At Collingwood School, we aim to foster an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces diversity. Through education and courage, we are committed to cultivating a pluralistic* environment as we work together to remove barriers so that every person feels welcomed, understood and valued.

 *Pluralism – An understanding, respect and philosophical belief that all members of society, regardless of background, gender, race and religion can co-exist together peacefully.

Collingwood School’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Commitment statement is our Community’s pledge to one another. The development of this Commitment began in 2019 and included the input of our students, staff and faculty, Senior Leadership and Board of Governors. We used a co-construction model considering: Collingwood’s stakeholder consultation input; Wentworth and Morven faculty EDI teams, Junior and Senior School student EDI groups and committees, and direct input from sub-committee work at the School Leadership level. Input from other CAIS, NAIS and ISABC schools was also considered.

This iterative process provided opportunities over time to accurately reflect and emphasize the importance of what a true sense of belonging means within our community. The Commitment is the result of a thorough, consultative process and reflects where our Collingwood community is in our EDI journey today

Collingwood recognizes that the work of creating equitable opportunities with diverse perspectives and people in an inclusive environment is a journey. We are thoughtful in our approach to EDI and we  aim to make our work meaningful and engaging for all students, colleagues and community members. We foster curiosity, courageous conversations and collaborating with local, national and global communities. EDI at Collingwood means exploration and understanding of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Indigenous Teaching and Learning, and Racial and Cultural Equity and Acceptance. Topics are introduced to students based on the age and stage of their development. All of our students need to feel safe, welcomed and positively reflected in the curriculum. Everything we do under the umbrella of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Collingwood is underpinned with education and is upheld by our EDI Commitment.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion fosters a safe, respectful and healthy learning environment. As an educational institution, we have the responsibility of not only preparing our students for life beyond the walls of Collingwood, but also to provide the understanding, empathy, and meaning they need in order to better navigate the complex world around them.