Diversity
Click here to see a photo gallery of the Global Village Festival 2008.
Click here to read the report of the Diversity Committee from the Bullis School Strategic Plan.
Click here to read “Eight Reasons for Achieving Diversity in Our Schools” by Dr. Charles Willie.
Bullis seeks to cultivate a learning community where difference is appreciated and understanding is actively promoted in every aspect of school life. Opportunities for all members of the community to share their experiences and world views, even as they learn from others, are valued and fostered. Diversity is who we are and our aim and standards will continue to evolve as our school and the broader society evolve. Just as you seek a school that will help you become the best you can be, so, too, do we seek to enroll and hire individuals and families who will help Bullis realize its full potential. We are a school committed to recruiting and retaining individuals from diverse backgrounds, creating a learning environment that is inclusive and just, and producing learners ready to lead in an increasingly multicultural world. Come, join us! — Rabiah Abdullah, Diversity Coordinator
Message Thomas Farquhar, Head of School
“...Bullis is not an institution that is fully-formed. It is not finished—it is becoming, and it aims to develop its potentials and to incorporate these new developments into the woven fabric of the school’s past and present accomplishments. At Bullis we believe in family, we believe in involvement, we believe in co-education. And we believe in inclusion. There is no secret handshake here. We believe in the development of each child’s voice, for it is their capacity to educate us that will one day hold out the promise of improving—perhaps saving—our world. [We have a] commitment to balance—to develop quick and powerful minds, strong bodies and warm hearts. When these young people are adults, it is these qualities in a school that will make them want to thank you again and again, parents, for having made this choice.”
Photos
Report of the Diversity Committee
The Bullis School Strategic Plan
December 7, 2003
Vision
Bullis is a learning community where inclusion and appreciation of diversity are core values. Students and families, faculty and staff, and the Board of Trustees will all reflect and respect this diversity. Diversity brings encounters that are active and challenging—that move us from mere tolerance to genuine acceptance and understanding of others. In and out of the classroom, students and adults are encouraged to see the world through different lenses, to become better learners, more culturally versatile, ready to participate as responsible citizens and to provide leadership in an increasingly multicultural world.
Diversity is central to the identity and character of Bullis School. It has many dimensions, including, but not limited to the following, listed in alphabetical order:
- Diverse gifts and talents
- Gender
- Geography
- Learning style
- Physical challenges
- Politics
- Race and ethnicity
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Socioeconomic background
As we plan for the future of our school, among our highest aspirations and goals is to develop, to welcome, to include and to embrace the wide-ranging diversity of the Bullis School community.
Plans, Objectives, Recommendations
- Develop outreach programs and services that will identify, attract and support the diversity that Bullis seeks to include in all school constituencies, including racial, financial and geographic diversity as well as diverse gifts and talents.
- Attract, recruit and retain students, faculty, staff and Board members to reflect the diversity of American society, with an emphasis on racial, financial and geographic diversity as well as diverse gifts and talents.
- Allocate financial aid resources to support diversity in the student body at Bullis. Increase the financial aid budget to 12% of gross tuition and fees.
- Develop the school’s bus transportation system to enhance access for a diverse student population.
- Support on-going training for faculty, administrators, staff, parents and students in diversity and multicultural awareness.
- Continue to develop the school’s curriculum to include contributions from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
- Expand assessment and tutoring resources for students with diverse learning styles and academic needs.
- Modify the physical plant to accommodate those with accessibility needs.
- Publicize our commitment to diversity in external and internal publications, underscoring its centrality to the life of Bullis School.
