Appleby College's Gender Inclusive Boarding Program
Appleby College's Gender Inclusive Boarding Program recognizes and embraces gender diversity, providing a supportive environment for students of all gender identities. Through inclusive dorm options and a commitment to LGBTQ2S+ support, Appleby aims to promote equity and foster inclusion within its boarding community. Embracing a non-binary approach, the program contributes to a culture of openness and equality for all members.
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Introducing Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program May 2021
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Gender Inclusive Boarding (GIB) acknowledges and affirms gender diversity as an important aspect of boarding life with students from all gender identities and expressions - cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, agender and genderqueer, living together in the same boarding house. What is Gender Inclusive Boarding 2
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Boarding schools such as Phillips Exeter Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, Phillips Academy Andover, The Hotchkiss School, and Northfield Mount Herman School have each opened, or are in the process of creating, dorm options that are inclusive of all genders. Max, 13 year old, identifies as agender neither male nor female. Bert Johnson, KQED, National Public Radio article, Elite Prep Schools Experiment With All-Gender Dorms 3
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program We now have two dorms that are designated as all-gender, which means they are supportive communities that are open to anyone with a shared interest in this topic. Joanne Lembo, Director of Student Activities, Phillips Exeter Academy 4
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Appleby seeks to promote equity and foster inclusion within boarding by providing the structures, training, and support needed to help Appleby's LGBTQ2S+ student population thrive mentally and emotionally. Why Gender Inclusive Boarding at Appleby We seek to recognize the needs of our LGBTQ2S+ students in the school s residential life policies by providing them with support that is unique from our heterosexual student group. 5
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program It is now widely understood that gender identity is not limited to girl, boy, men, women; our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan makes a commitment to be more inclusive. All students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni can benefit from Appleby s culture becoming less binary and more open to all genders as the school moves towards greater equality and openness. 6
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Gender identification and exploration is a delicate and personal process. Creating space and a gender inclusive culture in our residences is essential for the health and wellbeing of our gender expansive students. As a community, we have a responsibility to expect, prepare and create a supportive space for all. 7
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program As a nonbinary person, I ve always kind of accepted being put into a box that I m not a part of and it s never felt good, but I couldn t really protest it. So if there s a chance for me and all these other people to simply live in housing without it being another box, I think it s a really great idea. Current Upper One Student What Current Students & Alumni Think 8
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program I think the experience of being a queer teen can be so unique and isolating. It can be difficult to not only have internal struggles and questioning of your gender and/or sexuality but to also feel that it is unsafe for you to be your full self around your peers. Having a sense of community while in boarding would be an incredible comfort and support. Since boarding is mandatory in S2 I think it would only be fair that every student gets an equal opportunity to flourish and succeed. Current Upper Two Student 9
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Housing that holds space for trans, non-binary and queer + racially profiled students will allow them to see community among themselves. My sister and I both went through boarding having our own space - which made it feel safe and enjoyable. I would have loved to live in a house that I knew everyone else was part of my community. Alumni 16 10
Appleby Colleges Gender Inclusive Boarding Program As someone who came out as transgender while at Appleby, I found that some faculty members involved in residence were often poorly instructed on what to do regarding students that do not identify as their assigned gender. I feel that by exploring new housing options, it would be possible to avoid a lot of the issues that I have personally experienced. Alumni 19 11
Appleby College Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Year 1 - 2020/2021 Restructure the current boarding survey to reflect options for gender inclusive boarding. Professional development for house faculty with Joanne Lembo and Lee Airton Conference with applicants who have expressed interest in gender inclusive boarding and make rooming selections. Educate students and faculty about gender inclusivity. Appleby s Gender Inclusive Boarding Program 12
Appleby College Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Year 2 - 2021/2022 Certify new Residential Life faculty as Positive Space Ambassadors (Positive Space Training) Certify House Council members and prefects and S1 leaders as Positive Space Allies Professional development for new house faculty centering on gender inclusion. Implement dynamic programming across all residence platforms educating students on DEI. Designate and label washrooms in residences as gender inclusive. Continue with best practices from previous year. Appleby s Gender Inclusive Boarding Program 13
Appleby College Gender Inclusive Boarding Program Year 3 - 2022/2023 Continue best practices from years 1-2 If applicable, integrate an additional residence on the platform of gender inclusive housing. Explore placement options of mixed gendered residential faculty. Create/distribute a boarding survey to gather student feedback on the gender inclusive boarding experience. Host an open forum for students outlining the logistics of gender inclusive housing (house specific) Continue with best practices from years one and two. Appleby s Gender Inclusive Boarding Program 14
Appleby College Gender Inclusive Boarding Program 1. Boarding Survey will be distributed next week 2. Those students indicating an interest in Gender Inclusive Boarding will be invited to a Student Teacher Conference to determine if GIB is a good fit for their boarding experience 3. Students will be required to sign a Gender Inclusive Boarding and Allyship Agreement Next Steps Primary focus of gender inclusive boarding is to create an environment safe and welcoming for all Appleby students. 15
Appleby College Gender Inclusive Boarding Program House faculty will prioritize the placement of students who are the most vulnerable in terms of their gender identity in a gender inclusive space and strategically place student allies. Student washrooms will be updated over the summer of 2021 to provide additional privacy. Next Steps Signage and correspondence will be updated to reflect the shift 16
