Diversity

Brearley is an inclusive community that prizes what people have in common and how they differ and recognizes that students need to feel at home in a variety of cultures and ways of approaching problems. The School draws families from the entire metropolitan area and from all socioeconomic groups; both the percentage of students receiving financial assistance and the average grant per student are among the largest in New York City independent schools. Ethnic and cultural diversity are emphasized as well: on average students of color make up thirty-four percent of each division.

A Comfortable Community for All

Diversity, and how we think about it, plays an important role at Brearley. Lower School teachers meet to consider approaches to issues of identity in the classroom; Middle School students and their advisors address similar questions. An Upper School Diversity Committee of students and faculty members leads regular discussions for the entire division. Clubs and committees in the Upper School include affinity groups that provide support and share their cultures with the whole community.

At Brearley, attention to diversity is woven throughout the curriculum and into the school community’s daily life. Lower School students look at cultures around the world and also within their own community. In Middle School, students immerse themselves in global history and begin to study a European language or Mandarin Chinese. In the Upper School, Brearley challenges girls to view a culture on its own terms rather than through the lens of their own.

A Wide Variety of Activities

The School supports families of color through, for example, a mentoring program established by alumnae for African American and Latino students and parents. An active Parents’ Association coordinates events for parents and families during the school year and welcomes new families with events and a buddy program in the fall, while the Parents’ “We Are Brearley” committee advocates for strategies that support diversity, serves as a resource for families and organizes the Festival of Cultures, held every other year.

A Diversity of Academic Perspectives

Collaboration among varied perspectives and personalities, traditions and talents are at the core of the academic experience as well. Diversity in academic life teaches students how to move between the familiar and the unfamiliar with an intellectual understanding enriched by formal education.

Global Reach

Beyond the classrooms, too, students and parents are actively involved in cultural activities and dialogues. Examples range from the mentoring program for African-American and Latino students and parents to student exchange programs in Kansas City and London. This summer, a group of Upper School students and teachers traveled to India for three weeks to participate in a partnership with a Bangalore school and do community service in Mumbai.