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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice


 

Limnyuy Konglim ‘01

Executive Director – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
lkonglim@olgchs.org
240-283-3236

Informed by our Xaverian values, our goal is to make sure that each student that passes through our halls is not only expertly educated, but also has the strength of conviction to stand up for justice, speak out against inequity, and seek diversity and inclusion in every aspect of life. 

We believe that our diversity is a blessing that enriches our community. It is in doing this that our community truly lives out the Xaverian values of simplicity, humility, compassion, zeal, and trust.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion works closely with school leaders throughout our community to ensure alignment of our diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work with our school mission and priorities. This includes establishing safe spaces for students to foster connections and their sense of belonging; providing professional development for faculty and staff, cultivating social justice and inclusion student leaders, and actively promoting and expressing our appreciation and respect for the gift of our diverse community.

As a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School, we are called to build diverse and inclusive communities that encourage enduring personal relationships through an understanding of culture and perspectives. It is through our intentional centering of diversity, inclusion, equity and justice that we inspire students to excel, serve and love. 

Much of ODI’s efforts are supported through our Social Justice and Inclusion Leaders (SJILs), a diverse group of student leaders charged with promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice throughout our school community. Their key responsibilities include planning student programming, attending conferences, and serving as peer mediators. Through their support, and our commitment to working with faculty, staff, students, and our entire community, we hope to continue to foster an environment where every single human can be excellent.


Diversity Statement

  • We believe diversity is a blessing that enriches our community.
  • We respect, value and celebrate the unique, God given gifts of each member of our community.
  • We strive for excellence in promoting equity and justice for our entire community.
  • We love and serve our students, faculty, staff, parents and visitors of any age, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, appearance, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, neighborhood, sexual orientation, national origin, or political affiliation.
  • We seek to identify and challenge all forms of prejudice, discrimination and injustice.

Key Terms

How key terms are understood in the community of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

Diversity

The wide range of human characteristics used to mark or identify individual and group identities including, but not limited to, age, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, appearance, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, neighborhood, sexual orientation, national origin, or political affiliation. The term is used as shorthand for visible and quantifiable statuses, but diversity of thought and ways of knowing, being, and doing are also understood as natural, valued, and desired states, the presence of which benefit our school and society as a whole.

Equity
 
Equity is not equality; it is the expression of justice, ethical practices, and the absence of discrimination. Our sense of equity is founded on appreciation of and respect for the dignity of each person as a unique creation, made in the image of God. Equity is a condition that balances two dimensions: fairness and inclusion. As a function of fairness, equity implies ensuring that people have what they need to participate in school life and reach their full potential. As a function of inclusion, equity ensures that essential educational programs, services, activities, and technologies are accessible to all.
Inclusion
 
Encompassing all; taking every individual’s experience and identity into account; creating conditions where all feel accepted, safe, empowered, supported, and affirmed; expanding the sense of community to include all and giving all a voice. Being inclusive means ensuring co-ownership and shared responsibility among all members of the school community for creating the conditions whereby each person is able to carry out his or her role successfully.

Justice

Our commitment to justice is rooted in Gospel values and tied to our recognition of the common good and our respect for the transcendent dignity of each human person. Society ensures social justice when: it provides the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation; the distribution of resources is equitable; and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. Social justice involves social actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of social responsibility toward and with others and society as a whole.