Valuing a Complete Community

Using an Anti Racism Anti Oppression Method

Silver Oaks was created as a place of opportunity and access for students whose families wanted and needed alternative, supportive, options. At Silver Oaks, we value the whole child and the entire family. We value the concept of “community.” We also recognize that segregated spaces do not reflect whole communities. No institution thrives without the full representation of community, and that includes the institution of Silver Oaks.

As we grow, we are intentional about expanding our community to fully reflect the diversity of the area in which we live — with intentionality. We have created a safe, supportive space, but it is not a complete space unless the students and families, policies, and curriculum of Silver Oaks reflect our aspirational values of community. For this reason, we commit to expanding our community; to outreaching to those we do not know; to developing new friends outside of our existing networks — and we hope this includes you and your family!

How This Shapes Our Curriculum

Our faculty strives to teach through an anti-racist/anti-oppressive lens. We weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into our curriculum and explore the systems that perpetuate racism to help expand our student's understanding of the world and themselves. We aim to create a safe space for all students and do so in a variety of ways. We teach specific lessons about AR/AO concepts and issues related to LGBTQIA+rights. We highlight a different racial or cultural group each month. We teach using diverse books so students can see themselves reflected in the curriculum or have a window into another person’s experience. We use those books as a jumping off point to learn about our inherent biases, unequal systems, and ways we can shape the future.