Articulating - An Independent School Podcast

Why does faculty diversity matter? And how can schools attract and retain diverse talent? Curtis March - Director of Upper School for the Birch Wathen Lenox School - joins Gina and Sam to share BWL's efforts and progress. Curtis March, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, has worked in education for over thirty years. He and his wife, who is also an...

The jock, the prepster, the delinquent. Black male students are often regarded by their peers and educators through a unique lens. How can they successfully navigate this social landscape and also be a student and—most importantly—be happy? Naledi Semela—an Antiracist Educator and the Browning School's Director of Equitable Practices and Social Impact—joins us to understand the social elements fam...

How does an Episcopal day school like St. Hilda's and St. Hughs in NYC foster inclusivity for its mixed-faith student population? Head of School Virginia Connor joins us to discuss the school's current efforts, which includes a strategic plan and new role for family engagement. Follow us at @artic.ulating on IG for more of Articulating!

"Grit" and "exceptionalism" are frequently used in education to praise BIPOC students who face adversity, but what does grit actually mean? And is resilience an appropriate measure of competitiveness in school admissions? Testing prep expert Akil Bello joins us for a part two! Follow us at @artic.ulating on IG for more of Articulating!

Despite the widespread adoption of test optionality, families continue to spend jaw-dropping sums on test prep to improve their students' chances. But are the tutors, classes, books and software actually worth the investment? Akil Bello—a test prep expert best known for his appearance Netflix's "Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal"—joins us to explore standardized testing's cos...

Educator Ruth Jurgensen joined Prep for Prep in July 2020 as CEO--the first person of color in that position. Jurgensen was tasked to reimagine the organization's vision and mission through the lens of equity, wellness, and innovation. Ruth joins Gina and Sam to share insights from the org's recently completed strategic plan, several key initiatives the plan has spawned, and the power of Prep's ex...

For many BIPOC children, attending PWI schools without proper support can be psychologically harmful. Families today are using Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World as a reference tool for how to raise their token students. Author Cole Brown joins the pod to share his thoughts on this phenomenon and detail his journey from indy school, to management consultant, to published author. Follow us...

If you have a BIPOC indy school family, mainstream admissions resources might not speak directly to your needs. "The Black Families Guide to College Admissions" answers your burning questions about HBCU v. PWI, defining success for your student and beginning to lay the foundation towards generational wealth. Admissions experts Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown join the show to discuss this...

André Robert Lee’s documentary “Prep School Negro” made waves throughout the independent school circuit a decade ago. Lee joins Gina and Sam to talk about the film’s reception, his evolution since its release, and how PSN continues to impact budding filmmakers, authors, and indy school families today. Follow us at @artic.ulating on IG for more of Articulating!

Today, we have a great guest joining us. Dare we say the best guest ever? Gina Parker Collins is chatting with Sam to dish about her recent appearance on CBSN’s “The Trials of Critical Race Theory.” In this special, a dozen parents, students and experts like Gina discuss the facts, figures, and philosophies around this hot button topic. Have you watched it yet? Well spoiler alert, there were a lot...

Imagine being voiceless and then one day an Instagram account amplifies your story. Then your story and others like you become the catalyst for the biggest DEIB evolution in the history of independent schools. Black at Private School was created to support Black Students, Faculty/Staff members, Parents, and Alumni of Private Schools. Its aim is to make all of our educational institutions equitable...

Episode Two, Season Two is here! How do schools articulate "Belonging" in their print and digital media? And at what point does featuring underrepresented students become exploitive? In recent years, independent school marketing and communications teams have had to reckon with how their images and language potentially mis-portray the student experience. Jan Abernathy, Chief Communications Officer...

Welcome to season two of Articulating! Do your appearance, actions, and background impact the odds of your child gaining admission? What do you do if you're running late? How should you dress? Sharrie Varroux Renaud of the Avenues: The World School joins Gina and Sam to explore the do's and don'ts of "Admissions Etiquette". Sharrie joined Avenues in 2020 and has been particularly passionate about...

The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like Ellie! Today marks our final episode of the Summer Scholar takeover for @ artic .ulating and we couldn't end with a better scholar.  Ellie is a recent indy school graduate who's accomplished so much already as a student leader. As she embarks on the next chapter of her academic...

The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like Jada! Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @ artic .ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!! Jada is a rising Senior and as a Black girl at a PWI, she is leaning more into her Blackness and the opportunity to learn new perspectives. S...

The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like brothers James and John! Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @ artic .ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!! 6th grader John, 11, likes all sports especially American football and basketball. He stayed up beyond his bed time to wat...

The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like the one and only rising senior, Dariana! Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @ artic .ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!! Get ready to hear from rising indy school senior, D.A.R.I.A.N.A, as she Takes Over and ARTICULATES her bol...

We did it! Join Gina & Sam for a recap of the last six months. We could not have had the same impact without our wonderful guests, and you the listeners! Thank you for being on the independent school journey articulating the joy, challenges, outcomes, and wins as Black & Brown stakeholders! We're excited about the Summer Takeover of Articulating with our Black and Brown Scholars! StayTuned...

In today’s episode, we welcome Avenues School’s Global Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and parent, Kym Ward Gaffney. Kym joins us to discuss how Avenues' data-driven approach to diversity translates across their multinational campuses. And how a school's becoming and Black & Brown family's belonging requires work. Kym Ward Gaffney has been the Global Head for Diversity, Equity, and...

In today’s episode of Articulating, we are thrilled to welcome our first head of school, Dr. Tom Kelly, from Horace Mann in the Boogie Down Bronx! Listen in as Tom ardently articulates his perspective and leadership style prioritizing the relevance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at a time when there is intense pushback to the evolution of long-overdue racial reckoning and progress...

Independent schools can open up a world of opportunity and careers for students of color-but what about creative careers? On today’s episode, we chat with designer and indy school alum Mapate Diop about his path from attending Riverdale Country School to launching the streetwear brand DIOP. Mapate Diop is a Detroit-based fashion designer who has raised more than $100,000 for social-justice causes...

On today’s episode, we chat with Dr. Cristina Melendez, the Parent Whisperer, about how hard-working parents can practice self-care and empower their children to self-advocate in the classroom. Dr. Cristina interrupts a parents’ need to raise their kids how society wants and teaches them to raise their kids how they choose to so they can succeed in school & life. In short, she helps families r...

In this episode, we had the awesome privilege of articulating with Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. We really needed his voice in response to the recent backlash to the anti-racist curriculum many of our independent schools are instituting in alignment with their mission statements and DEIB commitments. What we value about Dr. Moore's voice is that he gives the facts straight and no chaser. However, his passio...

As promised, here's the second half of ep. 5 and equally as good! Thank you, Marta! In part one we discussed educator accountability. This hits home with parents having agency in supporting culturally responsive and anti-racist curriculum for our young scholars, and their peers. Highlights *what wakes Marta up, *choosing indy school education, *the personal power narratives as armor, *LITTLE SALLI...

The bottom line is, August Wilson’s Fences and other literary or interdisciplinary works where race is central, or undeniable, requires utmost care, respect, historical context, responsive research, and educators humble enough to dig deep and tell the full truth -before it is taught in our classrooms. This episode is so good it has to be a two-parter! Our guest is the phenomenal Dr. Marta Effinger...