Celebrating Diversity

Happy Diwali! The vibrant colors of the Festival of Lights—India's biggest celebration—catch students’ eyes as they arrive and leave Increase Miller Elementary School, as well as walk to the cafeteria or head to PE.

The colorful bulletin boards near the main entrance are a rotating gallery of diversity and inclusion. Right now, there’s also a tribute to the Filipino festival Bayanihan and a gorgeous board featuring Italian-American Heritage Month and the Fifth Grade Pasta Night; earlier this month a bulletin board honored Yom Kippur. September's scene celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month. 

The displays are created by parents Jane Crimmins, Essabel Heller, Samantha Hirsh, Sibil Patri, Ingrid Ramos and Alicia Siebenaler, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee of the school’s Compact Team. Librarian Juli Hoffman collaborates with the parents so the displays also highlight books from the school’s library that invite students to see themselves and learn about other cultures. Teachers provide additional opportunities for conversation and learning during Morning Meeting and academic units.

“We want to be stronger together,” said the parents working on the bulletin board. The word is right there on the opposite bulletin board. Unidos. United.