Who We Are

Diversity, Equity, and Engagement

Diversity means varied, unique, a fabric of different people, backgrounds, and experiences woven together − transforming not just the community, but each individual within it. Our diversity as an educational and faith community makes each of us better and richer, giving depth and breadth to the DSHA experience.

DSHA students come from over 125 area schools, resulting in a diverse population with representation from communities throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area. One-third of families qualify for financial assistance, and a quarter of students identify as young women of color.

From offering co-curricular opportunities during school hours and addressing the individual needs of students and families, to assisting with non-tuition-based financial aid (foreign language and study trips, uniforms, retreats, graduation gowns, and more), DSHA seeks to foster the growth, passions, and possibilities of its entire student body. While strongly committed to its Catholic identity, students of all faith backgrounds are welcomed and celebrated.

What Does Support Look Like at DSHA?

List of 6 items.

All students are guaranteed access to academic success.

At all times cognizant of the student academic experience, DSHA leadership is committed to providing access to success for every student in the building.
Every student’s family is part of our education and faith community.

Our work applies not just to each student, but to her parents and family as well. We support specifically those families whose primary language at home is not English.
There’s a commitment to events that educate and unite.

We ask and seek answers to significant issues: How can we build bridges at DSHA, in our city and in the U.S. during divided times? How do non-Catholic students express their faith, and how might they educate us in those faiths? What are Best Buddies’ initiatives regarding working with students with special needs? These and more are among discussion topics at monthly “Dasher Dialogues,” open to all students and faculty.
Support means respect for all.

Called by our faith to teach and model respect, we strive to instill the same in all of our students during their four years here – and for a lifetime. What results is true appreciation and celebration of the better community we are for what each of us brings.
Profile of the Salvatorian Educator

The Salvatorian Educator Embraces Diversity:
To embrace diversity means to believe in the strength of difference, connected by a common mission. A professional who embraces diversity works to achieve a high level of cultural competence and successfully manages issues across diverse populations as a dynamic, ongoing, developmental process that requires long term commitment and lifelong learning. A culturally competent educator eliminates barriers to learning and inclusion, and provides high quality experiences grounded in a respect for human dignity. We all contribute to and benefit from a broad spectrum of unique human qualities; diversity is the energy that propels our school community forward.

Click here to view the full profile.
Statement on Sexuality Education

Click here to read DSHA's Statement on Sexuality Education.

Diversity & Equity Strategic Plan Objectives | 2019-2024

Our Diversity and Equity work continues with five objectives outlined in our draft of the Diversity and Equity strategic plan which include the following:

List of 5 items.

Access, Equity, and Opportunity

Goal #1 | Increase and improve access to AP and dual-credit courses for underrepresented students at DSHA.

Goal #2 | Increase academic success of and support for underrepresented students and students with varying levels of academic preparation.
Curriculum and Learning for Intercultural Competence

Goal | Increase student intercultural competencies through curricular and co-curricular opportunities with diverse cultures, opportunities, and individuals.
Ensure a Welcoming, Inclusive, and Equitable Environment for All

Goal | Every community member will feel valued as individuals.
Increase Cultural Proficiency/Competency of All Faculty and Staff

Goal | Every staff member will demonstrate ways in which they personally increased their cultural competency and awareness of equity in their classroom.
Strengthen Parent and Community Partnerships

Goal | Increase opportunities of parents to provide feedback to school about their daughter’s social, emotional, and academic well-being.

Derute Consulting Cooperative Work

During the 2018-19 school year, we partnered with Derute Consulting Cooperative to help provide direction on our long-range Diversity & Equity strategic plan. In February 2019, we shared the following recommendations with the community. See below for recommendations and in-process actions:

List of 4 items.

Comprehensive Curriculum & Policy Audit
Conduct a comprehensive curriculum and policy audit and review.
- Curriculum audit began in 2019-2020 school year.
Full Scale Visual Audit
Conduct a full-scale visual audit.
- A focus group of students, our communications team, and the Diversity Coordinator met last spring (2019) to discuss images in publications and on our website.
Multi-Layered Teacher and Administrative Staff Training
- Denise Thomas, President and Owner of The Effective Communication Coach, LLC, provided professional development on the topic of discussing race and ethnicity.
- In spring 2019, Judge Derek Mosely came to DSHA to lead three presentations and discussions on Implicit Bias. Audiences included faculty/staff, all students, and parents.
- In 2019-2020, Mrs. Rodriguez-Reed, Mrs. Brock, Dr. Mansfield, and Mr. Quesnell all participated in the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators Leading for Equity Academy.
Structured Opportunity for Student Dialogue
Provide structured opportunities for student dialogue.
- The opportunity to engage in productive dialogue through our monthly Dasher Dialogues continues at DSHA.
- Contextual courses offered through Applied Wellness focused on unconscious bias, responsible ways to consume the news, intersectionality of identity, and identifying and discussing aggressive racial interactions in a positive manner (Implemented 2019-2020)

DSHA Stands in Solidarity with the Black Community

Contact:

List of 1 items.

Lisette Rodriguez-Reed

Director of Student Servies, Equity, and Engagement
Rodriguez-ReedL@dsha.info
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Diversity, Equity, and Engagement Mission Statement

As an all-girls Catholic school sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior, our students, faculty, and staff are called to embrace the dignity and talents of each individual in our school community as well as in our society at large. We strive to build an inclusive campus for our students, the families that support them, and our community of colleagues. We support and develop young women who embrace and respect differences in background and perspective, while being open to appreciating and learning about the wider world.

When we use the word “diversity,” we refer to the myriad of personal experiences, values, perspectives, talents, and worldviews that arise from differences in culture and circumstance. These differences include gender, ethnicity, language, religion, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. DSHA values diversity among the students we recruit and the staff we hire. We are committed to making a DSHA education an accessible reality to any qualified student.

DSHA promotes and supports diversity through a range of curricular and co-curricular offerings, as well as through programmatic pastoral and experiential learning. We strive to model and live respect, love, and openness to the world in all we do, always reminded that we are rooted in our Catholic faith and its call to social justice.

Initiatives & Events

Dasher Dialogue | The Student Diversity Council selects topics of interest to discuss during Dasher time. Dialogues occur monthly, and topics vary based on current events. There are typically five or six Dasher Dialogues held each year. Topics have included use of the "n" word, the NFL National Anthem controversy, the non-renewal of the DACA program, and the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Milwaukee.
Black History Month Mass | This Mass is celebrated in conjunction with Black History Month and Multicultural Week. The Mass is planned and organized by the Sisters of Culture Club in conjunction with Campus Ministry. Worship includes student-led gospel music and a worship dance performance.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Bilingual Mass | This all-school bilingual Mass annually celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron of the Americas. It is held each December and planned by the Furia Latina Club in conjunction with Campus Ministry.
Multicultural Production | DSHA's Multicultural Production is held every other April. Students of all cultural backgrounds are invited to perform an expression of their culture through song, dance, literature, and more.
Multicultural Dance | DSHA hosts a Multicultural Dance every other year, which is open to students from all area high schools. Before the dance, DSHA hosts a powerful open-mic, which is always well-attended by students.
Multicultural Assembly | DSHA's Multicultural Assembly highlights the importance of diversity at DSHA, and students of diverse backgrounds are invited to share their expereriences with the entire school community. The assembly takes place annually in February.
Civil Rights Pilgrimage | DSHA has partnered with other area high schools to delve into the exploration of a chapter of our shared American history, that of the Civil Rights Movement, through the lens of faith and prayer. Students explored the impact this history has on our current life together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Partnering schools included Dominican High School, Marquette University High School, and Messmer High School. The pilgrimage takes place every other year.

All-School Reads

2016 | I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai

2017 | Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult

2019 | The Book of Unknown Americans, by Christina Hernandez

2020 | Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson

Civil Discourse Discussions | The Social Studies department held began Civil Discourse discussions in the fall of 2016. The project encouraged students to view issues from perspectives different than their own and to hold respectful and honest discussions. Click here to learn more.
Focus Groups | Focus groups with DSHA parents, students, faculty and staff have been held to gather input on DSHA's Diversity and Inclusion statement, as well as our long-term Diversity and Inclusion Plan. Translation efforts and community inclusiveness were also discussed in these groups.

Leena, Oak Creek, Class of 2020

The steps that have been taken to improve inclusion over the years have given a greater sense of comfortability and security for students of color at DSHA. From Dasher Dialogues to multiple diversity clubs, students of color have a safety net at DSHA that they can always go back to, and through which they can see improvements in their school environment.