Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

students in 2 lines with sticks facing eachother

A tradition and a way of life

Maumee Valley Country Day School is known for its commitment to creating community and promoting belonging among students, families, alumni, faculty, and staff. Part of this philosophy comes naturally, as our enrollment is limited and our three divisions live together under one roof. But our efforts are also purposeful, as we understand that the best education is one where the student identifies and understands differences and is empathetic to the identities of others.

Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives are essential because they contribute to a fair, inclusive, and enriching educational experience for students, prepare them for a diverse world, and align with legal and ethical obligations while promoting positive societal change.

Maumee Valley’s DEIB statement

At Maumee Valley, we recognize and embrace our responsibility to foster an inclusive, equitable, safe, and respectful community. We cultivate a community in which students, faculty, staff, and families feel genuinely welcome and are encouraged to learn from, with, and about one another.

We honor the uniqueness of each individual and embrace diverse backgrounds, values, learning styles, and points of view to build a strong inclusive community. At Maumee Valley, we want all community members to know: We see you. We hear you. We value you.

reanne young

Meet our director

Maumee Valley’s DEIB efforts achieved greater focus and prominence in 2022 with the creation of our Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and the hiring of its first-ever director: Reanne Young.

About Reanne Young

Reanne (pronounced RAY-anne) Young is a veteran DEIB executive with decades of public- and private-sector experience. She joined MV after 14 years with The Roeper School-Birmingham Campus in Michigan, a private independent school in suburban Detroit. At Roeper, she served as Middle/Upper School psychological consultant and coordinator for the Department of Student Support Services. For more than 20 years, she has operated Young Counseling & Consulting, a private practice she founded.

She has provided consultation services to many organizations across the country, from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofit organizations across. She also serves as a senior consulting associate to the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.

DEIB in action at Maumee Valley

SEED Training

Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, Maumee Valley is expanding access to SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) training for all faculty and staff. The school funded the training of three additional personnel as facilitators, bringing to three the number of trained facilitators on staff. SEED seminars include personal reflection and testimony, listening to others’ voices, and learning experimentally and collectively. Through this, SEED equips participants to connect their lives to others and society by acknowledging systems of oppression, power, and privilege and challenges participants to push for change.

Strategic Plan

The school’s 2021-206 Strategic Plan called for solidifying our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as community standards through three main actions:

Examine our systems, processes, and curriculum to ensure equity and inclusion.
Hire a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator to shepherd our current work and future growth.
Refine hiring practices so that our employee community reflects the diversity of our students and families.

Community Belonging

Another part of the school’s 2021-206 Strategic Plan called for expanding opportunities for community engagement. The school is pursuing these goals by nurturing peer-family relationships and connections to the school; enhancing parent education programs; and matching students, parents, faculty, and alumni through Maumee Valley to foster deeper, lifelong connections.

Board Focus

To provide increased visibility on DEIB issues, the Maumee Valley Board of Trustees in 2022 created the DEIB Committee. It is one of four standing committees of the Board.

Community Reads

To strengthen community cohesion, Maumee Valley has adopted several DEIB books as community reads. This year’s title is “The Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits and Skills for a More Inclusive School” by Liza A. Talusan, who is coming to campus in early 2024 to lead workshops with faculty, staff, and students and to meet MV families.

School Governance

The Diversity Advocacy Team started in 2018 to monitor and create DEIB activities, including an emphasis on community events and activities, hiring and retention efforts, and professional development and curriculum. Its members come from faculty and staff across all three divisions.

Professional Development

Maumee Valley in 2022-2023 sent several faculty and staff to the NAIS People of Color Conference and six students to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference. DEIB issues also have been the focus of several faculty and staff professional development days.