"here we belong"

"We staunchly affirm the dignity of each of our students, faculty, staff, and families because we are convinced that we are all children of God and created in His image and likeness. We are further convinced that God has called His children to this place called Delbarton, to form a community of justice, love and peace, the kind of community modeled by the early Christians, Christian saints and people of courage throughout our time… If we truly proclaim, as we declare in our core beliefs, 'that here, we belong' the 'we' includes all, affirms all, and excludes none."                                       - Headmaster Fr. mIchael Tidd, O.S.B.

At Delbarton School, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion form a foundational part of our identity as a Catholic and Benedictine community. We believe that here, we belong and work hard to make this piece of our mission a reality for all through consistent review of programs, procedures and curriculum, strategic planning for community structure, focus on community engagement and growth, and dialogue as a mechanism for meaningful inter and intracultural sharing and understanding. Our faith and commitment to Catholic Social Teaching and Diversity and Equity call us to deep, meaningful, challenging, and evolutionary work that spans across all departments and constituencies of our school. 

Delbarton School is enriched by the diversity of our community. We are called to learn from and engage with students and adults of diverse backgrounds in order to create more dynamic and authentic learning environments inside and outside the classroom. When we have the opportunity to engage meaningfully through an enriched and diverse community a critical learning environment emerges. Faculty, staff and students alike become empowered to grow, lead, and excel. No learning community is whole without the inclusion and amplification of multiple voices, and we are committed to fostering belonging through this work for the many voices of our community and brotherhood.

In recognizing the need for growth as our world broadens, we are on an evolutionary journey. Our commitment to DEI is grounded in our identity as a Catholic and Benedictine school and as such, requires consistent review and a focus on growth and development. Take a look at our Framework for Continued Growth to see what we are working on!

parent involvement

The participation of all of our community members is what makes our school such a special place for students and their families. We encourage and value the engagement of the parents of our community and are grateful for their dedication and care with a focus on community building. 

The parents of our community are involved in our Diversity Equity and Inclusion work through a variety of ways:

The Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion

The Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion is comprised of an executive board of current and past Delbarton parents that help our school to fulfill its mission in fostering a community of equity and belonging. Council members have a line of communication with the Administrative Team at Delbarton School, they provide an informative voice that is helpful in administrative programming and in building bridges between the school and its broader community of families.  Their primary focus is in community-building among our parents and families with an emphasis on belonging, as well as amplifying the diversity of adult voices in our community.

To learn more or to get involved, please contact the Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion at PCDI@delbarton.org

Delbarton PCDI Mission Statement
In support of the Benedictine Catholic educational mission of Delbarton School, the Delbarton Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion exists to champion (i) a dynamic community of diverse student talents, perspectives and backgrounds, while affirming our unity in our school community; (ii) fair treatment and equality of opportunity for all Delbarton students; (iii) the core Delbarton belief that "here, we belong"; and (iv) access to information and resources for all students.  The Council strives to enhance opportunities for Delbarton families to engage with one another on topics of diversity, inclusion and equity, as well as access to all of the opportunities of a Delbarton education, and in our society on a global scale. 

Members of the Executive Board of the Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion

Marjorie Pierre-Merritt P'21, President of PCDI

Heba Abdulla P'23

Yemi Benedict-Vatel P'24

Anita Bobba P'21, P'23

Amar Chahal P'25

Ashley Doyle P'23, P'24

Daniel Excellent P'22

Michele Reinke P'21, P'24

Shreni Zinzuwadia P'20, P'22

Parent Events

Parents Opening Welcome Picnic and End Of Year Barbecue
All new families are invited to the community wide welcome picnic each year where they will have the opportunity to engage with all of the parent groups on our campus including Fathers and Friends, the Delbarton Mothers Guild, and the Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion. Additionally the Parent Council on Diversity and Inclusion hosts an End Of Year Barbecue in the spring to close out the year in celebration and to bring our community together.

Parents of Young Leaders Socials
Education in leadership in today's world with a DEI focus is incredibly important for the growth and development of our young men. As such, our leaders of Diversity Among Peers (DAP) are given many opportunities to build their leadership skills through a variety of activities, conferences and workshops throughout the year. Once a year, parents are invited to participate in a social and workshop led and facilitated by our student leaders. All parents of the community are invited and have a powerful opportunity to engage with each other around topics they may not normally have the opportunity to discuss. This event will enable families to learn more about our community values and leadership opportunities for their sons through our leadership programming. This event is designed to further bring our community together and offer parents a space to learn and connect. 

Community Celebrations
Our community cultural celebrations are a powerful way to lift up the many voices of our community and honor them through pride, love and celebration.  All members of the Delbarton community are invited to participate in and attend the various cultural celebrations that we have as a community each year. Highlights from the 19-20 school year include our Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, our celebration of Diwali, and our Black History and Culture Celebration.

student leadership

Diversity Among Peers (DAP)

Diversity Among Peers (DAP) is a student-led group centered around fostering leadership in young men through building an inclusive community focused on the intentional exploration of one's identity and its interaction with the institutions and communities around us. DAP gives our students a chance to connect on a deeper level than what we typically see on the surface. DAP members come away from their Delbarton experience with a sophisticated understanding of the world, of leadership in community and a clear sense of their own identity. Our students are uniquely skilled as leaders and enhance these skills by facilitating discussions and activities that create space for dialogue throughout the year. They have grown comfortable with controversy and are able to react rationally and with intellectual curiosity when faced with comments or topics that are often much easier to shy away from.

Our students have opportunities to lead through conferences and activities:

Conferences

• NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference
• Mid Atlantic Regional Diversity Conference
• NJ Students of Color Conference

Community Events and Peer School Connections

DAP students are very involved in the organization of cultural events that aim to lift up and empower members of our community. During the 2019-20 school year, the students organized a celebration of Hispanic Heritage in the fall and a Black History and Culture Celebration in February. These events play a key role in not only enriching our community with history and cultural performances but also in empowering members of our community and showing support and love for all. These events are open to all members of the Delbarton community and are fun and educational. 

DAP students also form connections with student groups at our peer schools in NJ and plan events for socializing and workshops through school with them throughout the year. Students are creative in their efforts for sharing and engaging with each others culture and bring different ideas each year to bring our community together in learning and celebration.

Workshops and Facilitating

DAP student leaders lead the parents in workshops for creating dialogue at our Parents of Young Leaders event each year. Additionally they lead the entire school in a series of four workshops each year in April titled the "Many Voices One Brotherhood Workshops."  Students work throughout the year with their faculty mentors and DAP moderators Mr. Negrin and Mrs. Gómez to develop a variety of workshops that speak to the current moment in our communities and society. They come up with creative ways to engage the community in dialogue and exploration of the topics they choose to investigate each year. 

DAP leaders have also led the faculty in a workshop and presentation during the Faculty Professional Development Day in February of 2019.  

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion In the News