The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA

Equity and Inclusion Plan

Fay School's Equity and Inclusion Plan

Objective: Objective: Deepen Fay’s commitment to building and maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community.

At Fay, equity and inclusion work is mission-aligned. We want students and adults to challenge one another and themselves to grow in their ability to be independent thinkers, make good decisions, celebrate their own identities and the identities of others, and collaborate across differences. Fay’s Equity and Inclusion Plan is a roadmap for promoting cultural competence and facilitating respectful dialogue, and the plan will evolve as new priorities emerge in response to the needs of our community.

This plan grew out of the School’s 2025 Strategic Plan, in addition to recommendations made in Fay’s 2021-2022 AISNE Accreditation Report,  climate surveys conducted in 2021, and conversations with faculty and staff led by Fay’s Director of Equity and Inclusion. The plan was developed in collaboration with the Head of School, Associate Head of School, Director of Equity and Inclusion, the Director of the Educational Program, and the Director of Marketing and Communications.

Goals and Progress

This document presents the goals of Fay’s Equity and Inclusion Plan along with a summary of completed and ongoing action steps.
In Year 1 of the plan (2022-2023), amidst the faculty and staff’s daily work to develop a more inclusive and equitable campus, community members completed a number of action items, including revising the School’s Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, creating an online recorded name-bank to clarify name pronunciations, and a review of language in the Employee Handbook and Student and Family Handbook to be more inclusive of different family structures and to consider the use of gendered language.

In Years 2 and 3 (2023-2025), goals include a formal inclusivity assessment or survey; collaboration with other AISNE schools to develop programming in support of equity and inclusion iniatives; a focus on accessibility as we audit of our campus and a review how community members navigate the School; and a closer look at Fay history as we consider how we might recognize the milestones marking the expansion of our community.

Educational Program

Enrich academic excellence and deepen cultural competence through a focus on diverse experiences and perspectives in the curriculum.

Completed:
  • Updates to the Wellness curriculum with culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate topics
  • Incorporation of equity and inclusion goals into curriculum mapping from K  through grade nine 
  • Creation of a name bank with accurate pronunciation of student, faculty, and staff names

Ongoing:
  • Collaboration with Fay’s Director of Service Learning and Director of Student Life to develop students’ global citizenship skills
  • Review of equity and inclusion in athletics
  • Review of demographic data related to class placement and grades

Student Life

Foster an inclusive and equitable school environment that enables students to feel a sense of belonging and gives them the foundation to navigate, collaborate, and lead at school and in communities beyond Fay.

Completed: 
  • Student participation in local and national conferences related to equity and inclusion
  • Expansion of student affinity spaces and Community Connections forums
  • Development of DEI programming and bystander training for boarding students and proctors
  • Expanded counselor support of underrepresented students
  • Review and update of policies and procedures in the Student and Family Handbook

Ongoing:
  • Expansion of opportunities for day and boarding students to collaborate on equity and inclusion efforts outside of the school day
  • Incorporation of gender-inclusive language into policies and practices related to dorm and residential life activities and accommodations
  • Exploration of developmentally appropriate restorative practices for disciplinary situations in each division

Parent & Family Programs

Expand equity and inclusion activities and programs for families to enhance cross-cultural understanding.

Completed:
  • Review of how community members are included in school events, parent groups, committees, and events such as the Gala and the Book Fair
  • Expansion of Parent Community Connections discussion forum
  • Expansion of Taste of Nations to include ELC families

Ongoing:
  • Review of event planning process to be more mindful of the needs of all community members, with a focus on equity of access to spaces, accessibility of information, and inclusive scheduling

Hiring & Staffing

Ensure equality of opportunity for all Fay employees, cultivate a climate of inclusion and belonging, and broaden diversity among faculty, staff, and administration.

Completed:
  • Professional development for maintaining inclusive hiring practices 
  • Collaboration with listing sites and recruitment agencies that represent diverse candidates to broaden the School’s hiring pool
  • Involvement of the Director of Equity and Inclusion in applicant review, interview, and hiring processes

Ongoing:
  • Continued work with listing sites and recruitment agencies that represent diverse candidates to broaden the School’s hiring pool
  • Review of financial resources available to attract, recruit, and retain faculty and staff from underrepresented groups

Faculty & Staff Professional Development

Enhance professional development to sustain a culture of adults committed to personal and professional growth in equity and inclusion.

Completed: 
  • Establishment of Faculty and Staff Equity and Inclusion Committee to focus on implementing the plan goals
  • Inclusion of equity and inclusion work as part of new teacher orientation and faculty and staff evaluation process
  • Creation of Google Classroom for DEI resources, and development of faculty and staff programming for professional development days and monthly faculty/staff meetings.

Ongoing:
  • Continued development of affinity spaces for faculty and staff
  • Expanded DEI-related professional development for school leaders, including administrators, department chairs, class deans, and dorm parents
  • Expanded professional development opportunities related to gender equity, both externally and internally

Marketing & Admission

Adapt and extend marketing, recruitment, and retention efforts to highlight and broaden the multi-faceted diversity of the Fay community.  

Completed: 
  • Creation of event calendar and resource lists on the Equity and Inclusion page on the school website,
  • Review of geographic and socioeconomic diversity of auxiliary programs including Fay Summer
  • Increased participation in admission events and forums that primarily address students and families of color
  • Establishment of on-campus yield events specific to marginalized groups

Ongoing:
  • Expanding the geographic reach of admission recruiting, both domestically and internationally
  • Communication and collaboration with Fay alumni on equity and inclusion initiatives
  • Exploring options for providing school communications in other languages
  • Reviewing language related to gender and ability in signage and other school marketing materials

Board of Trustees Composition & Development

Cultivate a board of trustees that is representative of the school community and actively advances equity and inclusion.

Completed: 
  • Regular updates about progress of the Equity and Inclusion Plan
  • Professional development opporunities for board members related to equity and inclusion
Ongoing:
  • Continuing professional development
  • Diversification of the membership of Fay’s Board of Trustees

Fay School Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Fay School, we believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community supports the School’s mission to establish the foundation for a meaningful life. We intentionally integrate multiple perspectives into our curriculum and community. Through ongoing attention to the diverse identities of our community members, we strive to maintain a positive culture in which every person is valued and treated with dignity. 

Students and adults at Fay work to develop the skills necessary for constructive engagement with our rapidly changing world. We are committed to honest reflection on the differences and commonalities that enrich our lives. In a spirit of service, we challenge one another to demonstrate empathy, humility, and moral courage. Each member of our community is expected to treat others with openness, attentiveness, and compassion. 
48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201