By: Dan Steinfield, Head of School

Thank you to each family who joined our 2021 Homecoming celebration. Families from all grade levels were represented and enjoyed fellowship in a variety of activities and events. United in our steadfast confession of Jesus Christ, community at DC is a core value. As we walk in the unity of the Spirit, we bring honor and glory to our Father in heaven and we experience the joy of being in the body of Christ.

In January of 2021, the DC Board of Trustees affirmed our commitment to the celebration of racial and socio-economic diversity, signaling our leadership’s desire to build upon DC’s three decade-long pursuit of a Biblical approach to growing in racial and socio-economic diversity. DC prepares students for a life of impact through an innovative and exemplary education firmly rooted in Christ. Students receive an education which takes into account their whole person; both academic instruction grounded in God’s word, and the work of spiritual formation which includes a celebration of racial and socio-economic diversity.

On September 26, Upper School students were privileged to hear from Dr. Alveda King, niece to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King shared how her family legacy and her faith in Jesus Christ have shaped her current evangelical and political work. While Dr. King noted there are specific opinions and political beliefs which are important to her, what transcends all is that people see the love of God and the person of Jesus Christ in her person and life’s work. Dr. King encouraged our students to see Jesus in others and to seek unity through our faith in God.

The past year has included listening to many members of our community representing many differing viewpoints. There have been many lessons learned, including the importance of clear and concise communication to avoid unnecessary concern and assumption with regard to our work on racial and socio-economic diversity and inclusion. Amidst the many conversations, one common theme repeatedly emerged: our school familys’ love for the school and desire to honor God in the biblical work of racial and socio-economic diversity and inclusion.

As we continue the 2021-22 school year, the board and administration remain committed to honoring God through our racial and socio-economic diversity through the following action steps:

• Pilot the World Vision Ignite program featuring collaboration between Delaware County Christian School and The City School. Upper School student volunteers will participate in the World Vision Ignite program which connects schools with global communities and utilizes the Teaching for Transformation framework to equip students to identify and meet a need in their local community. DC and The City School have joined with four other Christian schools nationally to participate in the WV Ignite program and build a relationship with a community in Honduras. Students from DC and The City School will work together to implement a local service project in the spring of 2022. More information on the World Vision Ignite program will be provided in future communications.
   
• DC students will continue to take responsibility for the Multi-Cultural Alliance (MCA) Club and related activities which promote unity in the body of Christ.
   
• Develop and implement an Upper Campus Advisory curriculum and schedule to foster a safe and healthy environment for the middle and upper school student body to engage in dialogue - the art of civil discourse - and model unity in the body of Christ.
   
• The work of spiritual formation includes the pursuit of the spiritual disciplines and living as the body of Christ. Ray Garcia will continue in a part-time role (approximately 16 hours/week) as Director of Diversity. Pastor Garcia will use this time to provide spiritual leadership for our community, serving as a link for our division chapel coordinators and working to bring a cohesive scope and sequence to PK-12 chapels. Ray Garcia also served as the 10-12th Grade retreat speaker with a focus on the Spiritual Disciplines.
   
• Ongoing, year round minority representation in class, presentations, and chapels. Similarly, racial diversity will be represented in supporting curriculum materials and resources. As has been our practice for over 72 years of Christian education, we will not adopt secular theories to be taught in our curriculum or classrooms. We will remain grounded in the Word of God; all that we teach will be taught through the lens of scripture and a Biblical worldview.
   
• Expand and engage the Diversity Council which is charged with making DC a more loving and hospitable place for all, based on a common commitment to being obedient to the Word of God and its principles of reconciliation, restoration, sacrificial love, justice and unity. The council was initially composed of individuals who have been important conversation partners for DC as local and national tensions rose throughout 2020. We will intentionally grow this founding team to further represent the diversity within our community - namely within the important cross sections of the student body, faculty, staff and board. The council serves as an advisory board, offering insight and reflection to the Director of Diversity and the Head of School. While the council does not pass policy or procedures, the council is charged to regularly evaluate the school’s effectiveness in creating a racial and socio-economically inclusive community for our students and families and to advise DC in our efforts toward addressing racial issues, both current and historical, as they relate to our public Christian witness. 
   
• Ongoing professional development sessions for faculty and staff to facilitate continued growth in cultural competency and racial and socio-economic inclusion. Imago Dei, the foundational principle for understanding human nature, is based on the belief we are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1: 26-27) and have equal dignity, value, and worth. Ongoing training will equip our faculty and staff to possess the skills and knowledge necessary to appreciate, respect, and work with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
   
• Expand our recruitment pipelines to facilitate a diverse candidate pool for when ongoing employment opportunities become available. We remain committed to hiring the most qualified academic and spiritual leaders to disciple our students and we are confident these exceptional staff can reflect the diversity of our student body population.
   
• Provide quarterly Prayer and Conversation meetings on varying topics to improve parent relationships and foster open dialogue, being Gospel-centric and grounded in a Spirit of unity. 

Visit DC's Diversity page.