AMS Receives Major Grant to Fuel Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives

AUGUST 6, 2020

Dear Montessori Community,

I am writing to each of you today with an announcement that represents a critical and exciting outcome of the initiative begun (nearly 3 years ago). As you know, in 2018, the AMS Board of Directors voted to make inclusion and equity a strategic priority.

As a direct result of that effort, we are honored to have been awarded a major, 2-year grant to support Montessori diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This grant will help us all move forward as we address and support DEI in all aspects of our AMS community—staff, board, schools, teacher education programs, commissions and committees—with a goal of creating environments in which we all feel seen, heard, welcomed, and valued.

This is an important moment in our Montessori evolution. Though we, as Montessori educators, espouse respect for human dignity as a tenet of our practice, we know our unconscious biases can inadvertently create hurt and alienation. Having been awarded this extraordinary grant from Wend Collective, we will be able to develop and implement a Montessori Equity Audit comprehensive tool; determine systems and standards for accountability for DEI reporting; formalize AMS DEI work by moving from a model of volunteerism to one that provides equitable compensation comparable to other administrative leaders; provide resources to our members—and much more.

We are deeply grateful to receive this grant and to benefit from the opportunity it provides to allow us to partner and grow with our Montessori community in vital ways. What began as a strategic priority of the AMS Board is now moving forward as we work to build a more loving and equitable future for all whose lives are impacted by the work we do.

Thank you.

Munir Shivji

Executive Director