Inaugural Beloved Community Dinner
On August 24, St. Andrew's hosted its first-ever Beloved Community Dinner. Families in grades K-12, numbering upwards of 100 people, gathered in the Learning Commons to connect, share a meal, and learn about the different ways that St. Andrew’s is being intentional about fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging for all.
This intentionality was most evident in the opening prayer offered by Upper School Chaplain, The Reverend Whitney Kirby; the introduction shared by head of school, Melissa Grubb; the presentation conducted by Co-Director of DEIB, Kendall Evans, on beloved community at SAS; and the ideas offered by a handful of enterprising parents regarding parent-led small groups. Theses groups will meet throughout the year in hopes of helping St. Andrew's families with shared experiences come together and foster relationships. A comprehensive list of these groups is included below.
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- Adoption Awesomeness! A group for adoptive parents at St. Andrew's. Gatherings will take place 2-3 times a year. Interested? Contact Upper School History Teacher and parent of a recent SAS graduate, Michele Turner (mturner@sasaustin.org), for further information.
- Black Parent Affinity Group: This group welcomes all parents who identify as being part of the African diaspora. As a baseline, we’ll aim to meet twice a year over dinner. Interested? Contact SAS parent, Aisha Gayle Turner (aisha.gayle@aya.yale.edu), for further information.
- International Food Fest: A gathering for anyone who wants to reminisce/educate/appreciate their international experiences, heritage, or culture, through a shared dinner. We’ll meet 2-4 times a year for a potluck. Interested? Contact SAS parent Brooke Ornelas (brookeornelas@gmail.com) for further information.
- LGBTQ+ Parent Affinity Group: A group that provides social connection and emotional support for families who identify as LGBTQ+. Gatherings will take place 2-3 times a year. Interested? Contact SAS parent, Aaron Heltsmith (akhelt78@gmail.com), for further information.
- Naan Stop: A group for Asian-American families, and all others at SAS who would like to attend, that are interested in making cultural connections through Indian food. Gatherings will take place 4-5 times a year. Interested? Contact SAS parents Ruchit Shah and Stefanie Scott (stefanietscott@gmail.com) for further information.
- Parent Inclusion Committee: A group for all parents who are interested in exploring how diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) impact the life of the school and, more specifically, the lives of their students. Gatherings take place once a month. Interested? Contact SAS parent, Monica May (monica.may11@gmail.com) for further information.
- Third-Culture Kids: A group for parents of Third-Culture Kids, i.e. children who have spent a part of their childhood years in a culture other than their parents' home culture. This group could also be for families who have lived abroad a short time as well. Gatherings will take place 2-3 times a year. Interested? Contact Upper School History Teacher and parent of a recent SAS graduate, Michele Turner (mturner@sasaustin.org) for further information.
