About Us:
Inclusion and Belonging
Across our boards, teams, and learning environments, we are always working toward a more equitable and inclusive Steppingstone—with a goal of creating the best experience for Scholars, families, staff, and our whole community.
Our Philosophy on Inclusion and Belonging
Steppingstone is committed to fostering an inclusive community that honors the essential value of every individual. We seek to maintain a culture of mutual respect and understanding that encourages and supports all its members to work to reach their full potential. We are intentional in our efforts to promote conversation, growth, and learning around inclusion and belonging as they are critical in the work toward our mission of preparing Scholars for educational opportunities that lead to college success. Bias and discrimination go strongly against Steppingstone’s core values and have no place in our community.
Our Commitment in Action
Steppingstone prioritizes and upholds principles of inclusion and belonging throughout our work, organizational culture and structure. This commitment includes:
- Ongoing strategic planning grounded in a five-year partnership (2017–2022) with a consultant from Trinity Boston Connect's Organizational Equity Practice (OEP)
- Committees on both our staff and the Board of Directors
- Regular all-staff workshops and community building spaces
- Staff and board subscriptions to Paradigm Reach, an interactive platform with a library of learning materials
- Restorative practices embedded in our programming and curriculum
Steppingstone is committed to building a Restorative Culture based on the following practices:
- We intentionally develop ways of working together based on common agreements and core values
- Relationships are prioritized so all members of the community feel safe and valued
- An investment in relationships allows adults and Scholars to engage and learn through meaningful conversations, and makes it possible for all of us to do our best work together
Our Core Values
- Mission First - Keep Scholars front and center in all we do.
- Lead with Equity - Elevate every voice, consider every perspective.
- Stronger Together - Team up and trust each other.
- Own It - Act with integrity, stay accountable, and be transparent.
- Learn. Grow. Innovate. - Embrace change, drive creativity, and never stop learning.
Steppingstone actively works to become an organization that operates with a clear equity lens, both internally and externally. We continue to strengthen our capacity to have difficult conversations, and to develop a systemic analysis of how our work fits into the larger landscape of equity in education.
If you have questions about Steppingstone’s commitment to inclusion and belonging, please contact communications@steppingstone.org.
