Our Commitment
INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & ACTION
IDEA Statement
Anchored in Christian values — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — relationships at Mount Vernon are foundational to learning. Preparing students to be college ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders call us to lean in to inclusion, diversity, equity, and action.
Creating and cultivating connections between all people, ideas, and sectors, the School welcomes all learners to wrestle with voices and perspectives that challenge our assumptions, biases, stereotypes, and privileges. Not allowing our differences to divide us requires each of us to engage in honest, vulnerable, and courageous conversations through empathy, reflection, examination, and action. Being real agents of change is a continuous journey.
Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, our trust in each other strengthens our sense of identity, autonomy, and interdependence. As a school of inquiry, innovation, and impact, we are committed to creating and sustaining a school culture where all members feel valued and safe, sharing their authentic selves to design a better world…together.
Adopted 2018-2019
A Celebration of Impact
These siblings joined the Mount Vernon community when they were in fourth grade. Although they are the School’s only set of triplets and share a strong work ethic and drive, which they attribute to their parents’ influence, they each bring their own strengths and unique qualities to the table, and upon graduation, each has a different path laid out in front of them.
Stories of IDEA
The Douglas Family – Mustangs Through and Through
"I pray that we have inspired and left love where we once stood. May God bless Mount Vernon, and know it will always have the support of the Douglas family." - Andre' Douglas If you've been at a Mount Vernon football game over the last five years, you've probably...
Hall of Unsung Heroes
“What gives me confidence - when I saw your projects - was the integrity and compassion and research and imagination that went into the projects. You give me hope. When I’m old, I’m going to be calm knowing the world will be in your hands and you’re going to do a...
The Power of Design Thinking
Contributed by Preschool Learning Architect Liz Aull The teachers in the four Toddlers and Infants classrooms are dedicated to their children, their children’s families, to each other, and to Mount Vernon. Unfortunately, schedules and COVID safety parameters often...
IDEA Action Report 2020-2021
Seizing the moment to effect change, the School embarked on a journey during the 2020-2021 school year focused on building strategy, developing programs, and most importantly, cultivating relationships.
Focused on Strategy
Your Subtitle Goes Here
How will we build the institutional infrastructure to cultivate a community of endurance to sustain the long journey of anti-racism? How might we fully live out our mission of inquiry, innovation, and impact in order to design a more inclusive future? How might we set forth tangible action steps to hold the School accountable to our aspirations, goals, and objectives for IDEA?
Focused on Programs
Your Subtitle Goes Here
How will we develop programmatic initiatives, strengthening our capacity to think more broadly and process information more deeply? How might we create and cultivate connections between diverse people, backgrounds, identities, ideas, and sectors? How will we equip ourselves with the ability to dialogue across differences, welcoming the chance to wrestle with voices and perspectives that challenge our assumptions?
Focused on Relationships
Your Subtitle Goes Here
How might we gain new insights for a more complete, inclusive picture by listening and learning from People of Color within our community? How will we foster belonging of the most underrepresented groups at the School? How might we build trust to unearth and eradicate words and actions of racism and prejudice? How might we respect, affirm, and celebrate the dignity and worth of each member of our community despite identity and background.
Look Back to Look Forward
In 2018, the Mount Vernon School began to have courageous conversations around the most challenging issues of our day, including diversity, equity, and inclusion. The following IDEA Expressions of Learning are not meant to be an exhaustive or even a performative list of activities, experiences, and projects but intentional demonstrations designed to make continual improvements in amplifying inclusion, diversity, equity, and action at Mount Vernon.
Meet the Team
Chief of IDEA
Stacey Lee
IDEA Team
Elisse Hayes
Lower Campus Head of Community and Culture
Terrika Mays
IDEA Preschool Coordinator
Taryn Rumph
IDEA Lower School Coordinator
Chaundra Suddith
IDEA Middle School Coordinator
Pamela Villafane
IDEA Upper School Coordinator
SCHEDULE
