Embracing Diversity

Trinity Episcopal School aims to instill in our students an enduring appreciation for and commitment to the richness of diversity. In order to achieve this goal we choose each year a community building theme around which we can dialog, visit, learn, share, create, discuss, question and get inspired. As a result, we hope to enrich the TES community and equip all of its members to embrace diversity more fully. We are committed to ensuring our Trinity community mirrors that of the larger Charlotte community in terms of socio-economic, ethnic and cultural diversity.

2011-12 Embracing Diversity Initiative
The Peaceable Kingdom: Making Space for Our Differences

The inspiration comes from the biblical prophets, and in particular, from Isaiah:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb:

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat:

the calf and the lion, and the sheep shall abide together,

and a little child shall lead them. — Isaiah 11:6

Our task is to pursue God’s vision for God’s people so imaginatively and poetically expressed by the prophet: that one day all peoples from all walks of life will live together in harmony and peace. But how do we get from “here to there?” Perhaps we need to go against our natural instincts as “wolves, leopards, and lions” to devour and dominate, or as “lambs, young goats, and sheep” to run and hide.

We’re called to risk stepping outside of our familiar world view to boldly yet humbly encounter the culture of others, expanding our intercultural sensitivity and adjusting our attitudes and behaviors so that we can realize the vision cast before us. This year’s initiative offers the opportunity to learn more about the perceptions, practices, and protocols that provoke a multicultural community to thrive—one that begins to embody the Peaceable Kingdom that God has promised.

Learning Through Servanthood

Regular and meaningful service activity in our local and global community is intended to develop a lifelong habit of the heart in our students. To this end, each grade-level is partnered with a community organization whose mission and services are related to curriculum goals. Our students address real community needs in ways that are connected to and informed by their classroom learning. Year-long partnerships create the possibility of relationship formation that transforms charity into mutual service among neighbors. In addition to the grade-level Service Learning, there are also, from time to time, school-wide outreach or service projects.

Service Learning Partnerships

Teachers at each grade level use service learning as an instructional tool to teach their curriculum. Having a service partnership facilitates the use of that tool. Using a service partner whose mission overlaps curricular areas of study creates a win-win relationship. Developing a sequence of social problems for our students to explore nurtures servant leadership.

Kindergarten
Hunger, Malnutrition & Food Distribution
Nutrition Coalition: Friendship Trays, Loaves & Fishes, St. Andrew’s Gleaning, Community Culinary School

First Grade
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Communities
Local farmers, Loaves & Fishes, and Heifer International & other global partners

Second Grade
Caring for God’s Creation
Little Sugar Creek Greenway Garden

Third Grade
Homelessness and Affordable Housing
Urban Ministry Center

Fourth Grade
Physically and Mentally Challenged Neighbors
Metro School of CMS

Fifth Grade
Conservancy: Protecting Quality of Life
Carolina Raptor Center

Sixth-Eighth Grade
Students will engage in service partnerships through individual middle school classes with service activities geared towards teaching the curriculum of the class. Parent assistance may be required on a class by class basis for logistical and organizational support, so don’t be surprise to hear from your child’s teachers asking for such!