Student Life

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Marymount's Mission is unabashedly committed to social justice - embracing diversity which is ingrained within our RSHM Founding and identity. We acknowledge the work that must be done to meet our mission as we pledge to expand our sustained initiatives to anti-racist and anti-biased education, cultivating a vibrant community of ethical leaders united through mutual respect.
As a member of the Marymount community, I will strive to act with integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, and respect for human dignity and the property of others. I will fully participate in and support my community’s efforts to eradicate racism and all forms of prejudice so that all may have life and have it to the full. I accept that any behavior that constitutes racism, bigotry, or deliberately disrespectful forms of hate speech will not be tolerated and will have consequences. I promise to take full responsibility for my actions in all my academic and non-academic endeavors. I hereby accept this pledge as a guide to assist me in living honorably.

- Marymount's Pledge to Live Honorably
(Adopted Summer 2020)
 




Our Anti-Racist and Anti-Bias Commitments

Our work is a work in progress. This page will be updated regularly to reflect developments, progress and outcomes in regard to Marymount's institutional objectives in relation to our anti-racist and anti-bias work. 

List of 7 items.

  • A More Diverse and Inclusive Community

    Marymount commits to fostering a community that reflects and embraces the diversity of Los Angeles.

    Admission:
    • Students currently enrolled at Marymount come from over 90 public, charter, private-independent and parochial schools. 
    • Since 2002, Marymount's efforts to recruit and retain Students of Color have resulted in an increasingly diverse student population. The success of these efforts is demonstrated in growth from 18% students of color in 2002 to the current percentage of 47% for the 2022-2023 academic year. 
      • For the 2022-23 school year, 47% of incoming families self-identify as students of color. 
    • Marymount's student body is made up of:
      • 0.29% - American Indian and Alaska Native
      • 10.29% - Asian or Asian American
      • 6.76% - Black or African American
      • 11.18% - Hispanic or Latinx
      • 0.59% - Middle Eastern or North African
      • 12.06% - Multiracial
      • 1.18% - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
      • 57.35% - White
      • 0.29% - Other Race 
    • Implicit bias training for all interviewers to integrate anti-racist interview protocols and mechanisms will be incorporated within our recruitment efforts. 
    • Marymount has incorporated a "No ISEE Test Policy" for admission.  
    • Marymount has been a long-time member of the Independent School Alliance (ISA), a leading organization in private school admissions counseling and placement for underrepresented students.
    • Marymount is a Founding Champion of Private School Village (PSV) along with 35 other independent schools in the Los Angeles area. PSV is a parent-led, non-profit organization who focus is to build community, provide programs/resources, and social events for Back/African American families at independent and private K-12 schools. 

    Faculty, Staff and Administration:
    • 46% of current Marymount Faculty and Staff identify as People of Color. 
    • We have expanded strategies to recruit more faculty and Administrators of Color through active partnerships with StrateGenius and SoCal People of Color in Independent Schools and through regular participation in annual POC recruitment fairs. 
    • Cyreeta Sharp, our Director of Student Life, Inclusion and Belonging works with students and support and execute school-wide strategies and practices that advance the School's diversity initiative. This position, which is a member of the Administration Team and Head's Council, helps lead and facilitate school-wide efforts to promote a culture of respect and inclusion. 

    Board of Trustees:
    • Since 2011, Marymount has focused on recruiting an increasingly diverse Board of Trustees. The success of these efforts is demonstrated in growth from 0.5% of Trustees identifying as People of Color in 2011, to the current percentage of 36% of the Board in the 2020-2021 academic year.  
    • Currently, the Board holds a majority of women Trustees.
    • A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the Board of Trustees meets regularly to oversee and help guide strategic school policies that ensure Marymount's Mission is being fulfilled in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

    Financial Assistance:

    Marymount currently expends $2.1 million in needs-based financial assistance to qualified students. This represents an increase of over 300% since 2002. 
    • 17% of the School's 2020-2021 operating budget is designated for Financial Assistance.
    • 25%-27% of the student body receives financial assistance on an annual basis.
    Read More

  • Student Alliance/Affinity Groups

    Our Alliance/Affinity Groups strengthen our community by providing a safe space for connection, support and affirmation of our students.

    • Student Diversity Awareness Board (SDAB) - SDAB is dedicated to promoting diversity through educational excellence, teaching, creative diversity activities, and community service in order to foster a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for students at Marymount. SDAB focuses on diverse and inclusive initiatives directly affecting our student body. The Alliances that fall under the umbrella of SDAB include:
      • Ability Awareness Affinity/Alliance - The Ability Awareness Alliance aims to spread awareness regarding differently-abled people. The goal of this alliance is to normalize all abilities and to engage our community in understanding the daily, physical challenges faced within the differently-abled community. 
      • Asian American Pacific Islander Student Affinity/Alliance - The AAPIA aims to bring together all students of the Asian continent, as well as their allies, by studying different countries in rotation in order to learn more about their social, political and religious beliefs. 
      • Black Student Affinity/Alliance - The Black Student Affinity/Alliance (BSA) is a student-led organization with the purpose of fostering a community between Marymount’s students of African descent and their allies. Marymount’s BSA is committed to creating and sustaining a safe environment to discuss the cultures of the African Diaspora, histories, and experiences today. 
      • Jewish Student Affinity/Alliance - The Jewish Student Alliance (JSA) collaborates with other Service Learning and Campus Ministry groups to highlight the cultures and traditions of Judaism. JSA holds space for the High Holy Days, and teaches allies about sacred practices (for example, sitting shiva, daily prayers, understand the Torah) and applying them to modern-day scenarios. 
      • LatinX Student Affinity/Alliance - The LatinX Student Alliance focuses on bringing awareness to and educating people on the varying languages, cultures and histories of the Latinx community.
      • Mental Health Alliance - The Mental Health Alliance (MHA) serves as an open space to allow students to share their own struggles, experiences, and insights surrounding mental health and illness. 
      • Middle Eastern Student Affinity/Alliance - The Middle Eastern Alliance (MEA) Alliance (MEA) serves as a safe space to explore the Middle Eastern culture through traditions like food, music, dancing, art, themes, and conversation.   
      • UNITY - A student-led organization devoted to fostering an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment  where all students, including those who identify as LGBTQIA, can feel safe in expressing themselves and sharing their experiences.

  • Advising and Counseling Program

    Marymount's Advising Program was restructured in 2020 to ensure that each student receives individualized services and support in relation to her academic, social, emotional and mental health.

    Academic Advisors
    • There are 27 Faculty Academic Advisors, each with an average of 10 advisees. Advisories meet every week and include in-depth cultural competency education and training. 

    Counselors:
    • A full-time certified Counselor provides comprehensive mental health services and referrals, as needed, for students.

    Learning Specialist:
    • A certified Learning Specialist provides support to students in relation to neurodiversity and diagnosed learning differences. 

    College Counseling:
    • A non-transactional process: Employing a four-year comprehensive college counseling model, Marymount's Co-Directors of College Counseling progressively build relationships with the students, understand their ambitions, and strategize on how to pursue them. 
    • Use of objective digital platforms: Marymount utilizes the digital platforms SCOIR and College Kickstart which objectively allow students to view admission data relevant to Marymount, as well as statistics and resources addressing student life, such as: diversity, campus culture, housing, cost of attendance, financial aid, clubs and organizations. These platforms carry a valuable tool In helping students to objectively evaluate their college lists using Marymount, national and federal data, as well as each students' personal preferences in relation to student life. 
    • Events and School Visits: Marymount College Counseling considers the diversity represented by the guest professionals invited to College Counseling events (College Nights, Standardized Test Night, UC Day, Financial Aid Night, Set Sail, and Renegade Case Studies). Additionally, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) are invited to meet with Marymount students every year. 
    • Scholar Programs: Marymount supports our student community through the National Merit, National Achievement, National Hispanic and Questbridge Scholar programs. 
    • Fee waivers for the SAT, ACT and college applications are readily available through Marymount College Counseling for all eligible students. Additionally, annual college hosted "fly-in" opportunities are shared with eligible students. The College Counseling staff supports student applications to these programs, and assist the students in preparing for the visit if selected. 

  • Curriculum

    Marymount's curriculum is under current assessment and review to ensure relevancy, inclusivity, breadth of program, and academic preparedness. 

    Curriculum:
    • An internal Diversity Task Force Team was implemented in the summer of 2020 to begin the task to decolonize the curriculum, and to ensure diversity and BIPOC representation within all academic and co-curricular areas. 
    • Marymount has incorporated Teaching Tolerance and Facing History and Ourselves within programming that will incorporate curriculum with an anti-racist and anti-bias lens. 
    • A focus on teaching practices, across all disciplines, to center on acknowledging and dismantling racism and other forms of bias manifested within the curriculum, with the intention of amplifying historically marginalized voices.

    Programming for Students and Parents:
    • Mandatory anti-racist and anti-bias programming has been implemented for current students and current parents to provide cultural competency.
      • Parents are engaged in education delivered through quarterly Thought Talks, speakers and meetings throughout the year.  
      • The four-year comprehensive Advising Program for students will include enhanced educational and informational sessions on anti-racism, anti-discrimination and anti-bias. 

  • Pledge to Live Honorably

    Marymount's Pledge to Live Honorably was created to define how our academic community should live and learn both inside and outside of the institution. Every student must sign this pledge at the beginning of the school year, thereby beginning and continuing their roadmap to live with integrity, authenticity and inclusivity. In addition to the Honor Code, the Pledge to Live Honorably was added during the 2020-2021 academic year. 

    "As a member of the Marymount community, I will strive to act with integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, and respect for human dignity and the property of others. I will fully participate in and support my community’s efforts to eradicate racism and all forms of prejudice so that all may have life and have it to the full. I accept that any behavior that constitutes racism, bigotry, or deliberately disrespectful forms of hate speech will not be tolerated and will have consequences. I promise to take full responsibility for my actions in all my academic and non-academic endeavors. I hereby accept this pledge as a guide to assist me in living honorably."

     

  • Professional Development

    Professional Development is an integral part of our efforts to ensure that faculty, staff and administration are provided with ample opportunities to learn and grown in their profession. Professional development ensures that our faculty and staff can keep abreast of educational research and pedagogy, be proficient with current and emerging technologies, develop new curriculum resources, and effectively respond to the needs of our times. 

    Diversity Training for Faculty, Staff, Administration and Board of Trustees:
    • Mandatory and extensive professional development and programming around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has been implemented for our Board of Trustees, Administration, Faculty and Staff. This programming commenced in the summer of 2020, is ongoing each academic year. These workshops have included:
      • Nationally-renowned DEI expert Dr. Derrick Gay anti-racism and anti-bias training with Administration, Faculty, Staff, and Board of Trustees.
      • Anti-bias training with Consultant and Educator, Rosetta Lee
    • Administrators, Faculty and Staff regularly participate in ongoing professional seminars, workshops, webinars and independent school intensives to review and advise on institutional practice and programming in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion as lived through the unique Mission of the school. 
    • A standing component for all faculty and staff meetings includes ongoing professional development on anti-racism, anti-bias, and micro- and macro-aggressions. 
    • Faculty and Staff have been provided with an essential reading list that focuses on DEI initiatives. Required reading for all faculty during the Summer of 2020 included White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo and So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. 

  • Policies and Procedures

    All disciplinary policies, procedures and consequences were updated in the Summer of 2020 to ensure they are inclusive, equitable and clearly understood by all students, parents, faculty and staff.

    Commitment to Anti-Racism and Anti-Bias:
    • The 2022-2023 Parent-Student Handbook reflects the School's commitment to anti-racism and anti-bias, and clearly outlines protocols for accountability. Parents can refer to the Handbook by logging into their myMarymount Parent Resource Board. 
    • All parents and students are required to affirm that they have read and understood the handbook, and will adhere to the rules therein. 

    Student Task Force:
    • A Student Task Force was developed during the summer of 2020 to consult with Marymount's Administration and faculty to review disciplinary procedures, protocols, and policies. 

    Pledge to Live Honorably
    • The Marymount Honor Code was replaced with the Pledge to Live Honorably, with the input from the Student Task Force, which better reflects Marymount's commitment to anti-racism. 

    Reporting and Response:
    • School policies and procedures for reporting of, and responding to, incidents of discrimination, bias, and racism in our community have been rewritten to more strongly reflect Marymount's commitment to anti-racism and to provide more avenues of reporting such incidents. 

    Donation / Gift Acceptance Policy: 
    • Marymount actively solicits grants from non-profit Foundations whose stated mission and purpose are in alignment with the mission and values of the school. 
    • Marymount does not directly solicit funding from banks or other for-profit corporations or companies.
      • Donors who have access to Matching Gift Programs at companies in which they are employed may choose to have their personal contributions matched through those companies.
    • Marymount's Gift Acceptance Policy is being updated to expressly provide for socially responsible practices.

    Investments:
    • Marymount endowment investment is managed by Commonfund, a nonprofit that specializes in investment management for nonprofits, particularly schools and universities, foundations and philanthropic organizations. Marymount commits to regularly review its investment policy to ensure investment in mission-aligned, socially-responsible companies.


Marymount's aim is to ensure that all students feel valued, supported and understood. Our families come to us from different faith, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and it is our commitment that this institution embody the inclusive environment upon which our Mission was founded.


Resources

List of 1 items.

  • DEI Terms and Definitions

    The language that we use is meant to engage, educate and support our efforts in anti-racist and anti-bias initiatives at Marymount. Dialogue around diversity, equity and inclusion continues to grow, and therefore, a common vocabulary is necessary to avoid any misinterpretations or misunderstandings. The goal of this glossary is to provide a basic framework for our work.
    Read More
Marymount's Faculty, Staff and Administration were provided with an essential reading list which included the following books, with more resources to be added. Additionally, students were assigned several books over the summer as required reading including, The Hate You Give and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, An American Slave.
Marymount's BIPOC Community Advisory Committee will provide feedback on the formation and execution of Marymount's anti-racist and anti-bias plans of action, goals and objectives in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will partner with the school in communicating this essential work within the broader community.

A Statement from the DEI Committee Co-Chairs

Many thanks to the numerous alumnae, parents of alumnae, and current parents who volunteered for Marymount’s BIPOC Community Advisory Committee. We received a robust response of outstanding candidates - far more than the positions available. The DEI Committee of the Board of Trustees considered each application carefully and weighed various factors to ensure a broad representation across a variety of perspectives and expertise. We are looking forward to enhancing our strategies to identify, examine and address structural racism and inequity within the institution and look forward to remaining connected with the community in support of this work.

Sincerely,
Brenda Stevenson Cones
Rita Tuzon
Co-Chairs, DEI Committee of the Board of Trustees

The Members of Marymount’s BIPOC Community Advisory Committee for 2022-2023 are:

Amber Avant ‘11
Kimiko Barbour ‘00
Candace Coleman ‘04
Jennifer De Maio ‘93
Noelle Porter ‘87
Willard Sheffie
Morgan Thomas ‘11
Selina Turner ‘11
Stephanie Venegas Peterson ‘03
Jessenia Zelaya ‘15


Meet our Board of Trustees DEI Committee

Click on each Trustee photo or name to read their bios.




Marymount High School

10643 Sunset Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90077
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