GSA faculty and staff in a diversity training workshop
The Girls’ School of Austin has received a $20,000 grant from the Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust that will support its Community Scholars Fund, created in 2016 to foster diversity in its student body and expand education opportunities for faculty, staff, and families on matters of diversity, equity, and justice.
The Girls’ School of Austin created the Community Scholars Fund to increase its capacity to provide need-based financial aid and enable more families to consider a private education for their daughters beginning in kindergarten. Complementing this effort is its growing commitment to expanding continuing education opportunities including off-site training for teachers and events for staff and families.
“Diversity in schools should matter to all of us. Diversity improves the way people think, and we have a responsibility in schools to prepare students for the world we believe they will inherit,” says Lisa Schmitt, head of school. “In addition to recruiting more students from diverse backgrounds, our first steps are to educate our teachers so that they can engage our students. Future plans include training for parents as well so that the entire community is engaged in this important work.”
The Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust funds cancer research as well as charitable initiatives in education, environmental protection, and other fields.