Equity Statement

We believe that the best educational experience occurs in an environment that is made up of students, educators, and families from diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences. At Montclair, our community developed the following values statements for Equity and Diversity:

Equity:  Each and every student receives what they need to be successful. We recognize institutional and systemic barriers and work collectively to break those barriers and form new paradigms of equity for all. Our personal journey with equity is never complete.

Diversity:  We celebrate and honor all cultures, nationalities, identities, and heritages. We seek to understand and learn from one another in our classrooms and community.

We follow the Denver Public School’s Equity Statement:  

“We will achieve equity when we dismantle deeply rooted systems of oppression that have historically resulted in inequitable access and distribution of opportunities and resources for those who represent marginalized identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, language and ability. We will create conditions where we all belong, are included, have clear purpose (why) and have the autonomy to lead in our respective areas. By creating these conditions, we will eliminate the predictability of success or failure for our students and team members.”

We are committed to working towards equity in the following ways:

1. Create an environment accessible and welcoming to all students and families regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, or ability.
2. Consistently evaluate our curriculum, teaching practices, and assessment practices so that our students see their identities, as well as the identities of others, valued and represented.
3. Embed cultural competency, cultural responsiveness, and trauma informed practices in our instructional practices and interactions with students and families.
4. Hold ourselves to high standards of expectations and achievement for all students and learn new approaches in order to help all students grow and thrive.  
5. Seek input from all members of our Montclair community in carrying out the mission of our school.

We understand that there may be times when we might not live up to these commitments.  We encourage our community to be open and willing to engage in dialogue and courageous conversations in order to help us continue to grow and support our students.