Maret is proud to have piloted the now multi-school Horizons program. Started at Maret School more than a decade ago, Horizons' six-week summer enrichment program and school year Saturdays are designed to help a diverse group of children from low-income families to:
- develop a lifelong interest in learning
- advance academic gains over the summer
- improve achievement in school.
Today, Horizons Greater Washington has expanded from Maret to other schools in the metropolitan area. In true public/private collaboration, independent schools donate their campus and facilities, while partner public school students attend the program. The Maret community participates in Horizons as teachers, Horizons Assistant Teachers (HATs), and volunteers.
CONFERENCES
Diversity Directions
Brooks School, North Andover, MA.
A week-long Independent School Diversity Seminar
6 faculty, summer 2011
NAIS Workshop on Diversity
Episcopal High School,
2 faculty, summer 2011
NAIS People of Color Conference (POCC)
An intensive week-long program, provides independent school administrators and diversity practitioners with broad-based tools to lead and manage change in their communities.
The mission of the conference is to provide a safe space for networking
and a professional development opportunity for people, who, by virtue of
their race or ethnicity, comprise a form of diversity termed "people of
color" in independent schools.
5 faculty, 2012
5 faculty, 2011
3 faculty, 2010
3 faculty, 2009
NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference SLDC
The Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is a multiracial,
multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12)
from across the country that focuses on self-reflecting, forming
allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of adult and peer
facilitators, participants develop effective cross-cultural
communication skills, better understand the nature and development of
effective strategies for social justice, practice expression through the
arts, and learn networking principles and strategies.
8 students, 2012
8 students, 2011
3 students, 2010
3 students, 2009
GUEST SPEAKERS
Dr. Keith Hinderlie presents at Administrative Retreat, June, 2011; and to parents Nov. 2011.
Keith
Hinderlie and Associates is committed to working with families,
schools, and organizations to create environments where children and
youth thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Bobby Edwards, Director of Lower School, McLean School
Presents at Administrative Retreat, Aug. 2010; and to full faculty, fall 2010
Dr. Howard Stevenson, Associate Professor; Chair, Applied Psychology-Human Development; University of Pennsylvania
Presents to full faculty, spring 2010
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, workshop for full faculty, fall 2009
SUMMER READINGS
Summer Reading, community-wide, summer 2012
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Summer Reading, faculty, summer 2011
The Warmth of Other Suns
Faculty Book Group, spring 2011
Michele Norris memoir, The Grace of Silence, Spring 2011
Summer Reading, community-wide, summer 2010
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Followed by discussions with students and panel discussion with parents and faculty.
Selected Assemblies, Guest Speakers, and Special Presentations
UPPER SCHOOL
Children of Kibera Foundation (CoKF) - 2011
Kenneth "Ken" Okoth, Founder of CoKF, spoke to students about his amazing personal story, his work with the foundation, and how to embrace and engage in global Citizenship.
National Coming Out Day - 2011
Allyson Robinson, Deputy Director of Diversity, at the Human Rights Campaign shared stories about her personal experience as well as her work in promoting awareness of transgender issues.
The Rebecca Project for Human Rights - 2011
Malika Saada Saar, Executive Director, spoke about her organization's fight against violence, exploitation, and poverty impacting women and girls in the U.S. and Africa.
Documentary Film Maker: Erin Davies - 2011
Erin Davies spoke about her film and trip around the country, and her mission to raise awareness about homophobia and hate crimes.
Book Discussion of Community Read - 2010
Faculty members and upper school students spent two assembly periods discussing a range of issues raised in Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Day of Silence - 2010
Lizzie Borges '02 spoke about her high school and college experiences as students reflected on a day designed to draw attention to LGBT issues and the respect and acceptance for all people.
South African Bokamoso Youth Program - 2010
Members of the group performed at the assembly and highlighted a program which helps hundreds of young people survive and thrive amidst the poverty, crime and despair of the AIDS epidemic.
Martin Luther King Assembly - 2010
Michele Norris, host of NPR's All Things Considered, spoke at the Annual Upper School Martin Luther King Assembly. The assembly is set aside each year as an opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s message.
Cedric Jennings - 2010
The subject of Ron Suskind's 1998 best-seller, A Hope in the Unseen, spoke to Mr. Emerson's Creative Writing class.
National Coming Out Day - 2009
Betsy Purcell, VP for Public Edu. & Outreach at Human Rights Campaign, emphasized how important it is to "lend their voices of support for equality".
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Middle School Advisor/Advisee time, as well as assemblies, are time, built around Maret's core values, which fosters an atmosphere where a dialogue about diversity can flourish.
Martin Luther King, Jr. performance - 2011
Students rehearsed and presented portions of speeches, poetry, and other text spoken or written by
Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights icons.
Ghana called Anansegromma - 2011
Journalist Michele Norris presents "how to pursue your dream - 2010
An International troupe of amazing Chinese Acrobats - 2010
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice presented on Martin Luther King Day - 2009
A Goombay presentation of Caribbean music and culture - 2009
Lesole's Dance Project, from South Africa - 2008
Robert Kikuchi told folk tales, myths, and stories from around Asia.
Hope for Children - Ethiopia - 2008
Presentations, coordinated by humanities teacher Carol Rhees, about Hope for Children in Ethiopia, where support from students and faculty has allowed for the opening of a school in Ethiopia (named Maret School).
LOWER SCHOOL
Author, Kadir Nelson - 2011
Michele Norris, journalist and host of NPR's All Things Considered, interviewed renowned author and illustrator, Kadir Nelson.
Discovery Theatre Performance - 2011
The Smithsonian's Discovery Theater's Lions of Industry, Mothers of Invention performance revealed the "unknown history" about the giants of African-American business and innovation.
The Shizumi Dance Theatre of Japan - 2011
Trained by well-known masters in traditional and contemporary theater, Shizumi Shigeto Manale offered a window into the heart of the Japanese aesthetics.
Storyteller, Vera Oye - 2010
One of Washington, D.C.'s leading storytellers took the students on a trip to Timbuktu, Mali, where they learned about the daily interactions of the market, including how to bargain for and sell their homegrown produce, the role and joys of story telling and cultural celebrations.
El Teatro de Danza Contemporanea de El Salvador - 2009
To help celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, the lower school students enjoyed a dance performance.
Lesole's Dance Project - 2009
The Lesole’s Dance Project performed at the assembly and performed three examples of South African dance.
Maret provides the whole school community with numerous opportunities to discuss and reflect on issues surrounding diversity. One of our newest initiatives is Community Read, a school-wide communal “book club.” For our debut discussion, students, faculty, and parents engaged in a community reading of the compelling story, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Kloot.
“Maret and the Global Mosaic” will be the theme of the 2012-2013 school year. To underscore that topic, the community is invited to read the highly acclaimed Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Katherine Boo.
Parents, high school students, and teachers are welcome to join the lively dialogue this book is certain to provoke. Watch this site for more information about our meeting date, moderators, and format.