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About Athletics » DEI in Athletics

DEI in Athletics

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Meridian Athletics


Meridian School’s Commitment to DEI: It is critical that everyone feels safe and supported as part of the Meridian family. We want a better world for everyone and believe that diversity makes us all stronger. This ethos of equality exists deep in the core of the International Baccalaureate's mission: to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. We recognize that this starts with us, both as individuals and together as a school community. 


Meridian Athletics Mission Statement:  At Meridian School, we believe that students should balance the different aspects of their lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being and well-roundedness. Participation in competitive athletics and sports can contribute to this balance. The athletic experience will be provided within a nurturing environment that motivates the student athlete to view athletics and sports as life-long endeavors. Coaches will work with student athletes to aid their understanding of their strengths and weaknesses to enhance their personal development and improve their contribution to the success of the team. Win or lose, Meridian School will encourage student athletes to provide a winning effort, exhibit sportsmanship, enthusiasm, and demonstrate respect for all.


Meridian’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Athletics: Providing an environment and experiences that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive is an ongoing process. It requires continual education and constant efforts towards improving communications, programs, processes, and trust.

 

Steps being taken in Athletics:

  • All staff members of the Athletics Department are actively committed and engaged in DEI growth at Meridian.
  • We hosted our first DEI in Athletics Listening Sessions, and we built an action plan based on what we learned from the Athletics Community.
    • View the recording of the first DEI in Athletics Listening Session (2/25/2021) here.
  • We audited our communications and systems through a DEI lens and made updates where needed.
  • We added DEI-related questions to our interview process for coaches.
  • We are including DEI training for our coaching staff. (Watch the Coaches' DEI Training video here.)
  • We succinctly communicated a simple process for communicating DEI concerns within Athletics.
  • We have added a Student Manager position for students in 2021-2022. This will allow students to participate on a team who might not be able to otherwise.
  • We will no longer have team names that correspond to school colors. Instead, we will have team names that correspond to team personality, such as "Middle School Fierce" and "Middle School Brave" instead of "Middle School Red" and "Middle School Black."

The Athletics Department is run by three people who are individually and collectively fully engaged in DEI growth at Meridian.


Monique Swain - Director of Student Enrichment Services

2020-2021 DEI Coordinator


Robyn Tester - Secondary Enrichment Assistant

Member of the DEI General Committee and Student Engagement/Curriculum Subcommittee and the School Policies, Discipline and Data Analysis Subcommittee


Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, all coaches and assistant coaches will be required to take DEI training before their season starts. 


As a small department that supports approximately 450 student athletes a year, efficient processes and clear and effective communication are essential to our success. We pride ourselves in creating tools that are user-friendly and evolve with the needs of our community. Regardless of how polished our communications and processes are, we are committed to being open-minded and flexible in our endeavor towards equity in Athletics. We have recently audited our communications and processes through a lens of equity and made improvements along the way. However, if you find a communication, process, experience, or our Terms for Participation to be inequitable, we encourage you to reach out to us so that we can apply your insight or experience towards further growth.


Reporting DEI Concerns in Athletics:

Anyone can report DEI Concerns in Athletics.

  1. To share areas of growth that are not immediately affecting a member of the community, please email your thoughts to [email protected].
  2. For immediate concerns, please reach out to Monique Swain at [email protected]
  3. Concerns may also be submitted via the Anonymous Reporting Tool