Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

At NCS, we believe in the power of young women and educate them to embrace our core values of excellence, service, courage, and conscience. We are also led by our Episcopal identity and its commitment to strive for peace and justice for all people and to “respect the dignity of every human being.”

Woven into this mission is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We bring this commitment to life by providing students with opportunities to learn from one another and develop a deep understanding of the world around them. 

Through our thoughtfully curated curriculum, coordinate program, and array of extra- and co-curricular activities, students gain exposure to a wide variety of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. This is made possible by our expert educators, counselors, chaplains, coaches, and advisors who strive to foster inclusive spaces so that members of the NCS community feel a deep sense of belonging.

In Lower School, students learn about themselves, how to nurture their personal identities, and ways to interact with others through a lens of love, belonging, and justice. Students develop a strong sense of self, rooted in self-empathy, that serves as a grounding force as they move on in Middle School to develop empathy and connection with their neighbors and learn the value of community. Upper Schoolers expand this empathy and connection globally as they explore their place in the world and learn about different lenses through which to view the world around them.

At NCS, we welcome students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and cultures, and we believe each person enriches our community with unique gifts. We support our faculty and staff by providing in-house professional development and access to outside conferences, workshops, and events to further their own knowledge and continue to develop their own ethical leadership and DEI skills.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—along with the Offices of Global Programs and Community Service—is part of NCS’s Center for Ethical Leadership and Service (CELS). Our DEI work is inextricably linked with our Global Programs work on intercultural understanding and our Community Service work on service-learning and community impact.

Through CELS’s interdisciplinary programming, students develop the tools (empathy, intercultural understanding, etc.) to respect the dignity of every human being, engage in meaningful dialogue, navigate difficult topics, and make a positive impact on the world as ethical leaders.

DEI Opportunities for

List of 3 items.

Students
- Affinity groups and alliances
- Diversity Forum
- Equity Board
- Intersectionality Council
- Kente Cloth Ceremony
- MLK Day Program
- Student Diversity Leadership Conference
- Vernot-Jonas Family Fellowship
- RISE Curriculum for Love, Justice, and Belonging in Lower School
- Courageous Dialogues in Middle School
- Center for Ethical Leadership Seminar in Upper School
Faculty and Staff
- Affinity groups and alliances
- Diversity Forum
- Faculty and Staff Diversity Committee
- In(clusive) House Professional Development Day
- MLK Day Program
- People of Color Conference
- SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity)
- Upper School Student Life Committee
Families
- Black Parent Alliance
- Community Book Club
- Lower School Parent-Faculty Focus Group
- Diversity Forum Annual Family Education Night

Meet the Team

List of 4 members.

Loris Adams

Head of DEI, Ethical Leadership
Jasmine Meade

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Divisional Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Whitney Kelly

Assistant to the Head of Middle School; Middle School Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
Connor Luong

Assistant Director of College Guidance