Culture & Inclusivity at Colorado Academy

Collinus Newsome

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Interim Director of Inclusivity

Contact Collinus:
Email or call 303-914-2590
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CA’s Interim Director of Inclusivity provides leadership in areas of inclusive excellence, mentoring, support for students and families, and resource development for faculty and staff.

University of Illinois, Urbana, BS
University of Colorado, MA
At CA Since: 2022

She is an accomplished educational equity leader and a systems strategist, with a record of success in developing, implementing, and managing innovative strategic initiatives and programs. She has experience in both education and in nonprofit organizations, and she has spent time in both independent and public schools, having worked with Aurora Public Schools and also at Graland Country Day.

Collinus is a relationship-focused leader who enjoys providing space for each other person and their lived experiences. Collinus believes that cultivating a mindset and disposition toward humility and empathy is critical in creating communities where everyone belongs.

A Denver native, Collinus grew up in Northeast Park Hill. She has eight siblings, including a twin sister.

At the age of 12, Collinus joined the Colorado Flyers Track club and became one of the nation’s top throwers in shot put. Collinus graduated from Denver South High School and earned a scholarship to attend the University of Illinois, Urbana, as a thrower on the track team. She was named the National Big 10 Freshman Athlete of the Year and went on to win seven Big 10 Championships in the shot put and earned six All-American titles. After graduation, Collinus attended CU Boulder and received her MA in Curriculum and Instruction. She began her teaching career at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in far northeast Denver and then spent nine years at Graland Country Day School as the diversity coordinator and ninth grade history teacher.

Collinus has consulted for numerous independent schools across the country on their DEI frameworks, culturally responsive teaching, instructional coaching on habits of good teaching, and curriculum development. She has served as a co-chair for the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference and currently heads, along with two additional co-chairs, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, where she leads the recruiting and selection of conference facilitators.

Most recently, Collinus served as a Senior Program Officer and Strategy Lead at the Colorado Health Foundation. She led a $7.5 million portfolio for the physical well-being of children and youth and for parks and playground builds across the state.

Collinus lives in Park Hill with her three children.

Miriah Royal

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Strategic Recruitment and Community Engagement Officer

Contact Miriah: Email or call
303-914-2591
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University of Pittsburgh, BA
Keller Graduate School of Management, MBA
At CA Since: 2021

Miriah Royal is Colorado Academy's Strategic Recruitment and Community Engagement Officer, where she works hand-in-hand with Inclusivity Director Sarah Wright, divisional Inclusivity Coordinators, parents, and student groups to implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming. Previously, she worked as the Diversity & Inclusion Office Coordinator at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., working closely with other University offices of International Student Services, Multicultural Student Services, and LGBTQ Resources, among others.

Royal holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, and she has a wealth of experience in community outreach and engagement. She was Midwest Area Regional Leader for Outdoor Afro, a nonprofit connecting Black people with experiences in nature, and she is the founder of Emboldened Ventures, a consulting firm attempting to empower people to showcase justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion connections with nature.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity at CA

Events and Programs

Colorado Academy offers events and programming throughout the year to engage students and the extended community in workshops, lectures, and celebrations around diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
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Inclusivity Committee

The Inclusivity Committee is a group of staff and faculty representing the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, in addition to the Arts and Athletics Departments.
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Resources - Books and Links

Find references and recommended titles for all ages.
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Community Partnerships

The school encourages student participation and presentation in national and local leadership training.
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Student Engagement

CA students lead the way when it comes to embracing inclusivity.
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Alumni Engagement

CA is fortunate to have alumni engaged in its DEI efforts.
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