1. There's Something for Everyone: An Online Toolkit for Diversity Learners
Amy Bowllan, LibraTech Director of Programs, K-12, The Kew-Forest School

This toolkit will provide attendees with links, strategies and tasks for teaching about diversity. Each participant will also receive a copy of The Land of Crayons. These short stories include real life issues occuring in the world today...straight from the mouths of crayons. This book is a wonderful teaching tool to use in any classroom.

For grades K-12
Maximum enrollment: 25

2. An Activity-Based Approach to Dialogue About Class Issues
Martha Haakmat, Middle School Health Coordinator, Packer Collegiate Institute
Delia Hernandez, Assistant Principal of Lower School , Little Red Elisabeth Irwin
MiChelle Carpenter-Smith, former Math Department Head, Packer Collegiate Institute
Rachel Ehrlich, Coordinator of Auxiliary and Afterschool Programs, Packer Collegiate Institute

In this workshop, participants will engage in a provocative activity designed to promote self-reflection and honest dialogue about socio-economic status and privilege in independent school communities. Participants will also be given tools to run this activity and begin discussions about class isues at their own schools.

For grades 5-12
Unlimited enrollment

3. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL! Assessing diversity beyond the "numbers"
Dr.Rosemary Milliman, Principal of the Lower School. Trinity School

This workshop will explore a research project at Trinity School aimed at assessing diversity efforts beyond "the numbers". As independent school teachers and administrators, we barely scratch the surface of the issues faced by those who make our schools diverse. I devised a research tool to help schools measure/assess what the deeper issues are concerning diversity at their school. With focus groups and surveys, the tool was designed to help schools get at the more pressing issues of class, race, and gender!

For grades K-12
Maximum enrollment: 25

4. School Structures Supporting Economic Diversity
Maiya Jackson, Director of HS Placement and External Relations, Manhattan Country School
Panelists: Andrew McLaren, Moderator NYSAIS, Gus Trowbridge (Former Director, Manhattan Country School), Arjun Achuthan (Hayground School), Jennifer Woodruff (La Escuelita), Vincent Dotoli (Harlem Episcopal School)

Economic diversity has been the cornerstone of some schools from the very beginning and a new covenant in others. Panelists from a variety of such schools will outline the principles uniting school communities that embrace enrollments of students across class boundaries. They will also reveal the challenges of sustaining this vision in school communities and as a school funding model. Possible points of discussion could include: How have these school leaders created environments where families of different socio-economic classes feel welcome? What was most crucial in building a fundraising or budgeting system that made socio-economic diversity viable? What are the biggest challenges and successes of having a socio-economically diverse school? How can independent schools with more traditional financial aid systems work toward building more socio-economic diversity? The session will incorporate questions from the audience.

For all grades
Unlimited enrollment

5. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL! Heroes from Home and Beyond: Teaching Children about Class, Diversity and Making a Difference through an Exploration of Modern Heroes
Jessie Weinberg, 4th Grade Teacher The Town School

This workshop is based on a 4th Grade Heroes Curriculum in which students study a new hero each month. The heroes, selected by the teachers, are everyday heroes whose actions demonstrate that making a difference should be part of our daily lives and whose diverse backgrounds expose children to different ways of living. The study of heroes is used to teach students that anyone young or old, rich or poor, can be a hero. This curriculum empowers students to reach out to others and take a leading role in touching their own communities and communities around the world. This curriculum can be adapted to a variety of ages.

For grades 2-6
Maximum enrollment 25

6. Demystifying the Barbell: Financial Aid and The Middle Class
Mark Mitchell, Vice President for School Information Services, NAIS

Achieving diversity is not just about race and achieving socioeconomic diversity is not just about money. More and more schools around the country are confounded by the challenges of creating a school community that is reflective of a wide range of income levels while remaining fiscally healthy and culturally accessible for all. NAIS observes that there is a fair amount of distress that schools are creating "barbells" of haves and have nots, with the middle class is in short supply at schools. What is the barbell effect all about? Does it really exist? What kind of socioeconomic diversity is there in NAIS schools? What exactly is middle class? How do financial aid policies and methods like SSS contribute to the problems and solutions? Join a provocative discussion on what it means to be middle class and how our perceptions affect our policies in creating socioeconomic diversity.

For all grades
Unlimited enrollment

7. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL! White Like Me: How the Personal and Political Intersect in Social Justice Work
Tim Wise

Tim Wise will discuss the ways in which addressing systems of inequality and injustice require that individuals grapple with their own personal conditioning, privilege and biases. Likewise, he will examine the flipside: how dealing with one's personal "stuff" is inadequate on its own, but instead should be coupled with a focus on changing the structures within which we find ourselves

For all grades
Maximum enrollment 40

8. Schools and Funding Inequity
Sachi Feris, Director, Border Crossers www.bordercrossers.org, and Spanish teacher, Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Participants will experience a curriculum about school funding inequity that
was developed by Border Crossers (www.bordercrossers.org), a program in
which students come together from private and public schools to explore
issues of discrimination and inequality, and take action towards social
change. This curriculum includes a focus on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity
(www.cfequity.org), New York's school funding case which participants will
go through from the perspective of students--including defining court
terminology used to describe one's right to an education, as well as
participating in a simulation on how public schools are funded. Following
this, participants will debrief the experience as teachers.

For grades 4-6
Maximum enrollment: 20

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9. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL! Children's Literature that deals with themes of economic diversity
Julie Hiraga, Second grade teacher, The Dalton School

This workshop will present Dalton School's second grade social studies
curriculum which focuses on NYC. We address economic diversity and
socio-economic stereotypes attached to specific neighborhoods (e.g.
Harlem, Chinatown, upper east side, etc.). I will share the children's
books that I use that touch on themes related to economic diversity, such
as: The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor, Fly Away Home by Eve
Bunting, The Jacket by Andrew Clements, Ramona and Her Father by Beverly
Cleary, and The Girl with 500 Middle Names by Janet Hamlin. Participants
would be invited to review the books, work in small groups to discuss the
various themes, develop guidelines for their own classrooms as to how they
might facilitate positive conversations, and brainstorm ways to infuse
their teaching across the curriculum with inclusive literature. A
bibliography will be provided for the participants.

For grades 1-3
Maximum enrolment: 20

10. Class Discussions: How to Integrate Issues of Class into Humanities Curricula
Katherine Kwok (History) and Rachel Mazor (English), Solomon Schechter
High School of New York

In this workshop, we examine ways to address issues of class within English and History curricula. Using several literary excerpts and scenes from films, we model discussions and activities that we have used to introduce students to the issues of class diversity. We then discuss ways to apply these methods to other curricula. We will also address the ways class can be used to address differences in predominantly homogeneous school settings. Teachers will leave this workshop with an annotated list of resources for use in addressing class issues, as well as several practical methods for broaching this often difficult topic in the classroom.

For grades 9-12
Maximum enrollment: 20

11. Social Justice Projects in the Classroom: Links to Literature and Mission
Maiya Jackson, Director of HS Placement and External Relations, Manhattan Country School
Panelists: Kallyn Krash (MCS Librarian) Sarah Liebowitz (MCS 4-5s teacher) Carol O’Donnell (MCS 7th/8th grade English teacher) Aimee Ostensen (MCS 5th grade teacher) Laura Swindler (MCS 6-7s teacher)

In progressive education children explore their identities and are encouraged to ask hard questions about the world around them. They grapple with notions of fairness, community, injustice, difference, and respect. Teachers hoping to engage their students around these issues often find that the desire to involve students in social justice projects and community service competes with the pressure of curricular priorities. Manhattan Country School, founded in 1966 on principles of racial integration and socio-economic diversity, views social justice as one of the essential underpinnings of a multicultural pedagogy. In this workshop, MCS teachers will discuss how several projects are integrated within a rich early childhood through junior high curriculum. Some projects also establish public and private school exchanges and interface with local communities. After the panel presentations, the audience will be invited to discuss how to implement similar curricular initiatives in their own schools.

For grades K-8
Unlimited enrollment

12. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL! Economic and Cultural Diversity
Helen Chinitz, Head of School, The Storm King School

In our schools, especially the smaller boarding schools, racial and
cultural issues are compounded by economic diversity issues in complex
and painful ways. The first need is to forge a common language. We do
so best by creating intersecting events and opportunities that can
produce a sense of a truly shared investment in the education and in the
particular school environment. We may then be able to have a refreshed
sense of value and worth.

For all grades
Maximum enrollment 25

13. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL!  “Is Development Elitist?” – Strategies for Expressing Social Justice in Development
Hollis Dorman, Director of Development, Solomon Shechter School of Westchester • Ingrid Healy, Assistant Head of School for External Relations, Poly Prep Country Day School • Gregory A. Minahan, Director of Development, The Caedmon School • Martha Pritchard Spear, CFRE, Director of Development, North Country School and Camp Treetops

Every independent school community needs fund-raising in order to balance the budget and add new initiatives. Development officers’ goal is to help further the mission of our schools. Educators, staff, volunteers and the development officers of your school work closely with trustees and other key leadership, adults and children both. Once any person becomes involved in the school – be it by donating, commenting, volunteering or a what have you – s/he becomes part of the elite group of involved individuals. Development officers must prioritize their time and limited resources – thus they tend to focus on those who have the greatest ability to give time, talent or treasure. Some say, “Leadership, by virtue of being leadership, is elite…” In this panel discussion, five development officers from New York State independent schools will discuss using their uniquely powerful positions to help advance the mission of your school. As when white people lean into the discomfort of white privilege or heterosexuals think about heterosexism, this discussion followed by Q & A is bound to be fiery and fun!

For all grades
Maximum enrollment: 25

14. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL. The Game Of Life: Helping Students Critically Analyze the Interrelationship between Race, Class and Economics
Sharon DuPree, Director of Diversity and Community, Little Red Schoolhouse & Elisabeth Irwin High School (LREI)

This workshop will present the strategies used in a high school level course to highlight the intersection between Economics, Class and Race. Discussion will focus on the techniques used to help students reflect upon their own economic legacies, to explore the attitudes/beliefs/research that connect socioeconomic status to race, and to understand the difficulties associated with underrepresented groups' attempts to attain the American Dream. Presentation will include an interactive demonstration and excerpts from final project papers. A reading/film list will also be provided.

For grades 9-12
Maximum enrollment: 20

15. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL. Demystifying the Barbell: Financial Aid and The Middle Class
Mark Mitchell, Vice President for School Information Services, NAIS

Achieving diversity is not just about race and achieving socioeconomic diversity is not just about money. More and more schools around the country are confounded by the challenges of creating a school community that is reflective of a wide range of income levels while remaining fiscally healthy and culturally accessible for all. NAIS observes that there is a fair amount of distress that schools are creating "barbells" of haves and have nots, with the middle class is in short supply at schools. What is the barbell effect all about? Does it really exist? What kind of socioeconomic diversity is there in NAIS schools? What exactly is middle class? How do financial aid policies and methods like SSS contribute to the problems and solutions? Join a provocative discussion on what it means to be middle class and how our perceptions affect our policies in creating socioeconomic diversity.

For all grades
Maximum enrollment 25

16. Producing Equity in Independent School - Strategies and Perspectives
Tim Wise

This session will look more in-depth at the policies, practices and procedures that independent schools can adopt in order to foster greater racial and economic equity.

For all grades
Unlimited enrollment

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