Cultivating Inclusivity: Strengthening Schools through Diverse Leadership and Faculty
Facilitator: Alan Phan
Alan is the Founder of the Diversity Collective and Associate Head of School at The Evergreen School in Seattle, Washington. Before joining Evergreen, he was the Head of School at North London Collegiate School HCMC in Vietnam. He also served as a Principal at international schools in Shanghai, Chennai, Barcelona, and London. With 20 years of recruitment experience in international and independent schools, he witnessed the lack of diversity in faculty and leadership positions. Thus, Alan focused his doctoral research on the intersection of gender, ethnicities, and leadership in international schools. Furthermore, as an openly gay Asian American leader, he experienced how international schools lacked inclusivity and resources for marginalized individuals. These same experiences provided the motivation to move school communities forward by critically considering the roles that gender, sexual orientation, and race play in hiring practices. With the Diversity Collective, he's acting to bring transformative change to international and independent schools.
To learn more about how Alan supports schools: www.diversityfair.org
Session Overview:
This workshop addresses the importance of having school leadership and faculty that reflect the diverse student body population and the larger global community. We will delve into the essentials of recruiting, onboarding and retaining leaders and faculty from underrepresented groups. Join us as we explore the barriers hindering diverse hiring in international and independent schools, identify practical strategies to overcome these challenges, and discover effective approaches to create a welcoming and supportive environment for long-term success. Share in the dynamic exchange of expertise and experiences as we focus on how to create an inclusive faculty that will drive success in our multicultural world. Attendees will walk away with valuable insights, practical tools, and a renewed commitment to creating an inspiring and inclusive learning environment.
Session Outcomes
Understand the critical challenges faced by international and independent schools in recruiting leaders and faculty from underrepresented groups
Recognize how unconscious biases and traditional hiring practices affect an equitable recruitment process
Create a common understanding of onboarding and why it matters
Identify the challenges of retaining faculty from underrepresented groups
Explore methods and strategies for effectively addressing recruitment, onboarding and retention challenges
Research Connections
Gershenson, Hansen, Lindsay, Teacher Diversity and Student Success
Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji, Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-importance-of-a-diverse-teaching-force/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/arts/music/orchestra-diversity.html
Who Should Attend
School leaders and HR