News Detail

PlatFORUM Returns to CA

3/27/2018

Jon Vogels

For the fourth straight year the Upper School will devote a full day to a program called PlatFORUM. On Thursday, March 29, students will engage in educational workshops and community building, encouraging all students to find their voices and challenge their thinking.

The overall goals for the day are straightforward:

promote self-reflection
share experiences of culture & tradition
provide language and tools to engage in conversations around social justice, equity, and access
gain understanding of contemporary issues
build community and have fun!

More than a dozen teachers from all divisions, along with a dedicated group of students, have been working on the planning of this exciting program and will also be instrumental in carrying out the plan on March 29. Attendance is required for all students, as PlatFORUM will last the entire school day. The theme this year is “It's Our Story, It's On Us." For information about the specific offerings, see the following link: https://spark.adobe.com/page/dvGIx3cLlUdE4/

These student-led and teacher-led workshops, all of which have been vetted by administrators and the organizing teachers, will be interspersed with activities designed to foster better understanding of both cultural difference and similarity. There are a wide range of options and students are encouraged to jump in where they feel they are truly interested and invested. If they can stretch out of their comfort zones, all the better. The guiding principles for the day come from a set of community norms written years ago by the National Association of Independent School (NAIS). See picture.

Inclusivity Director Adrian Green notes that "The single story, as acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi tells us, creates stereotypes. She says that the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete; they make one story become the only story. During this year's conference we want to explore contemporary issues that America is facing by pulling in various voices and perspectives in hopes to humanize, empathize, and understand where all of us are coming from."

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me, your grade-level dean, or Adrian Green, Director of Inclusivity. I look forward to a great day this Thursday.

Back