About SJS
Community and Inclusion
C&I work cannot be done without COMMUNITY, and all of our faculty and staff are responsible for ensuring the success of building closer relationships that strengthen the St. John’s School community. I am excited to share how our work has created ways to bring people together for shared experiences across the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools for our students, parents, and faculty.
For our youngest learners, the Bridge Books program was incorporated throughout the school year, and connecting through stories offered a powerful way for our Lower School students to discuss and deepen their understanding of gratitude, belonging, teamwork, and citizenship. A concerted effort was made to bridge the gap between the Upper School and Lower School students, selecting Upper School students to participate alongside Lower School students in special chapels. For our Lower School parents, you might have also noticed spirited Upper School students helping with Friday morning carpool—another way to help foster a cross-divisional connection for our students. Upper School students also shared their love of academics with the Lower School students by leading programs like Math and Munchies and Spanish and Snacks, and towards the end of the year, Class 12 English classes visited Lower School classrooms for shared writing experiences. The Upper School students were motivated to build community in all aspects of school life. From Unity Council to over 100 student-created and student-led clubs, the Upper School Students are constantly approaching me with ways to ensure that every student feels included and seen. In the Middle School, developing community and individual responsibilities within a community was a constant theme throughout the year. During Days of Giving our Service-Learning programs integrated time for reflection on the “why” and the “impact” of giving on individuals and their immediate spheres of influence. Through the Advisory program, Class 6 focused on individual responsibilities, ie. connections to self; while Class 7 explored connecting to others. Class 8, the leaders in the Middle School, emphasized connections to the broader community. The Middle School faculty worked, and continues, to impart to our students the importance of the St. John’s Precepts and Principles.
For our youngest learners, the Bridge Books program was incorporated throughout the school year, and connecting through stories offered a powerful way for our Lower School students to discuss and deepen their understanding of gratitude, belonging, teamwork, and citizenship. A concerted effort was made to bridge the gap between the Upper School and Lower School students, selecting Upper School students to participate alongside Lower School students in special chapels. For our Lower School parents, you might have also noticed spirited Upper School students helping with Friday morning carpool—another way to help foster a cross-divisional connection for our students. Upper School students also shared their love of academics with the Lower School students by leading programs like Math and Munchies and Spanish and Snacks, and towards the end of the year, Class 12 English classes visited Lower School classrooms for shared writing experiences. The Upper School students were motivated to build community in all aspects of school life. From Unity Council to over 100 student-created and student-led clubs, the Upper School Students are constantly approaching me with ways to ensure that every student feels included and seen. In the Middle School, developing community and individual responsibilities within a community was a constant theme throughout the year. During Days of Giving our Service-Learning programs integrated time for reflection on the “why” and the “impact” of giving on individuals and their immediate spheres of influence. Through the Advisory program, Class 6 focused on individual responsibilities, ie. connections to self; while Class 7 explored connecting to others. Class 8, the leaders in the Middle School, emphasized connections to the broader community. The Middle School faculty worked, and continues, to impart to our students the importance of the St. John’s Precepts and Principles.
Onward to 2025-2026, this year’s C&I theme is BALANCE. Be on the lookout for ways to get involved and help cultivate a caring and cohesive community.
Sincerely,
D'Hania Hunt
Director of Community Engagement
2025-2026 Parent C&I Committee
Andrea Alexander
Aaron Schwartz
Katherine Schwartz
Ami Sheth
Srikanth Sridhar
Subhashree Sridhar
Julie Stanger
Myrenda Takashima
Aparajitha Verma
Andrea Wang
Aaron Schwartz
Katherine Schwartz
Ami Sheth
Srikanth Sridhar
Subhashree Sridhar
Julie Stanger
Myrenda Takashima
Aparajitha Verma
Andrea Wang
Alumni C&I Committee
Sehr Chania Lalani '03, Chair
Kathryn Casey Principe '89, Vice-Chair
John Griffin '06
Grace Hobby Grundy '08
Courtney Miller '06
Marty Thompson '91
Sushma Chilukuri Yalamanchili '93
Kathryn Austin '08
Meredith Gamble '10
Felicia Seaton-Larry Griggs '03
Statement on Community and Inclusion:
Every member of the St. John’s community will be known and loved. In accordance with that idea, our Mission Statement, and the Precepts and Principles of the St. John’s School, care is the School’s cardinal virtue, and we sustain a caring and welcoming culture for all.
In our community, we celebrate, promote, and appreciate the differences and similarities of our experiences. For us, community means respecting differences in ability, age, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and thought. Our community is dynamic and ever changing.
Respecting these differences is not enough, though, and we ensure an environment in which everyone can feel comfortable, heard, and included. We value inclusion because it makes us all stronger as a community. A diversity of worldviews challenges us to consider other points of view and is essential to a full education and the development of well-rounded future leaders.
To promote these values, we will ensure cultural intelligence and proficiency for all members of our community. We:
St. John’s only fulfills its mission when all community members feel included, safe, and empowered to fully participate in all aspects of community life.
Unanimously Approved by the St. John's School Board of Trustees on September 8, 2018
In our community, we celebrate, promote, and appreciate the differences and similarities of our experiences. For us, community means respecting differences in ability, age, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and thought. Our community is dynamic and ever changing.
Respecting these differences is not enough, though, and we ensure an environment in which everyone can feel comfortable, heard, and included. We value inclusion because it makes us all stronger as a community. A diversity of worldviews challenges us to consider other points of view and is essential to a full education and the development of well-rounded future leaders.
To promote these values, we will ensure cultural intelligence and proficiency for all members of our community. We:
- Incorporate cultural proficiency, diversity, global awareness, and inclusivity into all facets of the K-12 curricula and co-curricular activities.
- Create opportunities for board, faculty, staff, student, and parent development and community education initiatives in these areas.
- Ensure broad representation among students, faculty, staff, and administrators through recruitment and retention of candidates from underrepresented groups.
- Challenge ourselves to continually reevaluate curricula, policies, and practices to ensure that we continue to grow and welcome all voices.
St. John’s only fulfills its mission when all community members feel included, safe, and empowered to fully participate in all aspects of community life.
Unanimously Approved by the St. John's School Board of Trustees on September 8, 2018
Non-Discrimination Policy:
St. John's School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its student body. Consequently, the School does not discriminate in admission or educational program versus any individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.
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