Embracing authenticity. Promoting equity and justice. Developing inclusive leaders.
Our Founders’ Mission
The values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are at the heart of our founding vision. At AGS, we believe we have a vital responsibility in shaping a world where all individuals are treated with utmost respect, dignity, and worth. That we have a responsibility to raise the next generation of leaders to be compassionate, empathetic, inclusive, and ambassadors in anti-bias allyship. That we have a responsibility in empowering our students to build a world enriched with love not hate, acceptance not discrimination, and fair and equal treatment not systemic oppression.
Atlanta Girls’ School strives to be a safe and inclusive environment for all our students. As part of our mission, we continuously seek to assess and evolve our programs on diversity, equity and inclusion to maintain and strengthen our commitment in embracing authenticity, promoting equity and justice, and developing inclusive leaders.
DIVERSITY STATS AT AGS
Our Authentic Selves
Our beliefs on diversity, equity, and inclusion
- The ability to be our authentic selves enriches and strengthens our community.
- That diversity and inclusivity are assets to our community and crucial for success as an academic institution.
- Individuals possess multiple identities that intersect to create a whole person.
- The continuous examination of bias and privilege, including our own, is essential to the dismantling of systemic oppression.
- The academic examination of the historical foundations of oppression and injustice fosters an understanding of modern inequities and compels individuals to engage in anti-racist, anti-discriminatory behavior.
- The acceptance of diverse beliefs, ideas, and cultures of our community deepens our understanding of our own lives and relationships with each other.
- The full potential of our community can only be met with inclusion and equitable opportunities.
- To lead a life of purpose, we must learn to advocate for justice and equity.
Promoting Equity & Justice
Our approach
- Encouraging self-advocacy, allyship, and activism.
- Fostering engagement in difficult conversations.
- Examining our own identities and biases throughout each school year.
- Seeking opportunities to grow and deepen our awareness of equity and inclusion in and outside the classroom.
- Offering multiple opportunities for student leadership focused on DEI issues, both on and off-campus.
- Extending DEI opportunities to all members of our community, including students, faculty, staff, board of trustees, and families.
- Employing admission, hiring, and retention practices that ensure AGS reflects the diverse Atlanta community and represents disproportional marginalized populations equitably.
- Enacting curriculum and programming that seek to understand complex systems and historical patterns that have created bias, inequity, and injustice.
- Ensuring that curriculum offers students multiple points of view and complex perspectives.
Developing inclusive leaders
Our programs
Student Leadership & Programs
Student-led clubs and committees focused on equity and justice, including:
- Committee for Social Justice & Equity
- Melanin Matters
- Gay Straight Alliance
Student-led events that deepen awareness of social justice issues and celebrate and honor diverse cultures and identities such as:
- DEI Day
- Global Immersion Week
- Day of Silence
- Women’s History Month
- Black History Month
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- World Religions Panel Discussion
Participation and Engagement in leadership development opportunities specific to social justice and advocacy including:
- local, regional, and national conferences such Student Diversity Leadership Conference and White Privilege Conference
- Affinity/Identity group work
- Anti-bias training provided through our leadership program, Education for the Development of Leadership and Service
Faculty & Staff Development & Engagement
Ongoing training and professional development on anti-bias education and inclusive pedagogy led by AGS DEI Coordinators and external consultants and facilitators.
Attendance at local, regional, and national conferences specific to diversity, equity, and inclusion such as:
- People of Color Conference
- White Privilege Conference
- Summer Diversity Institute
Participation and engagement in faculty/staff affinity/identity groups fostering discussion on anti-bias and anti-racist leadership
Regular evaluations of policies and procedures to determine safe, inclusive protocols for all students
Families & Board Engagement
Dedication of a board-level diversity, equity, and inclusion taskforce to provide leadership and partnership on DEI initiatives and priorities.
Engaging in training on anti-bias leadership led external consultants and facilitators.
Organizing and hosting community-wide events related to social justice and equity, including film screenings, speaker sessions, and discussions.
Regular evaluations of policies and procedures to determine safe, inclusive protocols for all students