Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

An intentional curriculum in each grade level promotes age and developmentally appropriate content to stimulate learning in the areas of identity, diversity, justice, and action. We believe that children thrive when they are given opportunities to see themselves reflected in the literature they read, the projects they create, and the problems they solve. Additionally, children increase their capacity for empathy and collaboration when they are offered a diversity of perspectives and ideas. This belief informs the curriculum across all content areas.

As equity-focused educators, we focus not just on exposing students to multiple perspectives but also raising students’ awareness of their role as change makers. Moving from compassion to action happens on the playground, in classroom projects, and in spontaneous teachable moments. Bertschi students learn that their voices matter and that their actions can make a difference.

Explore Our Curriculum

Our board of trustees leads a DEI Committee to guide continued strategic work. In addition, our Director of DEI leads Bertschi FAM (see below) that regularly hosts events that educate, build community, and celebrate our diverse cultural backgrounds. The school also hosts affinity spaces for families to bring people together in their common experiences and in their differences.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work is one of three strategic pillars of our current strategic plan. All members of the Bertschi community are committed to ensure our commitments are achieved and move the work forward. Our DEI Director, in partnership with our DEI Committee, oversees capacity-building opportunities throughout each year. Our faculty/staff and families work with local and national experts on topics such as media literacy, gender diversity, multicultural education, cultural competency, culturally-responsive teaching, race and privilege, and anti-bias awareness. 

Bertschi School offers a full-time teaching associate job and up to $10,000 each year toward tuition for an aspiring Black educator enrolled in a University of Washington teaching certification program.

Learn More

The Antiracist Parent Education group is open to Bertschi School parents and caregivers. Members endeavor to understand their own racial identity, expand their awareness of individual, institutional, and systemic racism, and encourage antiracism through empathy and action. Meetings will focus on discussions of topics relevant to the group.

Meeting dates: Meetings generally follow the DEI speaker series events that happen monthly and other Bertschi parent education events throughout the school year. To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

This space is open to parents, children, faculty, and staff who identify as Asian, Asian American, and Asian Pacific Islander, as well as parents who do not identify with the affinity group but have children who do identify with the affinity group.

The Asian@Bertschi affinity group meets monthly and plans events periodically, such as the Lunar New Year Celebration. To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

The purpose of Black@Bertschi is to create a nurturing and empowering space where Black students and their families can gather, connect, and thrive as a community. Our mission is to foster a sense of belonging, pride and advocacy among families, where Black voices are amplified, experiences are honored, and cultural heritage is celebrated.

The Black@Bertschi group meets monthly and plans events periodically throughout the year, such as the Black@Bertschi Cookout. To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

The Christian Parent group welcomes families and staff of any Christian faith and anyone looking for community at Bertschi. To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

The Hispanic/Latine group meets monthly and plans events periodically throughout the year, such as the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Celebration. To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

Judaism teaches that human beings need to be together, and being together creates a sense of community and completeness in oneself. The Jewish Parent group aims to help create a Jewish community within Bertschi, as well as teach our larger Bertschi community about some of our Jewish traditions and values. In a time when antisemitic incidents were up 34% in 2021, and antisemitic sentiments are being shared by people in power more often, the group will be a safe space for Jewish community members to share their lived experiences. The group also hopes to provide a Jewish community for the Jewish families who are new to Seattle, as a Jewish community is harder to find in Seattle than other cities.

In addition to creating a safe space for Jewish families, we will host events throughout the school year. 

To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

The LGBTQIA+ group is where queer-identifying and/or gender diverse parents, children, faculty, and staff can connect and help organize social and educational events. Our space is open to parents who do not identify as LGBTQIA+ but have children who do identify. Other allies are welcome to attend certain meetings specifically designated as open-to-all and may be asked to volunteer when help is needed.

The LGBTQIA+ group meets monthly and plans events like the quarterly LGBTQIA+ Storytime (open to all). To receive group information including upcoming meetings, contact Amina Loftin.

This group is open to any family who has a child with food allergies or sensitivities. The intent is for families to support each other and to share challenges, opportunities, and triumphs. For questions please contact assistant head of school, Jennie Bloch Garcia.

This group is open to any family with a neurodiverse child or who has wonderings about their child. The intent is for families to support each other and to share challenges, opportunities, and triumphs. For questions please contact assistant head of school, Jennie Bloch Garcia.

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
5:00-6:15 PM on Zoom (register here)

In this keynote, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad offers a unique, culturally, and historically responsive approach to cultivating genius and joy in education. This approach is essential for accelerating the growth of all students and uniquely youth of color, who have been traditionally underserved in learning standards, policies, and school practices. She will present her equity framework, called the HILL Model, to help educators develop students’ histories, identities, literacies, and liberation. Participants will learn and understand history and policy and personal and instructional factors that justify the need and purpose for culturally and historically responsive education.  Additionally, participants will see sample lesson/unit plans across grade levels, moving theory into action.

Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools and districts across Canada. Her newest book, Unearthing Joy, is the sequel to Cultivating Genius and provides a practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curricular practice.

Elena Aguilar
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
5:00-6:15 PM on Zoom (register here)

In this virtual keynote, participants will learn how to use a number of strategies to cultivate the kind of emotional resilience needed to build equitable schools. Participants will anchor in their values and purpose, explore how to navigate uncomfortable emotions, and learn why emotional resilience is the missing element in most equity endeavors. Participants will recognize and appreciate the connection between cultivating their own resilience and building equitable schools, learn how to use simple strategies to cultivate their emotional resilience when building equitable schools, and understand the critical importance of emotional resilience when building equitable schools. 

Elena Aguilar is an author, coach, and CEO. Elena Aguilar has worked in education since 1994. Her years of teaching, coaching, and leading teams in the Oakland, CA public schools deeply inform the eight books she’s written and the trainings she designs and facilitates. Elena is committed to creating equitable schools and organizations where everyone thrives. She founded Bright Morning in 2017 to advance this vision.