that biases are inherent in our world. These can include biases for or against racial/ethnic backgrounds, culture, language, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, family structure, cognitive or physical ability, economic class, age, and religion or spiritual practice. We recognize that every person—staff, parent, child—at Compass experiences privilege and oppression differently. It is our duty as Montessori educators to prepare our staff and environment to provide an inclusive space for every member of our community. Compass is committed to taking a proactive approach to eliminating biases and/or racism in our environment. An anti‐bias curriculum promotes an understanding of social problems and invites students to invent strategies for improving social conditions.
To that end, Compass is committed to:
- Engage in yearly ABAR training for all staff members
- Recognize the biases and privilege that permeate our interactions with families, staff, and children
- Support each other in understanding and dismantling our personal biases and privilege
- Ensure educators and staff of racial diversity are supported through hiring and onboarding practices
- Acknowledge barriers to accessing quality education and put forth efforts to restructure our systems
- Incorporate anti-bias education and lessons that teach how to acknowledge, honor, and celebrate our students, staff, and family differences at every level of the school
- Highlighting student diversity and inclusion through club activities where students feel seen and accepted
Why
Equity education promotes learning about each other's differences, invites everyone in our community to be proud of themselves and their backgrounds, teaches them to respect and honor differences, recognize bias, and to speak up for inclusivity. Anti‐bias resources and conversations promote an understanding of democracy and invites students to invent strategies for improving social conditions.
Examples of Equity at Compass
- Children’s House and Elementary classrooms have resources accessible to them to proactively discuss the concepts of Identity, Family Diversity, Ability, Socioeconomic Diversity, Gender, Anti-Racism, LGBTQ+ (for Upper Elementary and above), Body Boundaries/Consent, and Immigration/Refugees. These materials are also accessible for staff to utilize when moments of discord occur in the classrooms over bias.
- For secondary students, these concepts are often woven into the curriculum. Most often ELA/Humanities, as well as science and other lessons throughout the three year cycle. When appropriate, teaching students to look through their learning with an equity lens.
- Secondary students also learn how to identify microaggressions, and how to respond appropriately.
- Students learn they cannot make fun of, harm, or harass other people for their identity or beliefs, and how to repair the relationship through listening and learning. .
- Students learn rapidly changing language and how to support others with differing identities, beliefs, and values.
- Adult and student-created support groups, such as the Gender and Sexuality Alliance group and Cultural Club, are created to provide a safe space for students.
- Students are often inspired through these discussions and ideas and engage in further dialogue and advocacy with staff to create, execute and lead social justice activities and events. This fosters the value of inclusion and courage and how to use their voice as a changemaker in our world.
We do not expect all students, families or community members to agree with our discourse and approach to learning about bias, but it is our philosophy and belief that it prepares students for the rapidly changing views and language regarding bias, racism and gender in the world.
Equity FAQ’s
How are equity conversations introduced at school?
Often they are a response to conversations already occurring in the classrooms and sometimes they are scheduled to coincide with other cultural works students are exploring in the classroom. See above for examples.
How is this equity work connected to the ideals of Montessori education?
“Maria Montessori believed each generation of children brings renewed hope for a more peaceful world. But so often in our practice we make the mistake of isolating peace as a separate curricular area. As children move from respecting their physical space to respectful collaboration, from projecting their own desires for peace and social justice to leading that change, they will come to understand that conflict is an opportunity for growth and understand their own potential for leadership. This is the essence of Montessori, and can be found in the design of the materials, the prepared environment, and in their actions.
Deeper commitment to education for peace and social justice supports the attainment of basic human rights such as freedom, dignity, safety, equitable treatment, and a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing.
By creating respectful, inclusive classrooms, celebrating diversity in all its forms, crossing cultural boundaries, and modeling engaged citizenry, Montessori educators nurture students who will transform the world and make it a better place for their generation and the generations that follow.” - AMS
“The needs of mankind are universal. Our means of meeting them create the richness and diversity of the planet. The Montessori child should come to relish the texture of that diversity.” -Dr. Maria Montessori
Why does Compass, a public school, teach equity to students?
.In collaboration with Jeffco Public Schools, and defined by educational legal standards, and our public charter licensing, our curriculum waiver allows us to determine our resources and that these resources are not controversial and are in alignment with our Montessori peace education.
What can I do to support equity at Compass?
As of now, our current goals are to focus on the individual families and situations that arise, as well as ongoing staff development. We are open to any feedback, as we want to hear about your experience in our community, in the classrooms, and with our staff. We appreciate opportunities for ongoing learning! You can also continue these conversations within your own family.
Michelle Clark or Kara Zwierkowski, Equity Co-Coordinators
