Students, parents, and faculty are actively involved in supporting diversity at GDS and ensuring that every student and family feels that they are full and welcomed members of the community. The School both supports affinity groups that recognize shared experiences and promotes cross-cultural dialogue.
Diversity Connections
A high school student club promoting equity and justice, Diversity Connections hosts discussions on topics related to diversity. It sponsors a weekend retreat open to all interested students. Diversity Connections serves as an umbrella organization supporting additional student diversity leadership groups such as Rainbow, a gay/straight alliance; Black Culture Club; Fusion, a club for multiracial students; and Brenner, a women’s leadership group.
Parents of Students of Color (POSOC)
POSOC is a networking group that meets regularly throughout the year to support families with students of color. POSOC also sponsors a picnic at the beginning of the school year for the entire GDS community.
Read more about POSOC activities and meeting dates by clicking here.
Students of Color Mentoring Program
This after-school program—featuring math workshops, cultural field trips, visits with high school students, critical-thinking exercises, and the like—is designed for students in grades 5-8 and is facilitated by high school students and teachers from both campuses.
Read more about the Mentoring Program and mentoring dates by clicking here.
Parent Gay-Straight Alliance ("PGSA")
The Parent Gay-Straight Alliance ("PGSA") is a group of parents, teachers and staff, gay and straight, working together to support the well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered ("GLBT") individuals, their families and the GDS community. The PGSA is a discussion forum and an educational resource that fosters respect for diversity of many types and promotes greater awareness of GLBT issues that affect the members, the school and our community. All are welcome to participate.
Download a brochure about the Gay Pride Assembly at GDS.
Board Diversity Committee
Board members, parents, and administrators serve on this committee, which provides advice and counsel on issues of equity and the implementation of the goals of the Strategic Plan.
Read more about the Board Diversity Committee by clicking here.
Parent Diversity Discussion Series
Sponsored by the Board Diversity Committee, each Parent Diversity Discussion series covers topics such as affirmative action, gender issues and sexism, white racial identity development, adoptive families, and multi-ethnic identity. Discussions are open to all members of the GDS community.
Read more about these discussion dates by clicking here.
SEED
Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) is a national curriculum development program that focuses on infusing equity and multiculturalism into classroom practice. Lower, Middle, and High School representatives meet regularly to examine issues of equity and diversity and to develop strategies for making the GDS curriculum more inclusive.
Faculty Discussion Groups
The Office of Diversity works in conjunction with the larger administrative team to create relevant programming for faculty and staff. In addition to supporting affinity groups for our staff of color and gay and lesbian staff, the Office is responsible for school-wide initiatives.
Beyond GDS
In addition to in-house diversity programs, we encourage students to attend other diversity conferences in the DC Metro Area and abroad. Conferences include the DC Metro Middle School Diversity Leadership Conference, the DC Metro Student Diversity Leadership Conference for high school students, East Ed Summer Institute on Multicultural Education, NAIS People of Color Conference, and the MAVIN Multiracial Conference. Teachers also regularly participate in professional development programs geared towards multicultural education.
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