Valuing Individuals While Changing Systems Along the Way
How do we create a school culture that actively celebrates diversity and identities? At Barnet School, we moved beyond policy and handbooks into the heart of our community through the power of storytelling.
Through a shared commitment statement created with our Collaborative Working Group, we are building a healthy ecosystem where voices are valued and authentic stories are honored. Guided by the Vermont IRIS Framework and Education Quality Standards (EQS), our school strives to be an environment of openness, curiosity, and joy.
Our week-long residency with Vermont poet, Rajnii Eddins, and the poems our students crafted with him, are a testament to the work occurring at our school. By centering identity through poetry, our students are discovering how their personal stories define them while also learning to navigate a diverse world with empathy. This connection to their heritage continues as students interview community elders about food memories. By blending culinary arts with oral histories, they are preserving local legacies in a cookbook that serves as a bridge between generations.
As writer Patti Digh wrote, “The shortest distance between two people is a story.” Through ongoing reflection, reinstated morning advisories, and exploration of Black history through Vermont-based places (such as The Rokeby Museum and Clemmons Family Farm), we are building appreciation for others. By sharing our stories, we are creating a living culture of accountability and belonging, actively shaping a more equitable future.
