SCHOOL CONFERENCES
“Hosting the Pollyanna Conference presented important opportunities for us as a school that was already committed to diversity and social Justice but could benefit from a mechanism to deepen our understanding and our commitments.”
– Mikki Murphy, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community, Far Brook School, NJ
Conferences
Conferences, connections, and conversations are the heart and soul of how Pollyanna accomplishes its mission of developing stronger and kinder communities. Each model centers on creating a stronger and kinder community, and generating actionable ideas by engaging schools across constituencies in meaningful, constructive dialogue that leverages the wisdom of every voice.
Attending or hosting a conference has inspired school communities to make specific changes, such as:
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- Adding a DEIB Director role or office.
- Establishing a DEIB trustee committee.
- Revising Dress Codes / Uniform policies to be more gender-fluid and inclusive.
- Evaluating and updating the school curriculum to include more voices.
- Creating LGBTQIA+ student affinity spaces.
Pollyanna’s conferences create spaces that inspire school communities to dream and grow into the best version of themselves.
Pollyanna currently offers two conference models:
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- Multi-School Conference
- Intra-School Conference
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Multi-School Conference: Brings School Communities Together for DEIB Growth
A school that hosts a Multi-School Conference in a designated geographic region welcomes peer schools to discuss challenges and effective practices around a specific diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) topic. Each school sends a POD that includes 15 people representing all-school constituent groups, including two people from each group of administrators, alumni, diversity, equity and inclusion practitioners, faculty, parents, students, and trustees, and one head of school. Participants work together to generate actionable ideas to bring to their home communities. Hosting a Multi-School Conference is an incredible opportunity to establish your school as a regional leader in DEIB work.
The host school works with Pollyanna to identify an appropriate thematic topic, such as:
- From Belonging to Inclusion
- Creating a Kind and Just Community
- Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Socioeconomic Diversity
- Shaping and Sustaining Safe Schools for LGBTQ+ Members
Sample Conference Schedule:
Intra-School Conference: A Unique Opportunity for Individual Schools
The Intra-School Conference is an institutional capacity-building opportunity for individual schools that want to deepen their knowledge, enhance practices, and improve skills in the areas of diversity, equity, and belonging (DEIB). Constituent groups included in this model are alumni, alumni parents, faculty/admin/staff, students, and parents. This model brings a school together around a common DEIB topic while providing a platform for sharing personal experiences, expressing opinions and perspectives, and generating ideas and solutions for growth. Hosting an Intra-School Conference is an opportunity for your school to engage in a “deep dive” in a structured, safe, and inspiring setting.
The host school works with Pollyanna to identify an appropriate thematic topic, such as:
- Belonging at Name of School
- Planning for the Future
- Re-examining Our Mission
Sample Conference Schedule:
Click here to view a highlight video of the Multi-School Dalton Conference in New York on Generational Trauma.
Click here to view a highlight video about the Intra-Conference at the Brentwood School in Los Angeles in May 2022.