DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AT NOBLE

We build diverse teams because they perform better and get the best results for our students. We believe the staff at all levels of the organization should reflect our students and communities. We bring others in and make people from all backgrounds feel included in all spaces to create a culture of value and belonging. We share ideas, input, and perspectives, and we seek diverse voices and bring in traditionally excluded individuals and perspectives to arrive at the best decisions. We actively seek understanding to avoid assumptions and bias in decision-making. We examine ourselves to ensure that our practices and beliefs lead to equitable outcomes for all.

ANTI-RACISM AT NOBLE: OUR COMMITMENT

Click below to read about our commitment.

Anti-racism at Noble is the continual process of dismantling the systems or policies at every level of our organization that perpetuate and support racism through assimilationist, patriarchal, white supremacist, and anti-Black culture. Anti-racism means a redistribution of power where the voices, experiences, and brilliance of all of our people – especially Black and Brown students, alumni, staff, and families – inform and shape our decisions. This means centering the voices and experiences of our students, families, and communities in creating culturally relevant schooling that affirms the lived experience and traditions of all who make up our community. Noble is committed to working with our community, accepting our past, and creating a new path forward.

Noble acknowledges that its past policies and practices have promoted assimilationist, patriarchal, white supremacist, and anti-Black culture. Noble is committed to using this moment in our nation’s history to evaluate past practices that may have harmed the academic, social and emotional well being of students, former students, alumni, families, staff and the communities we serve. Noble is devoted to learning from our past and forging a more just future for all that we serve.

In order to continue our path toward becoming an antiracist organization, we, individually and collectively, commit to:

  • Reexamining our past policies and practices that have encouraged assimilation or negatively impacted our students, staff, and communities, and where appropriate, intentionally changing policies and practices in the interest of equity
  • Addressing anti-Blackness at Noble and redressing that harm
  • Institutionalizing continual, critical self-reflection that promotes ownership and culturally responsive and sustaining practices at every level of our organization
  • Building our individual and collective consciousness about race and racism and examining our implicit biases and areas of privilege
  • Ensuring that all of our community members, including students, families, and staff, have the space to be their authentic selves and ensure their voices are heard.
  • Approaching all of our work with a lens of intersectionality – taking into account an individual’s overlapping identities and experiences (e.g. race, gender identity, sexual orientation, social class, citizenship, etc.) – in order for the whole person to be valued and affirmed in all spaces at Noble
  • Building curricula that welcomes and affirms each student’s unique identity and values community cultural wealth

*The order of our commitments is not indicative of importance, chronology, or priority. They must all live constantly and continuously.

El antirracismo en Noble es el proceso continuo del desmantelamiento de los sistemas o políticas en todos los niveles de nuestra organización que perpetúan y apoyan el racismo a través de la cultura asimiladora, patriarcal, supremacista blanca y anti-Negra. El antirracismo significa una redistribución de poder en donde las voces, experiencias y brillantez de toda nuestra comunidad – especialmente la de estudiantes Negros y de color, ex alumnos, personal y familias – forman y dan forma a nuestras decisiones. Esto significa centrar las voces y experiencias de nuestros estudiantes, familias y comunidades en la creación de una educación culturalmente relevante que afirme las experiencias y las tradiciones vividas de todos los que son parte de nuestra comunidad. Noble se compromete a trabajar con nuestra comunidad, aceptar nuestro pasado y crear un nuevo camino hacia adelante.

Noble reconoce que sus políticas y prácticas pasadas han promovido la cultura asimilacionista, patriarcal, supremacista blanca y anti-Negra. Noble se compromete a utilizar este momento en la historia de nuestra nación para evaluar prácticas pasadas que pueden haber perjudicado el bienestar académico, social y emocional de estudiantes, ex estudiantes, ex alumnos, familias, personal y las comunidades a las que servimos. Noble se dedica a aprender de nuestro pasado y a forjar un futuro más justo para todos los que servimos.

Con el fin de continuar nuestro camino hacia convertirnos en una organización antirracista, nos comprometemos, individual y colectivamente, a:

  • Reexaminar nuestras políticas y prácticas pasadas que han fomentado la asimilación o impactado negativamente a nuestros estudiantes, personal y comunidades, y cuando sea apropiado, cambiar intencionalmente las políticas y prácticas hacia la equidad.
  • Lidiar con políticas y prácticas anti-Negras en Noble y reparar ese daño.
  • Institucionalizar la auto-reflexión crítica y continua que promueve la responsabilidad personal y prácticas de receptividad y sostenibilidad en todos los niveles de nuestra organización.
  • Construir nuestra conciencia individual y colectiva sobre raza y el racismo y examinar nuestros sesgos implícitos y áreas de privilegio.
  • Asegurar que todos los miembros de nuestra comunidad, incluidos los estudiantes, las familias y el personal, tengan el espacio para ser auténticamente ellos mismos y asegurar de que sus voces sean escuchadas.
  • Afrontar todo nuestro trabajo con una mentalidad interseccional – teniendo en cuenta las identidades y experiencias superpuestas de un individuo (por ejemplo, raza, identidad de género, orientación sexual, clase social, ciudadanía, etc.) – para que toda la persona sea valorada y afirmada en todos los espacios de Noble.
  • Crear currículum académico que acoja y afirme la identidad única de cada estudiante y valore la riqueza cultural comunitaria.

*El orden de nuestros compromisos no es indicativo de importancia, cronología o prioridad. Todos deben vivir constantemente y continuamente.

在“Noble特许学校网络”（Noble Network of Charter Schools, Noble），反种族主义乃在我们组织的各个层面 – 废除那些通过同化主义、男权主宰、白人至上及反黑人文化来延续及支持种族主义的制度或政策 – 的持续过程。反种族主义是权力的重新分配，在这个重新分配中，我们所有的人的声音、经历和智慧 – 尤其是黑人及棕色人种学生、校友、职工及家庭的声音、经历和智慧 – 塑造并影响我们的决策。这意味着，在创建肯定所有组成我们的社区的人的生活经验和传统、具有文化意义的学校教育的过程中，以我们的学生、家庭及社区的声音及经历为中心。“Noble”致力于与我们的社区合作、接受我们的过往以及创建崭新的前进道路。

“Noble”承认，其过去的政策及做法曾提倡同化主义、男权主宰、白人至上及反黑人文化。“Noble”现正致力于利用我们国家历史上的这一刻，对过去那些可能对学生、前学生、校友、学生家庭、职工及我们服务的社区造成伤害的做法进行评估。“Noble”现正专注于汲取过去的经验教训，并为我们所有的服务对象打造一个更公正的未来。为了继续向成为反种族主义组织的道路迈进，我们单独地及集体地承诺：

  • 重新审视我们过去曾鼓励同化或负面影响我们的学生、职工及社群的政策及做法，并在适当的情况下，为公平目的刻意改变政策及做法
  • 处理存在于“Noble”的反黑人问题，并纠正这种祸害
  • 制度化持续的批判自省，以在我们的组织的每一层面促进所有权、文化回应及持续的作法
  • 建立关于种族及种族主义的个人和集体意识，并检查我们的隐性偏见及隐性特权领域
  • 确保我们社群的所有成员（包括学生、家庭及职工）有足够的、做他们真实的自己及确保他们的声音被听到的空间
  • 以交叉透镜来处理我们的所有工作 – 即：考虑每一个人的重叠身份及经历（例如种族、性别认同、性取向、社会阶层、公民权等等）- 以使其整个人在“Noble”的所有空间中受到重视和肯定
  • 制定欢迎及肯定每一学生的独特身份并重视社群文化财富的课程

* 我们的承诺的排列次序并不代表重要性程度等级、发生顺序或优先等级。这些承诺必须持续不断地履行。

DEI TIMELINE OF MILESTONES

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  • Noble Hires 1st Diversity Recruiter

    Noble Hires 1st Diversity Recruiter

    Noble’s Recruitment Team hires our first part-time Diversity Recruiter as part of the Recruitment Hedgehog Team in an effort to improve our relationships w/diverse organizations and diversify our candidate pool.

  • “Team Talent” Created with Focus on Hiring More Diverse Staff

    “Team Talent” Created with Focus on Hiring More Diverse Staff

    Noble creates “Team Talent” and hires our second part-time Diversity Recruiter as part of the Recruitment Hedgehog Team. In 2014, Noble strengthened its commitment to diversifying our candidate pool & adds a full-time Diversity Recruiter Position to the team.

  • Pritzker Access Scholarship (PAS)

    Pritzker Access Scholarship (PAS)

    Noble secures a multi-year grant to support equitable opportunities in college access for undocumented students through the Pritzker Access Scholarship (PAS).

  • Noble’s First BIPOC Chief

    Noble’s First BIPOC Chief

    Noble hires the first person of color as an executive leader with the first African American woman as Chief External Affairs, Constance Jones.

  • Student Culture and Support

    Student Culture and Support

    In response to the Illinois SB100 bill, Noble refines and restricts exclusionary discipline policies with the aim of decreasing suspension and expulsion rates.

  • #BlackLivesMatter

    #BlackLivesMatter

    In July, Muchin College Prep’s founding principal, Kimberly Neal-Brannum, closes Noble’s first leadership retreat with an invoking conversation around race, racism in America, and why race matters at Noble.

  • HBCU Focus

    HBCU Focus

    Noble’s Director of College Partnerships, Noble Principals, and Deans of College host Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) admissions event to create a partnership with HBCUs and our Noble campuses.

  • DREAMer Supports

    DREAMer Supports

    Noble hires its first DREAMer Supports Manager to manage the Pritzker Access Scholarship and inform practices in supporting undocumented students and immigrant families.

  • Staff Development: DEI Focus

    Staff Development: DEI Focus

    The Academics Team offers year-long Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion professional development for all staff at quarterly network collaboration days, open to all staff. Noble changes its core value of “diversity of perspective” to “diversity, equity, & inclusion.”

  • Examining Our Impact with Black Boys

    Examining Our Impact with Black Boys

    Noble’s leadership engages in conversations and professional development at the Pal & Chief Retreat and Noble Leadership Retreat centered on Noble’s policies & their impact on the experience of black boys at Noble.

  • Student Experience

    Student Experience

    Noble partners with Panorama to gather data on the student experience & student voice at Noble.

  • Equitable College Success

    Equitable College Success

    The College Team intentionally analyzes college outcomes by demographics (race & gender) and school type to inform our approach in examining gaps and in improving practices in both college and alumni counseling, particularly for Black males.

  • Noble Salary Equity

    Noble Salary Equity

    Noble launches its salary schedule to ensure transparency of pay, predictability, & equity across a majority of positions. Noble hosts its first DEI training specifically for hiring managers.

  • Bold Statement

    Bold Statement

    At the August 2017 Back to School Kickoff, Noble’s founder publicly names Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion as a priority for the organization. Following this statement, Noble’s DEI Belief Statement, revised core value, and four DEI commitments for the school year..Read More

  • Noble Board Diversity

    Noble Board Diversity

    In April 2018, Harriette Coleman and Miquel Lewis joins the Noble board as parent representatives. Also, Jeri Mack and Dr. Lei Zhang Schiltz join in December.

  • Chief Equity Officer

    Chief Equity Officer

    In January, Noble’s announces its first Chief Equity Officer, Jennifer Reid Davis. In June, Noble announces its first Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, D. Nigel Green.

  • Be Anti-Racist, Be Noble

    Be Anti-Racist, Be Noble

    In June, Noble’s CEO makes a public statement in support of #BlackLivesMatter & names that Noble is committed to becoming an anti-racist organization.

  • Pride @ Noble

    Pride @ Noble

    The Employee Engagement team continues hosting OneNoble events; including Noble’s first Latinx Heritage Month Celebration (October), Black History Month Happy Hour (February), and LGBTQ+ Pride Happy Hour (June).

  • Diversity at the Top

    Diversity at the Top

    By the end of the school year, Noble has the most diverse chief board in its history, with 53% POC and 53% female. In June, Noble supports the CEO’s statement and hosts its annual Leadership retreat with more than 200..Read More

  • “The Noble Classroom”

    “The Noble Classroom”

    The Academics Team created “The Noble Classroom” incorporating a large focus on culturally responsive & sustaining teaching (the Connected Tenet).

  • First Noble CEO of Color

    First Noble CEO of Color

    Noble announces it’s first female CEO of color, Constance Jones. Noble’s first female Head Schools, Ellen Metz, begins her new role.

  • DEI Steering Committee

    DEI Steering Committee

    In December, Noble launches a “DEI Steering Committee” to focus on the student & staff experience as it pertains to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The committee was charged with defining what DEI means at Noble, recommend priorities for the organization,..Read More

  • DREAMers Graduate College

    DREAMers Graduate College

    The first cohort of undocumented students with the Pritzker Access Scholarship graduate at a rate of 60% completion in four years (with a projected total completion of 72%).

  • Staff Experience Focus

    Staff Experience Focus

    Noble joins forces with Promise54 to collect data specifically around how our staff experiences DEI within our campuses, Noble Support Team, and the organization as a whole.

  • OneNoble Celebrates

    OneNoble Celebrates

    The Employee Engagement begins hosting OneNoble events, including a Black History Month Happy Hour (February) and LGBTQ+ Pride Happy Hour (June) to support a more inclusive culture at Noble.

  • Equitable School Funding

    Equitable School Funding

    Noble changes its funding methodology to acknowledge & address the needs of Noble’s “high need” campuses, creating a “high equity index” criteria.

  • Diverse Leaders Fellowship Launch

    Diverse Leaders Fellowship Launch

    Noble launches the Diverse Leaders Fellowship, (DLF) designed to identify our diverse talent and invest in their development, while also strengthening our leadership pipeline at Noble. This pathway will enhance the experience of its participants through supplemental professional development, networking..Read More

  • Student Retention Focus

    Student Retention Focus

    In February, Head of Schools, Ellen Metz, launches Noble’s largest “listening tour” to hear from hundreds of stakeholders (staff, students, parents) to collect feedback on school policies. In March, Noble’s Chief Education Officer launches a “Student Retention Steering Committee,” comprised..Read More

  • Be Yourself, Be Noble

    Be Yourself, Be Noble

    Noble makes massive changes in dress code policies for staff & students (including permitting piercings, tattoos, hair color, and establishing a gender-neutral dress code) in an effort to make sure that Noble is a place where one can bring their..Read More

  • Culturally Responsive & Sustaining Teaching

    Culturally Responsive & Sustaining Teaching

    The Academics team begins a year-long cohort teaching model around CRST (culturally responsive & sustaining teaching) for instructional leaders. The team also launches a year-long trauma-informed professional development for teachers during quarterly Network Collaboration days.

  • Overcoming Racism

    Overcoming Racism

    In February, the executive team participates in professional development on Overcoming Racism, led by facilitator Matthew Kincaid. Noble board members participate in the anti-racism development beginning in August.

  • Black Scholar Experience

    Black Scholar Experience

    Noble’s Director of Student Culture & Support creates the Black Scholar Experience Working Group to dig into root causes of inequitable outcomes for our Black boys and create policy recommendations to remedy those outcomes.

  • Noble Commits to Being Anti-Racist

    Noble Commits to Being Anti-Racist

    Noble publishes its five-year strategic plan, naming positive experiences & equitable outcomes as the #1 organizational priority for the next five years. In June, Noble announces that it will hire a Chief Equity Officer in the following school year.

  • Excellent & Connected Instruction

    Excellent & Connected Instruction

    The “Connected” tenet in The Noble Classroom is renamed to Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Teaching to clarify its purpose and Noble’s stance on excellent teaching.

  • Defining Anti-Racism at Noble

    Defining Anti-Racism at Noble

    Noble reestablishes its DEI Steering Committee to begin the process of clearly defining what anti-racism work looks like at Noble. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Implementation Plan is updated to reflect this work more specifically.

  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day

    Indigenous Peoples’ Day

    In 2019-2020, Noble began to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor the Native inhabitants of this country. While Illinois hasn’t officially changed the name of the holiday yet, in Illinois, we are living on land that was taken from Indigenous..Read More

  • Black Student Experience Working Group Report Released

    Black Student Experience Working Group Report Released

    “Please note, the body of work produced by the Black Scholar Experience Working Group is not the start or end of our efforts to dismantle racism at Noble. This will be one key component of the work to come as..Read More

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DIVERSE LEADERS FELLOWSHIP

The Diverse Leaders Fellowship (DLF) is designed to identify our diverse talent and invest in their development, while also strengthening our leadership pipeline at Noble. This pathway will enhance the experience of its participants through supplemental networking opportunities, and one-on-one mentoring. It is open to all Noble employees who identify as a member of a group that represents the communities we serve. 

MENTORS & FELLOWS

To view our current mentors and fellows, please click below for more details.

To view past Diverse Leaders Fellowship cohorts, please click the links below.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION LEADERSHIP

Jennifer Reid Davis

Head of Strategy & Equity

Jennifer has been with Noble for more than a decade, serving as a teacher and as principal for seven years at two Noble campuses. She brings a deep wealth of experience, perspective, and passion for diversity, equity and inclusion to this work. Jennifer spearheaded several network-wide DEI initiatives, including our work with Promise54 and led the Noble DEI Steering Committee last year, and launched the Noble Diverse Leaders Fellowship two years ago.

D. Nigel Green

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

D. Nigel previously served as Muchin College Prep’s Assistant Principal of the Scholar Experience.  He will be responsible for helping to shape Noble into the equitable, anti-racist organization we all aspire for it to be. He will be supporting the amazing educators and leaders through their individual, organizational, and institutional journeys toward a more just Noble. He hails from Kenwood Academy (Go Broncos!), Northern Illinois University – BS, Marketing, University of Missouri-St. Louis – MEd, Special Education.

Ensuring Positive and Equitable School Experiences for Noble Students Across Chicago

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