About Spence

Diversity and Equity

At Spence, we commit to...

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  • Trustee Statement

    We commit to making Spence an inclusive, equitable and multi-identity community in which each student will build intellectual and moral capacity, not only for school but also for life. Spence young women enter the world as excellent scholars and engaged citizens, able to bridge differences and diverse points of view to meet the complex challenges of a changing world. Spence is an environment that embraces differences, honors identity and values full membership and belonging for all.

    Guided by our Community Standards, we stand up against exclusion, bias, racism and prejudice in all forms. While deepening our understanding and appreciation of a diverse community, we recognize the ongoing opportunities and the challenges inherent in learning from one another. Together, we find power and joy in working collaboratively to ensure that Spence is a place of ethical stance and substance, a place in which students, parents, faculty and administration cultivate personal integrity in service to the collective values of respect and trust.

Defining Diversity, Equity, and Belonging

Diversity refers to the full range of human differences within overarching similarities. These differences can be visible or invisible, mutable, or not. Schools foster diversity by ensuring that their communities include people from many different backgrounds and perspectives.
Equity means ensuring that everyone has equal access to the opportunities that will help them thrive. Not everyone in a school community will have the same needs; schools can address equity by understanding the needs of each student and providing the tools or opportunities that will support their development. 
Belonging refers to the emotional and experiential outcome of inclusion. All humans share the need to be taken in, cared-for, protected, and valued by a group, community, or organization. Belonging gives people a voice in a community, and encourages and enables them to contribute to it and to expect support from it as well.

Have Questions?

Reach out to MarQuis Chappell, Director of Institutional Equity

Civil Discourse Statement

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  • At Spence we value…

    True education includes learning how to honor differences and entering into conversations with curiosity and a truly open mind. Our Student Equity Council students have worked collaboratively with each other, the faculty and administration, and have succeeded in centering respect for each other and creating a caring, open and honest atmosphere in which to grapple with issues and learn together. These are crucial skills that will serve them well outside the Red Doors. Learn more about our Civil Discourse Statement.
Created by Upper School Student Council and Upper School Equity Council

NAOMI LIGON ’18, COMMENCEMENT SPEECH

“We have all grown in courage, competence and maturity, while celebrating our differences in religion, skin tone, who and what we love, socioeconomic status and political views. We have shown that we can operate in unity, which is not the same as uniformity nor unanimity. We don’t all have to sing the same note—like a choir, we are called to sing many notes in harmony, which allows us each to contribute our unique tones to create something beautiful.”

Community Standards

Understanding that good, strong community can never be accidental, The Spence School asks every member within its fold to meet the high standards necessary for effective citizenship and valued humanity. We are committed to an inclusive and equitable school, and we will continue to marshal our community to stand up against exclusion, bias, racism and prejudice in all forms. Beyond any calculus of rules, Spence strives, always and in all ways, to be a place of ethical stance and substance, a place in which students, parents, faculty and administration cultivate personal integrity in service to the collective values of respect and trust. 

This we believe for school and for life. This allegiance has at its core a partnership of engagement, education and responsibility, all held in balance for that significant relationship between life and learning. Recognizing that mistakes can sometimes be our most vibrant lessons, we also understand that clear and deliberate expectations go hand-in-hand with meaningful consequences. With trust as our pilot and respect as our goal, Spence thrives and is dependent upon our collective commitment to moral leadership.

In Our Community

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  • Students

    Students interested in leading initiatives designed to advance Spence’s culture of belonging are invited to participate in several ways:
    • Affinity Groups provide opportunities for students to reflect on their shared identity and related experiences within the context of a school community. These groups are co-facilitated by students with the support of several faculty advisors.
    • The Upper School Student Equity Council partners with the school administration, members of the student body, and the Equity Office to design educational programming related to equity and identity to help advance the culture of dignity and respect at Spence. The Equity Council wrote Spence’s Civil Discourse Statement, which guides how our community engages in civil dialogue.
    • The Conference on Civic Engagement is an annual, immersive event that gives students the opportunity to explore a current civics topic through panel discussions with civics experts, interactive workshops led by students, teachers, guest speakers, and small-group discussions in advisory teams.

  • Faculty

    Faculty and staff engage in ongoing learning about equity, identity, and belonging as a vital part of their professional practice. By participating in Spence’s Intro to Equity Seminar, Spence’s DEIB Professional Development Series, and attending regional and national conferences, Spence faculty and staff are attuned to the diverse needs and perspectives among our racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse student body.

  • Parents/Guardians

    At Spence, parent/guardian belonging is at the heart of our community. All parents/guardians are invited to participate in several programs designed to equip them with the necessary tools to engage their children in conversations related to current events, identity, and belonging:
    • Affinity Groups: At Spence, seven affinity groups provide opportunities for parents/guardians to reflect on their shared identity and related experiences within the context of a school community.
    • Tapestry: A learning space and coalition run by the Parents' Association for all Spence families, Tapestry is an opportunity for families to come together to discuss social issues and relevant parent/family challenges. Tapestry is meant to be a place of affirmation of our diverse community that provides opportunities for parents to learn in conversation together.
    • Tapestry's "In Conversation" Series: This lecture series affords parents and guardians the opportunity to learn from nationally-recognized guest presenters on a range of topics relevant to K-12 students, including mental health, current events, identity, and civil dialogue.

  • Alumnae

    The Alumnae Association’s Diversity Committee sponsors networking events and educational discussions for students, parents and alumnae interested in being in community together. The annual Alumnae/Current Student Game Night remains a favorite!
Explore Spence

The Spence School Non-Discrimination Policy

The Spence School adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship or athletic and other school-administered programs. 

44%

Faculty of Color

Students of Color: 50%

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  • 46%

    Lower School

  • 47%

    Middle School

  • 58%

    Upper School

10

Student Identity/Affinity Groups

Spence Students Come From

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  • Manhattan | Brooklyn

  • Queens | The Bronx

  • Long Island

  • NY State Region

  • New Jersey

  • Connecticut

Middle & Upper School

22 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128

Lower School

56 East 93rd Street
New York, NY 10128

Athletic & Educational Facility

412 East 90th Street
New York, NY 10128
A K-12 independent school in New York City, The Spence School prepares a diverse community of girls and young women for the demands of academic excellence and responsible citizenship.

212-289-5940


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