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Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging

Mount Tamalpais School 5th Graders

At Mount Tamalpais School, we deeply value the diversity within our community. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community strengthens the learning experience for every student. Guided by our core value to Practice Active Inclusion, we are committed to fostering a culture where all members of our community feel seen, heard, and valued. We honor and celebrate the many dimensions of identity, from culture to learning styles. Through an equity-informed curriculum and a focus on social responsibility, we strive to develop culturally aware students who think critically and act with empathy.

To support this work in the classroom, our faculty and staff engage in ongoing professional learning centered on diversity competencies. This includes community-wide practice of dialogue skills and participation in national conferences such as the NAIS People of Color Conference and the White Privilege Conference, as well as workshops led by organizations like Pollyanna. We also engage in shared learning through texts like Say the Right Thing and The Identity-Conscious Educator. We are also implementing the “Learning for Justice” Social Justice Standards, which provide a developmentally appropriate framework for fostering inclusive, justice-minded learning from Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Lower School Girls on Campus at Mount Tamalpais School


The Board of Trustees' DEIB Committee provides oversight as we continue to cultivate a sense of belonging and develop an equitable and inclusive curriculum. This year, to gain alignment, the committee defined Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, as outlined below. 

Diversity

Diversity refers to the variety of differences among people, including but not limited to: race and ethnicity, cultural heritage, religious beliefs, backgrounds, socio-economic status, gender and gender identity, age, ability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, family structure, and more. It encompasses a broad range of experiences and perspectives.

Equity

Equity is the fair treatment of all individuals, providing the unique resources and opportunities that each person needs to be successful. Unlike equality, which provides the same resources to everyone, equity recognizes that people have different starting points and face unique needs, biases, and barriers. 

Inclusion

Inclusion is the active effort to welcome, respect, celebrate, and value individuals of all backgrounds with the goal that everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging, acceptance, and participation. 

Belonging

Belonging is a deep sense of feeling authentically valued, accepted, and connected within a community. It means being seen, heard, and appreciated for one’s true self, without pressure 


Community Cultural Celebrations

We celebrate as a whole school community Native American Heritage, Black History, Women’s History, Mental Health Awareness, and Pride. While these topics are covered throughout our curriculum in general, we also do deep dives on a broad scope of cultural heritages as part of each grade level’s classroom curriculum. 

For the parent community, we have affinity groups and events. We also host “The People’s Supper” where the parent community comes together to share their personal stories over dinner. 

Tanya Lemmon, Director of Inclusion

Tanya Lemmon

Director of Inclusion
tlemmon@mttam.org

Diversity Vision Statement

Mount Tamalpais School is dedicated to nourishing and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community in which each person can be their truest self, knowing all perspectives, identities, and voices are welcomed and valued. It is our responsibility to create a school community where all members can thrive and where students are encouraged to be engaged and growth-minded citizens.

See What We're Up To!

Literature to Broaden the Mind

In Honor Of...

Dyslexia Awareness

Students wore red in support of Dyslexia Awareness Month. 

Lunar New Year

MTS Lower School Students Perform in Lunar New Year Gather

MTS Mandarin teacher Vivian Dai leads annual Lunar New Year celebrations. Activities include a parade, martial arts, Chinese character writing, making potstickers, and chopsticks-skills competitions. Read more about the day here. 

Pride Month

Each grade wore a different color of the rainbow to honor the LGTBQ+ community during Pride Month in June.

Partnerships & Affiliations

MTS Partnerships - IFSEL Logo
MTS Partnerships - Pollyanna Logo
Private School Village Logo