The Hamlin Robinson School community strives to ensure each student and their family has access to the supports they need within an inclusive environment that recognizes and honors all aspects of identity. We aspire to create an equitable environment for each student, family, faculty and staff, and all members within our community where everyone thrives and knows they belong. We are committed to this journey which requires continual self-reflection, vulnerability, intentionality, and accountability from each of us.

Belonging is one of the essential values on which Hamlin Robinson School was founded. For many students with learning differences, belonging can be hard to find in a traditional school environment. HRS understands the ache of exclusion that can follow a student who is regularly pulled out of a general-ed classroom for tutoring or who feels a daily need to hide their academic struggles. Our school was founded to provide an uplifting, supportive educational environment where every student can belong and thrive.  

How do we create a feeling of belonging?

During the school’s recent diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) evaluation process, the lens of belonging guided conversations and the purpose of the work. Hamlin Robinson School’s DEIB Action Plan outlines four goals (each supported by actionable steps) that will build a community of belonging:

Goal 1: Create an inclusive and equitable educational environment.   

Goal 2: Foster a culture where diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are integral to the staff’s development and interactions.  

Goal 3: Enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging amongst school leadership.  

Goal 4: Strengthen our school community engagement practices. 

What’s happening now?  

• Jonathan Lee was hired as the school’s first Director of Equity and Belonging. 
• HRS faculty and staff developed in-house information sessions for all employees, exploring topics like structural racism, identity, and power dynamics. The lessons serve a dual purpose: heightening education around DEIB topics and strengthening community ties among faculty and staff as they learn from one another and engage in honest conversations.    
• The HRS community took part in the AIM Survey in Spring 2024, where each person could offer input regarding inclusivity and multiculturalism. 
• The HRS Board of Trustees is actively engaged in DEIB discussions, attending workshops, and continuously reviewing the Action Plan. 

Who is Jonathan Lee?

Jonathan Lee joined HRS as the Director of Equity and Belonging in May 2024. He has worn many hats within independent schools, serving as Director of Admissions, Dean of Students, Dormitory Head, and more. Having been a student, teacher, coach, and administrator in these schools, Jonathan understands the challenges that a person of color can face within a predominantly white institution (PWI). He carries those experiences with him as he mentors students, engages colleagues, and creates programming. Informed by his work in independent schools, Jonathan founded Bridging Legacies Across Campuses (BLAC) in 2021, an initiative that spotlights people of color who graduated from PWIs.   

Jonathan’s leadership is critically important. However, DEIB work at HRS is a collective institutional effort, spanning our school’s departments and involving all members of our community. All systems are being reviewed and enhanced – from curriculum, to communications, to hiring practices, and more.  

How do DEIB efforts at HRS support the greater community?

Dyslexia and other language-based learning differences do not discriminate – they impact students everywhere, regardless of race, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, or gender identity. Though learning differences can affect anyone, not everyone has the same access to an educational program suited to their needs. Access to an education that gives every student an opportunity to succeed should be a right afforded to all students, not a privilege for the few.  

DEIB efforts at HRS are not limited to the internal HRS community. Through the HRS Outreach and Learning Center, our community can expand the reach of our equity initiatives and further promote access and opportunity. Efforts are already underway!

As a collective, we can ensure that Hamlin Robinson School is a place where everyone knows they belong.