Read our 2023–24 Strategy Report, outlining Branksome's progress across our six strategic priorities.
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Timeline

List of 6 items.

  • June

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Sharing our progress on curriculum mapping progress with employees, students and parents

  • May

    • Student Experience
      • Student Diversity Council Transition Meeting: The Student Diversity Council welcomes the incoming executive for the 2023-24 school year
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Community Engagement on the DEI Audit Findings and Initial Action Plan
      • Parent workshops and conversations on gender identity and expression

  • April

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Spring Community Update: DEI Audit Report on Findings and Initial Action Plan

  • March

    • Student Experience
      • Esie Mensah presentation and movement workshop for Grade 10
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • DEI Curriculum Integration and Review Team expanded with priority areas for 2023-24 in English, Science, Arts, Theory of Knowledge and Individual and Societies

  • February

    • Student Experience
      • Black history and excellence: a focus on global and local businesses
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Delegation to the Feminism and its Intersections in 2023 conference
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Professional learning for Curriculum Leads - Indigenous education with Dr. Angela Nardozi

  • January

    • Student Experience
      • Arts trip to Red Sky Performance's Miigis: Underwater Panther 
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Release of school Strategy Refresh with DEI mapped as a core pillar

List of 12 items.

  • December

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Anima Leadership presentation to the Board of Governors

  • November

    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Professional learning: “Gender Friendly Classrooms” with Dr. Lee Airton

  • October

    • Student Experience
      • Junior School Walk for Wenjack: JK to Grade 8 students

  • September

    • Student Experience
      • Truth and Reconciliation Week Assembly and Conversations: September 26–30
      • National Truth and Reconciliation Day: Michael Etherington speaks to students and employees
    • Community Events and Engagement
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Further development of Gender Expression and Identity Guidelines and School-Wide Principles

  • August

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • A DEI onboarding module added for all new employees
      • Year 3 action planning continues

  • July

  • June

    • Student Experience
      • Branksome Hall Business Club Speaker Series: speaker series on the topic of Indigenous women in entrepreneurship, speakers included Willa Black, Vice President Corporate Affairs at CISCO, and Vicky auf der Mauer, Inuk entrepreneur
      • Student Diversity Council Transition Meeting:  welcoming the incoming executive for the 2022-23 school year
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • DEI Working Group feedback meeting: held with the Student Diversity Council to discuss the Days of Significance Project, Flag Protocol Project and the Dehumanizing Language in Text Policy
      • Branksome Hall flies the Progressive Pride flag
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Guest speaker Indigenous Relations Consultation and Program Manager for ReconcilACTION for the Downie Wenjack Fund Michael Etherington sessions with faculty and staff
      • Launch of employee surveys and focus groups as part of the DEI audit
      • Admissions review with Dr. Lee Airton

  • May

    • Student Experience
      • Student-led grade gatherings: student representatives run DEI learning initiatives as part of community time
    • Curriculum and Content
      • DEI Curriculum Integration and Review Team established with priority areas for 2022-23 in Modern Languages, Physical and Health Education, Theory of Knowledge and Individual and Societies

  • April

    • Student Experience
      • Junior School Student-Led Conferences: The Junior School incorporated the Walk for Wenjack into their student-led programming
      • YouBelong Leadership Diversity Summit: students attend the Summit hosted by Bishop Strachan School
      • Senior & Middle School Walk for Wenjack
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Branksome Hall celebrates Portia White, former Branksome music teacher and first Black Canadian concert singer at the Portia White: A Celebration of Her Life and Legacy event

  • March

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Board of Governors completes Deep Diversity Program

  • February

    • Student Experience
      • Branksome Hall celebrates Black History Month with theme of Black Health and Wellness
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Anima Leadership hosts Alum Focus Groups
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Drop-in sessions regarding the war in Ukraine: hosted by members of the Leadership Team, Faculty and Student Support Team
      • Unconscious Bias training held: Branksome Hall hiring managers, Senior Leadership, management and Instructional Leaders participate. Hosted by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
    • Curriculum and Content
      • New Ramadan accommodations implemented with students and families

  • January

    • Student Experience
      • Junior School Assembly: focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

List of 12 items.

  • December

    • Student Experience
      • Students raise funds for Holiday Initiatives: Senior & Middle School students raise funds for the Massey Centre for Women, Native Women’s Centre and New Circles. Junior School students raise funds for the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Community focus groups for Grades 7–12 parents/caregivers

  • November

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • DEI Survey Launched for JK–6 parents/caregivers, alums and Grades 7–12 students
      • Community focus groups for Grades 9–12 students, Grades 7–12 parents/caregivers
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Professional Learning day for Faculty: various DEI-focused sessions offered by consultants and employees including “Anti-Oppression Education in The Classroom,” “Our History: The Toronto Purchase” and “Self-Image: Body Positivity and Mental Health”
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Curriculum review begins: Approaches to Teaching and Learning workshops offered

  • October

    • Student Experience
      • Launch of DEI Audit Student Surveys
      • Junior School Walk for Wenjack
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • DEI Audit information sessions hosted by Anima Leadership
      • DEI Survey launch for the Board of Governors by Anima Leadership
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Celebration of Branksome Hall Pride Week: October 18–22

  • September

    • Student Experience
      • Student and Alum Information Sessions on DEI Audit
      • Branksome Hall Student Leadership Conference: "The Tenants of Inclusive Leadership" with Mira Gambhir, Michael Etherington and Cora-Lee Conway.
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Parent Evenings with Shakil Choudhury
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Launch of Employee Affinity Groups: Black, Indigenous and People of Colour Employee Affinity Group, and the LGBTQ2S+ Employee Affinity Group
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Truth and Reconciliation Week Assembly and conversations: September 27–October 1

  • August

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Year 2 action planning: Admissions, Communications, Human Resources Audit continues
      • DEI Onboarding Module: an online module added for all new employees

  • July

  • June

    • Student Experience
      • Foundations in Deep Diversity for School Leaders
    • Employee-led or Focused Initiatives
      • Guest speaker, Indigenous Relations Consultation, and Program Manager for ReconcilACTION for the Downie Wenjack Fund Michael Etherington sessions with faculty and staff
      • Launch of employee surveys and focus groups as part of the DEI audit
      • Admissions review with Dr. Lee Airton

  • May

    • Student Experience
      • Building employee and student capacity through current events conversations, activities and listening circles
      • Joined other schools at St. Clement’s School’s Anti-Oppression: Committing to Justice conference
      • Launch of Grade 12 student survey and focus group as part of the DEI audit
    • Employee-led or Focused Initiatives
      • Anima meets employees
      • Established 2021-22 Diversity Council
    • Accountability
      • Revising how we approach the Land Acknowledgement, Assemblies and community time

  • April

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Curriculum work and DEI focused integration on-going (e.g., design inclusive board games)
      • Alum shared what community and inclusion means to them
      • Anima meets the Branksome Hall Parents’ Association and the Branksome Hall Alum Executive Committee
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Senior & Middle School launches a cultural Assemblies working group
    • Accountability
      • Began work with Anima leadership

  • March

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Guest speaker award-winning Ojibwe author and journalist Tanya Talaga
      • DEI conferences that bring Branksome together with other schools
      • DEI Audit development and planning priorities
    • Employee-led or Focused Initiatives
      • Junior School DEI curriculum planner revision and pilot
      • Establishing our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group that focuses on strategic planning
    • Accountability
      • Wake of mass shooting in Atlanta - focused on the many identities in our community
      • Curriculum work (Modern Languages on pronoun policy, DEI integration, script for video on a meaningful approach to names)

  • February

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Black History Month with speakers George Elliott Clarke and Esi Mensah
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • Case study sessions with employees
      • "Gender and Sexuality in Communications" workshop and curriculum conversations with Dr. Lee Airton

  • January

    • Student Experience
      • DEI Case Studies session with students 
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • DEI Case Studies with Parents’ Association
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • All-Employee Book Club: Meeting #5 (January 18, 2021) 
    • Accountability
      • Finalization of third-party auditor for DEI audit

List of 5 items.

  • December

    • Community Events and Engagement
      • The READ magazine Fall 2020 issue, featuring BIPOC student and alum stories (December 13)
      • DEI Alum event with guest speaker Dr. Mira Gambhir (December 9) 
      • DEI Executive Summary released
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • All-Employee Book Club: Meeting #4 (December 7, 2020)

  • November

    • Student Experience
      • Student Forums – raising of DEI Issues
      • DEI Intersections: Compassionate Community Week
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Sharing of Initial Action Plan and Update with the Community
    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • DEI Junior School Professional Learning Community
      • All-Employee Book Club: Meeting #3 (November 6, 2020) 
      • JK-12 Partnership Mapping continues
      • Planning Professional Learning Opportunities for the Future
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Review of IB Inclusion Policy
      • Select courses and instructors including DEI issues in conversations or lessons (e.g., Science, Math, Individual and Societies, Drama, Dance and more)
    • Accountability
      • Continue meetings with third-party auditors

  • October

    • Student Experience
      • Student Leadership DEI Training: Part 2 of 3
      • Meeting of student-led Diversity Council
      • DEI Intersections: Pride Week, Holocaust Education Week
      • Launch of co-curricular groups
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Communication - Developed strategy to elevate focus on DEI in communications
    • Employee-led or Focused Initiatives
      • DEI Junior School Professional Learning Community
      • All-employee Book Club: Meeting #2 (October 7, 2020) 
      • Begin JK-12 Partnership Mapping
      • National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS) Building Inclusive and Anti-Racist School Symposium (cross-representative team and presentation)
      • Building the VirBELA Campus Linking DEI Content in Spaces
    • Curriculum and Content
      • Select courses and faculty including DEI issues in conversations or lessons
    • Accountability
      • Initial meetings with potential third-party auditors
      • Launch of NameCoach software to support pronunciation of names
      • Initial meetings around Review of Admissions processes
      • Student recruitment planning

  • September

    • Student Experience
      • Student Leadership DEI Development: Part 1 of 3
      • DEI Student Sessions: Grades 7-9 & 10-12 (September 16, 17, 2020)
      • DEI Intersections: Orange Shirt Day
    • Community Events and Engagement
      • Installation ceremony with DEI Leadership Panel Interview (September 24, 2020)
      • Share Preliminary Action Plan – Parents’ Association and Alum Executive
      • Share Preliminary Action Plan – Signatories and alum of student DEI Proposal
    • Employee-led or Focused Initiatives
      • Evaluating what it takes to deepen our commitment as a Legacy School
      • Portia White Plaque – Exploration and Interdisciplinary Unit program development
      • Review of employee recruitment postings
    • Curriculum and Content
      • English Curriculum pilot review
      • Revision to Theory of Knowledge Grades 11 and 12 unit on systems of oppression
      • Conversations with departments or teams JK-12
    • Accountability
      • Short-list of third party auditors for contact
      • Branksome releases "Branksome Hall commits to diversity, equity and inclusion and to eliminating systemic racism" message (September 4, 2020)

  • August

    • Employee-Led or Focused Initiatives
      • All-Employee Book Club: Launch (Week of August 24, 2020)
 
 
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.

Setting the new standard for girls' education everywhere takes collective action. From all of us.
 
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