As leaders of our institutions, we need to have strategic vision and global understanding to manage meaningful change. What demographic and philosophical changes make diversity and inclusion an imperative value added rather than a desired additive? What factors help us understand where the school is on the spectrum of exclusive clubs to inclusive organizations? How do we move our communities strategically at the pace that is right for the school? What are some best practices for getting the right people to the school and leveraging their talents? How do we sustain our positive growth over time? Discuss these questions and gather tools to help our schools become the leading edge of cultural competency, inclusion, and equity.

1. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Cultural Competency
in Independent Schools
What Leaders Need to Know
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

3. Goals
 Basic Definitions
 Cultural Competency
 Assessing Where You Are
 Priming for Change (or Sustaining It)
 Assessing and Reassessing
 Resources
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Basic Definitions
Diversity: Difference, Variety
Diversity is Value Added:
Business Portfolio
Biodiversity
Creativity
Innovation

5. Race
Religion
Class
Gender
Sexual
Orientation
Ability
Age
Ethnicity
Geographic Location
Language
Educational
Attainment
Appearance
Seniority
Position
or Title
Status
Relationship
To Power Players
Internal
External
Institutional
Dimensions of Identity and Culture
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

6. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Basic Definitions
Inclusion: A sense of belonging,
worthiness, and value one feels in an
organization
Are you an owner or an employee?
Are you “in the family” or are you a guest?

7. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Inclusion Parable:
The Giraffe
and the Elephant

8. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Basic Definitions
Equity: providing opportunities and
access to all so that every person can
achieve their full potential. Equitable
treatment involves acknowledging
diversity, recognizing and celebrating
our differences, and eliminating the
barriers that prevent the full
participation of all peoples.

9. Equality vs Equity
Everybody gets a shirt versus everybody
gets a shirt that fits.
Giving everybody some insulin in
equality. Giving only people who are
diabetic some insulin is equity.
What is “fair”?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

10. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

11. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Basic Definitions
Justice: An active and conscious effort
to work against multidimensional
aspects of systems of injustice (racism,
sexism, homophobia, etc.) by
identifying, describing, and dismantling
injustice wherever you find it, including
within yourself.
Derived from Robert J. Patterson, Ibram X. Kendi, and Ijeoma Oluo

12. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. Culture [consists] primarily of the
symbolic, ideational, and intangible
aspects of human societies… It is the
values, symbols, interpretations, and
perspectives that distinguish one
people from another.
James A. Banks
What is Culture?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

14. Cultural Competency:
Many Models
Cultural competence is a set of
congruent behaviors, attitudes and
policies that come together in a
system, institution or individual and
enable that system, institution or
individual to work effectively in cross-
cultural situations.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Terry Cross

15. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
The Jones Model of Cultural Competence
Cultural Self-
Awareness
Cultural
Intelligence
Cross-Cultural
Effectiveness
Skills
Countering
Oppression
through
Inclusion

16. Cultural Competence: Key Elements
Value Orientation
Diversity as Value Added
Respect
Relationships
Equity
Thought Orientation
Knowledge
Awareness
Systems Thinking
Action Orientation
Consciousness Building
Capacity Building
Assessment
Adaptation
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

17. An Educational Imperative
The Moral Case
The Academic Case
The Economic Case
Institution Excellence
Teacher Excellence
Student Excellence
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

18. 21st Century Education and Excellence
 Critical Thinking
 Collaboration
 Communication
 Creativity
 Cosmopolitanism
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

19. An Institutional Approach
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

20. From Exclusive to Inclusive:
Developmental Stages
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

21. Milton Bennett’s
Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

22. Hallmarks of Earlier Phases
 People feel pressure to fit in
 People fear speaking up
 “Who you know” is more important than “what you
know” (relationship-based culture)
 You only trust those closest to you (cliques)
 Denial of differences is considered a virtue (“we
don’t see differences here”)
 It’s hard for outsiders to learn the rules (sink or
swim to prove yourself)
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

23. Hallmarks of Later Phases
 People can bring their full selves to school
 The school encourages and welcomes people to
contribute different opinions and points of view
 There is a performance driven culture
 People form dynamic and diverse groups (trust)
 Differences are seen as additive and productive
 Success is explicitly defined, and the school supports
people in achieving it
 The school has an interactive culture
 People have the competencies to adapt to different
cultural contexts.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

24. Schools Have ZPDs, Too!
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Status Quo:
Reliance on what the
school does already
and naturally
Zone of Proximal
Development:
Mindful and strategic
change toward the
next stage of growth
Too Much, Too Fast:
Unrealistic demands
on the community

25. Success vs Failure of Initiatives
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
------ + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Confusion
Vision + ------ + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Sabotage
Vision + Consensus + ------ + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Anxiety
Vision + Consensus + Skills + ------ + Resources + Action Plan = Resistance
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + ------ + Action Plan = Frustration
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + ------ = Treadmill
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Change
*Adapted from T. Krosier’s “Managing Complex Change.”

26. Identifying Growth Zones – The 5Ps
• Policy – Enumeration of commitment through mission,
strategic plan, handbooks, websites, etc.
• Programming – Training and programming for all
constituencies. Annual events, curriculum, support
groups, etc.
• Practice – Consistent and meaningful revisit of policy
and programs. Climate assessments, proactive
changes, and meaningful responses to incidents.
• People – Critical mass of people who are supportive
AND active on all levels.
• Pecuniary – Funding, people, and time allocated in the
strategic plan and daily life for supporting diversity
efforts.
(• Priority – When there is limited time, resources, or
competing priorities, which is first to go?)
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

27. Everybody Has a Role
 CC of Non-Teaching Educator (Staff)
 CC in Athletics (AD and Coaches)
 CC in Finances (Business, HR, Admissions, and Development)
 CC Interview Questions (Hiring Committees and Candidates)
 Cultural Proficiency for Teacher Administrators
(Department Heads, Dean of Faculty)
 Culturally Competent Leaders (Heads and Practitioners)
 Culturally Fluent Organization Development
(Heads and Practitioners)
 Inclusion Planning Tool (Policy, Practice, Event, etc.)
 Inclusive Classroom Practices (Teachers)
 Inclusive Communication Checklist (Communications)
 Librarian Cultural Competency Standards (Librarians)
 Recruitment to Retention (Admissions and Hiring)
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

28. Keeping Up To Date:
Assessment and Training
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

29. Assess and Reassess
 Demographic Trends
– Entrance Numbers
– Attrition Numbers
– Disciplinary Cases
– Academic Cases
– Financial Aid Breakdowns
 Climate Surveys
 Exit Interviews
 Programmatic Surveys
 Pre-Post Assessments
 Every 1-2 Years
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

30. Cultural Competency Skillsets
 Identity Development
 Cross Cultural Communication
 Intercultural Conflict
 Bias, Power, and Systems
 Privilege and Allyship
 Implicit and Unconscious Bias
 School Culture and Change
 Inclusive Curriculum
 Leading and Following
 Cultural Adaptation
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

31. Doing It on a Budget
 Free Climate Surveys
 Survey Monkey, Google Forms, etc.
 Word Clouds
 Task Forces
 Online Courses with Cohorts
 Post Conference Share-Outs and
Trainings
 Book Discussion Groups
 Expertise Exchange
 Forming Consortia With Other
Schools
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

32. Resources Available
at tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
 Common Vocabulary
 Assessment Tools From Various Organizations
 Links to Resource Websites
 Professional Development Options
 Must Read Books
 Can’t Find What You’re Looking For? Contact Me!

33. Making Choices, Setting Priorities
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

34. Final Questions or Comments?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

35. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)