Creating a place where all are welcome

Usually, the issue is related to student conduct or student safety, but what I write to you about today is of a different variety, and speaks to deeply held values that we hold dear as Canadians and as members of The Country Day School community.

Together, parents and schools take responsibility for the development of core values, attitudes and behaviours that shape the lives of our children. If one were to make a list of the most important things in life, few items would top this goal. And it seems, this goal has both become more important and more complex as the world we live in gets more difficult to predict or even comprehend. When the winds of change start to storm, it is crucial that we look to conversations and considerations of our core values. At CDS, we proudly assert the following:

• We will raise the social and global awareness of our students through our curriculum, community service opportunities, charitable involvement, program initiatives, excursions and visiting guest speakers. The core traits we will aim to develop in our students are adaptability, global understanding, respect for difference, empathy, volunteerism, and sensitivity to the human condition.

Whether it be race, religion, sexual orientation or political view, what we hope to engender is an understanding and respect for others. Across the School, in an age appropriate fashion, we are active in forming and shaping these values. To enumerate but a few of our many activities, our youngest learners celebrate December Nights, December Lights and have an active Pathways to People co-curricular club, while our older learners have thriving co-curricular activities through our Social Justice Club and Inclusivity Club. Already this year in our Middle and Senior Schools we have had speakers specifically address hate-laden symbolism and race, and this coming Monday, we have a special speaker coming to address the issue of diversity and what that means to a young person.

Canada has built an international reputation for being altruistic and active in promoting social justice. On a far smaller scale, The Country Day School has built a reputation for being a place that cares. We are not perfect, however, and with several hundred teenagers and pre-adolescents with us every day, there will certainly be unfortunate incidents and mistakes, both large and small. But this is a school, not a jail, and thus our focus includes the concept of consequences, and more importantly, is focused on the learning that must accompany a mistake.

As adults, with fully formed core value sets, we often forget that young people remain works-in-progress in this respect. As adults, we take for granted what is deemed right or wrong or offensive, and understand what words or actions are deemed appropriate or inappropriate. Our children are not yet in full possession of these concepts and therefore look to us for clues and examples. As young people exist in this crucible, it is important that parents and schools work together to discuss, to debate, and to guide. There is incredible promise in our youth, and as they count on us now for guidance, we will count on them in the future to steer our communities with discernment and deeply held values.

Canada turns 150 years old this year. On February 27 and 28, ALL of CDS took part in The Canada Project where we created close to 150 Canadian experiences across the School. Each experience, in its own way, brought Canada to the forefront and reminded us of what it means to be Canadian.

In your conversations, in your travels, and in the examples you set, please help us guide our young people toward developing a social and global awareness and a place – here at the School and in Canada - where all are welcome.

I began this letter with an apology. Funny how deep-seated values present themselves.

Sincerely,

John Liggett
Head of School