In its 2009 Strategic Plan, the Board of Trustees of St. Andrew's School stated:
[A]s an Episcopal school, we actively seek students and families from all faiths and backgrounds. We are a diverse community and value each other's beliefs. Our commitment to the Episcopal tradition has generated a school culture that honors tradition, excellence, and the individual gifts of each of its students.
Community diversity is often expressed quantitatively, but at St. Andrew's diversity goes beyond the numbers. Our commitment to our mission of the "fulfillment of each student's potential" means cultivating a school environment that honors multiple facets of each student's identity in ways that enhance both individual learning and the community.
In recognition that diversity is more than just numbers, St. Andrew’s highlights several programs and events that support inclusivity, authenticity, and diversity within our community. For more information about any of these programs or events please contact, Director of Diversity, Philipa Strelitz/512-299-9656.
Several groups and programs contribute to St. Andrew's continued development of diversity:
All-School Diversity Advisory Team
Established in1998 as the All-School Diversity Committee, this group is comprised of representatives from other committees and organizations within the school to gather ideas, share stories, and address concerns relating to inclusivity, multiculturalism, and diversity at St. Andrew's. In addition, this Team advises the Director of Diversity on programs and initiatives through that office. The Diversity Advisory Team meets periodically throughout the academic year. Team membership is coordinated by the Director of Diversity.
Upper School Student Diversity Club
The mission of the St. Andrew’s US Diversity Club is to eliminate prejudice within the St. Andrew’s community among students, faculty, and parents by raising awareness, holding special events, educating the community, and cultivating a safe environment for discussion and communication. This club is open to all Upper School students.
Middle School Prejudice Awareness Peer Leadership Organization (PAPLO)
Each year, eighth graders and Middle School faculty members attend a day-long program sponsored by Jewish Women International and the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate initiative. Students are chosen by their teachers to attend the conference and participate in workshops and activities that focus on prejudice and ways to bring the conversation of erasing it back to the schools.
Parents' Council Diversity Committee and Community Events
The Parents' Council Diversity Committee brings together families who are interested in promoting diversity and inclusivity at St. Andrew's by offering monthly meet ups throughout the year. These events are casual and give families a way of connecting with one another in an intimate setting. In addition, the committee co-chairs send out a monthly update about diversity-related topics in the St. Andrew's community. This committee also hosts two school-wide events during the school year: the Back-to-School Meet and Greet in August, and the Heritage Picnic in April.
As parents of St. Andrew’s students, we are coming together to foster an inclusive learning environment in which our children appreciate and respect one another's differences and are free to express their individuality. We support all facets of diversity, including but not limited to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, family structure and abilities. Doing so is an essential part of shaping the educational experience of our children. We will facilitate social networking among our community and serve parents who have diversity-related concerns. The Diversity Committee embraces all St. Andrews families as equal and valued members of the community.
Diversity in the Curriculum
The St. Andrew’s teachers are committed to incorporating diverse perspectives into the curriculum across the disciplines. Through studying world cultures and religions, reading diverse authors and perspectives, learning other languages, and discussing others' ideas and opinions, students broaden their own perspectives and understanding of the diverse world around them.
The Social and Emotional Learning initiative also helps students to understand and express how those perspectives, understandings, and differences affect them. Click here for more about St. Andrew's Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum.
NAIS People of Color (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership (SDLC) Conferences
Each year, St. Andrew's sends faculty and students to these two conferences that address two important needs: the need for people of color to come together for networking and support, and the need for schools to find ways to build and sustain inclusive communities.
Both POCC and SDLC serve as energizing, revitalizing gatherings for people who experience independent schools in non-traditional ways. Teachers, students, and administrators of color from across the nation and from foreign countries, along with White allies and participants, gather to celebrate, nurture, and activate representative diversity, multiculturalism, and equity and justice for independent schools.
Faculty and students who attend these conferences meet during the rest of the year to continue the conversations started at the conferences and to discuss ways of bringing new ideas and programs in diversity to St. Andrew's.
2010-2011 St. Andrew’s Diversity Statistics
- 27% of all students have self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse as defined by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
- 16% of all students receive some form of financial aid.
- Our student body is comprised of students who live in at least 51 different ZIP codes in the Austin Metro Area.
- 6% of our student body identifies with a religious tradition other than Christian.
- Our 58 first graders came to St. Andrew's from 20 different pre-school programs.
- Our 97 ninth graders came to St. Andrew's from 26 different middle school programs, including our own.