Diversity at Greens Farms Academy
GFA has made a conscious effort to build a multicultural student body, representing a wide range of ethnic, racial, socio-economic, religious and international backgrounds. As a result, families are often surprised to find such a diverse school in the heart of Fairfield County. The school has no specific religious affiliation, but nearly every belief system is represented by the members of our community. GFA's current population is comprised of 17% students of color, and 10% faculty of color, as defined by the National Association of Independent Schools.
GFA Advance Plan 2008 Diversity Statement:
GFA is working to increase the diversity of the school community. In doing so, we will:
• Formalize greater support for and sensitivity to the needs of all students from diverse backgrounds so they feel valued in every way within the school community
• Demonstrate our commitment to diversity not only in the composition of the student body, but also in the adult community of the school
• Encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas and different perspectives throughout the GFA community
Long Range Diversity Plan Statement of Philosophy:
In pursuit of Greens Farms Academy's mission, we prepare students to be leaders of and succeed in the increasingly diverse world around us. We believe every person in our school community plays an important role in building an environment of mutual respect, acceptance and understanding of both our differences and our similarities. We understand that in broadening our community, we will inevitably create situations that will include differences of opinion and we see the value of those disagreements. These conversations speak to a common purpose of embracing a deeper knowledge, acceptance and appreciation of our vibrant school community.
GFA is a school, part of whose mission is to seek and value the uniqueness of individuals. We welcome each family and individual, recognizing and respecting their differences of gender, race/ethnicity, physical abilities, sexual orientation, culture, religion, philosophy and economic means.
We recognize that all of these differences are important and embrace the broad definition of diversity. We want to create a learning community where every child feels safe in his or her individuality. Our goal is to ensure that our school’s commitment to diversity adds to our educational excellence. As many subscribe to the broad notion that diversity enhances learning, we believe its meaningful attainment requires a clear direction and thoughtful guidance.
We believe that becoming a more inclusive and pluralistic school will:
- Increase our students’ ability to succeed in an increasingly diverse and complex world;
- Deepen the impact of our students’ course of study and broaden their view;
- Require the development of analytical and interpersonal problem solving skills;
- Increase our students’ confidence and self-esteem as their world view expands;
- Enhance the effectiveness of our teaching environment;
- Build our students’ leadership skills so that they may make a difference in the world;
- Seek to connect those students and families who may feel less engaged within our school community.
Student Learning and Student Voice
Diversity is woven into the fabric of everyday life at GFA. Beyond the study of cultures, traditions and religious holidays, the GFA academic program brings students into contact with the broader world and celebrates the range of voices represented within our community. GFA also has a long-standing commitment to service learning and community outreach.
Peace Teams, made up of Lower School students who work together in cross-age groups, meet monthly for various activities, including reading about other cultures, community service and community outreach. The year culminates in a day devoted to Peace Team games.
L.E.A.D. (Learning and Educating About Diversity)
In the Middle School, LEAD's primary goal is to integrate the broader agenda of LEAD with the Middle School’s existing motto: "Dare to be Different, Dare to be Yourself." MS LEAD is driven by the belief that it is our innate individuality—our unique perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, talents and passions—that makes us human, and that celebrating these differences will lead to a more inclusive, genuine and affirming community. MS LEAD works to remind the members of the Middle School of the inherent value of difference and to foster an environment where students are proud of their individuality and comfortable sharing—and celebrating—it with their peers.
In the Upper School, LEAD is a club that encourages education and open communication about all aspects of diversity. This group is dedicated to promoting and maintaining an environment where the Big Eight Social Identifiers: age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, ethnicity and socio-economic status, along with other Identifiers such as appearance and body image, family status and structure, geographic region, language, learning styles/behavior and social status are comfortable, everyday topics for discussion.
Q.U.E.S.T. (Questioning, Understanding, Educating about Sexuality Today) is GFA's Gay Straight Alliance, an Upper School Club that seeks to ensure that GFA is a safe space for students of all sexual orientations.
Diversity Forum
The Diversity Forum is a round-table discussion group designed to build connections within the GFA community and improve understanding of all aspects of diversity. More than thirty people meet monthly to discuss topics of interest to the group. Guest speakers and Forum members have led a variety of discussions including: socio-economic and cross-cultural differences, how to have a civil conversation about politics, adoption, learning differences, diversity in children’s literature and living with a developmental disability. This group also sponsors and plans numerous campus-wide events. Membership is open to all adult members of the GFA community and Upper School students. Regular attendees include three members of the GFA Board of Trustees, Head of School, Assistant Head of School, Director of Admission, Chief Financial Officer, Lower, Middle and Upper School Division Heads, School Counselor, Parent Association President, several Upper School students and a dozen parents and faculty members representing each division.
For further information please contact the Diversity Forum Co-Chairs:
Veronica Lima -vlima@gfacademy.org
Nancy D'Ecclesiis Corcino - ndecclesiiscorcino@gfacademy.org
2011-12 Diversity Forum Meetings & Events
see main GFA calendar for specific meeting times and locations
Monday, September, 19, 2011, Diversity Forum Meeting
Monday, October 3, 2011, Diversity Forum Meeting
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, Heritage Dinner
Monday, November 21, 2011, Diversity Forum Meeting
December 1-3, 2011, POCC in Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Martin Luther King Assembly (K-12)
Monday, February 6, 2012, Diversity Forum Meeting
Monday, April 2, 2012, Diversity Forum Meeting
Monday, April 30, 2012, Diversity Forum Meeting
Previous Years' Diversity Forum Topics
Immigration
Zeitoun by David Eggers
Humor, Race and Stereotypes
Diversity in the GFA Curriculum
Being Multiracial
Teaching the "Big 8" to Students
Coming out in Middle School
Socioeconomic Differences
Needs of Latino/a Students
The Doll Study by Dr. Val Bagby-Young
Needs of Asian American Students
African-American author, Lillian Lambert discussing The Road to Someplace Better
Events & Activities
NAIS People of Color Conference / Student Diversity Leadership Conference: Every year for more than a decade, GFA has sent Upper School students and GFA faculty to the national People of Color Conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference. GFA also sends Middle and Upper School students, GFA faculty and parents to the annual State of Connecticut Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
In April 2009, Greens Farms Academy hosted the 2009 Pieces of the Puzzle Leadership Conference on our campus. 400 students, faculty and diversity practitioners (including 25 GFA students, 14 GFA faculty and 3 GFA trustees and parents) from Connecticut independent schools attended a full day of diversity training.
Visiting Writers Program
Several times a year, the school invites visiting writers to spend extended time in the classroom talking and working with students and faculty about their writing process and inspiration. Some recent visitors include:
Indran Amirthanayagam, Sri Lankan poet
Naomi Shihab Nye, Palestinian-American poet
Luong Ung, Cambodian author of First They Killed My Father
Bliss Broyard, GFA '84, bi-racial author of My Father, Dancing and One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life
Lorene Cary, African American author of Black Ice
Patricia Polacco, children's author and illustrator
Da Chen, author of China's Son
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of Purple Hibiscus
Mirta Ojito, Cuban author of Finding Mañana: a memoir of a Cuban exodus
Danielle Legros Georges, Haitian poet
John Elder, professor emeritus of Middlebury College faculty and author of Reading the Mountains of Home
World Religions Symposium (2009)
GFA devoted a full day to learning about the world’s major religions. The school invited experts representing Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism and Christianity to participate on panels and run workshops in all three divisions. After hearing from the panelists, students and faculty broke into smaller discussion groups on a variety of topics to further explore their interests throughout the day.
Heritage Dinner
The GFA community gathers annually for a potluck dinner. Parents and faculty from all divisions supply a dish from their country of ancestry and Middle and Upper School students present poems, prose, music and dance related to their heritage. It is an evening filled with delicious food, camaraderie and entertainment which spans the globe. Last year, nearly 200 members of the GFA community attended, and students presented work inspired by the cultures of Jamaica, India, the Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina, China and Nepal, to name a few.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Every year, an all-school assembly led by students celebrates the legacy of Dr. King with music, multi-media presentations, original essays and personal reflections.
Parent/Faculty Potluck Dinner
This biennial event is designed to bring adult members of the GFA community together for an evening of music, stories and an array of food from all reaches of the world. At our inaugural dinner in 2007, over 100 parents, faculty and administrators gathered to share vivid personal accounts about immigration, religious bias, alternative family structures, race, the socio-economics of Fairfield County, mental illness and education in the inner city. Click HERE for photos and personal accounts from our most recent event.
Chinese New Year
This biennial celebration is sponsored by the school’s Mandarin students and faculty, and is open to the GFA community. In past years, students of all ages have read original works, recited poetry, presented traditional Chinese dances and demonstrated martial arts.
Day of Silence
The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGTB name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools across the country.
CT State Representative Beth Bye
In 2009, hosted CT State Representative Beth Bye for a presentation on state government and LGTB issues.
No Hate but Harmony
MS/US Assemblies held with Jimmy Locust in 2009.
Community Service
Community Service has always been central to the mission of Greens Farms Academy. The school instills in students not only a thirst for learning, but a passion for using their time, talents and opportunities toward the creation of a better world. Long time programs include Special Day for Special People, Harmony for the Homeless, weekly tutoring at schools in Bridgeport, Hole-in-the Wall Gang Camp bike-a-thons, Lower School Annual Mitten Tree, sponsorship of two students through Save the Children and outreach to service men and women, shut-ins and animal shelters.
Film Series:
Darius Goes West - an award winning documentary featuring fifteen-year-old Darius Weems, who suffers from Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy.
Crude- a documentary that recounts the story of the infamous $27 billion "Amazon Chernobyl" case.
Persepolis- a coming of age story of a young Iranian girl during the Islamic Revolution.
Study Abroad – A select group of Upper School students abroad annually through programs such as School Year Abroad (SYA) and other semester-long programs. Students have studied in India, Italy, France, Spain, Australia, Jordan, The Bahamas and China, bringing back new perspectives on life and learning.
Faculty Travel Grant Program
Teachers have the opportunity to travel during the summer to learn more about subjects they teach to deepen their curriculum. Recent trips include following the steps of Odysseus in Greece, traveling the Silk Road to Mongolia on horseback, studying Impressionism in France and studying history and culture in Mali and Senegal.
Fairchester Faculty of Color
This affinity group meets several times a year and was established as a vehicle for faculty of color from independent schools in the area to connect with each other and provides them with social, professional and cultural support.
Outreach Programs
Horizons at GFA
Horizons at GFA is a program that provides academic enrichment for 144 economically disadvantaged students from the Bridgeport area. The six-week summer program and the Saturday Academy address an achievement gap frequently evident in underserved students. Last year, more than two dozen GFA students and recent graduates worked or volunteered at Horizons at GFA. GFA faculty and parents also participate in the program as teachers and volunteers. Greens Farms has an endowment to provide financial aid for Horizons graduates who apply and are admitted to GFA. Five Horizons at GFA participants are currently attending Greens Farms Academy. Horizons at GFA also holds Saturday Academy classes in the Fall and Spring and has just begun a High School program for its graduates from the summer program.
REACH Prep
REACH Prep is a program that recruits motivated and talented Black and Latino fourth grade students from low to moderate income backgrounds and prepares them for fifth or sixth grade admission to, and success in, rigorous independent schools in the area. GFA and REACH Prep have partnered together with the goal of offering all students a more dynamic and inclusive education. Seven REACH Prep graduates are currently enrolled at GFA.