Community

Inclusion, Belonging and Pluralism

At Greenwood, we value and respect each other’s differences.
Our work in this area centres around pluralism – an ethic of respect that values human diversity. Pluralism means that we recognize and value our differences. We listen and learn from each other. 

On this page, you'll find information on the action we're taking to strengthen our inclusive community where we can all feel a sense of belonging. We are currently working to update this page. You'll also find resources that can help us all to live these values in every aspect of our lives.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 2021-2022 Year In Review

Greenwood’s overall goal for our 2021-2022 diversity, equity and inclusion work was to create a strong foundation from which to build in the future. We need to know ourselves and our identities before entering into deep diversity and community work. With that in mind, our focus in 2021-2022 was equipping students and staff with the introspective tools and practices they needed to better understand themselves.

Professional Development Plan
A five-phase professional development plan for all staff for the 2021-2022 school year. Year 1 of the plan focused on building a solid understanding of anti-racism and anti-oppression education; in the years to come, all staff will build upon that foundation to create positive and inclusive communities at the school. 

Phase 1
Self-Education (anti-racism, anti-oppression, social justice, current expectations, culturally responsive pedagogy, curriculum)
Phase 2
Curriculum Gaps (developing units of study, making curriculum changes, examining course content) 
Phase 3
Avoiding Performativity (developing classroom and community cultures, developing allyship behaviours, avoiding performative allyship, authenticity in all spaces) 
Phase 4
Disrupting and Dismantling (positive intervention, redirecting, creating programming and policies)  
Phase 5 
Critical Allyship and Planning for Change (What does critical allyship look like in your interactions? Your workspaces? Your classroom? How do we plan for change in the coming year?)

RIDES Assessment
Greenwood has adopted the Reimagining Integration: Diversity and Equity in Schools (RIDES) model from Harvard University, a research-backed framework that gives schools the tools to support and measure deep work in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We piloted this framework over the 2020-2021 school year with success.
In 2021-2022, our aim was to put the next steps identified in 2020-2021 into action while also looking closely at programs, practices and curriculum. Along the way, we are continuing to measure our progress in fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging using the benchmarks we have created. Additionally, we wanted to explore additional lenses on school life and spheres of influence in order to identify additional opportunities for growth and change.

Community Themes
We created themes for each term of the 2021-2022 school year that tied together the DEI work for that term. For example, Term 1 was “Identities”, with the first three months of the year focusing on Indigenous identities, 2SLGBTQ+ identities and the legacy of identity, respectively. Each term began with community-building activities related to empathy, encouraging students to truly consider others’ perspectives and reflect on how they can be effective allies.

DEI Staff Advisory Committee
The new DEI Advisory Committee was created with the goal of encouraging staff members to explore their own areas of influence within the context of creating an equitable school grounded in anti-oppression and anti-racist thinking. Committee members examine existing systems and structures at Greenwood that may present barriers to equity and inclusion and present recommendations to school leadership based on their findings.

Panorama Survey
In the spring of 2022, we undertook a whole-school Equity and Inclusion Survey through Panorama, a company that delivers high-quality surveying tools for many communities and organizations. The results of the survey established valuable benchmark data that will inform policy, programming and systemic growth at Greenwood moving forward; we will track progress on these benchmarks through repeating the survey in the future.
 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Resources

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Diversity Statement

Greenwood is committed to helping students develop all aspects of their character. We want to prepare our students to make a positive difference in the world – and that means fostering a respectful, diverse and inclusive community. We aim to embrace individuals whose differences include, but are not limited to: age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, or sexual orientation. We strive to develop students’ cultural awareness and competency by weaving diverse perspectives into every part of school life.

Community News

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Archive

Greenwood College School

443 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON M4S 2L8
Tel: 416 482 9811
We acknowledge with gratitude the Ancestral lands upon which our main campus is situated. These lands are the Ancestral territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek and the Wendake. The shared responsibility of this land is honoured in the Dish with One Spoon Treaty and we strive to care for the land, the waters, and all creatures in the spirit of peace. We are responsible for respecting and supporting the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. When away from this campus we vow to be respectful to the land by protecting and honouring it. We will create relationships with the people and the land we may visit by understanding the territories we enter and the nations who inhabit them.
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