The Institute for New Teachers of Color in Independent Schools
Tuesday, August 12th through Thursday, August 14th
three full days, lunch included, 9am to 3pm
The Gordon School, East Providence, RI
$595
As faculties at independent schools become increasingly diverse, it is critical that new teachers of color receive the support they need to thrive in their roles.
We are offering an intimate three-day conference for new teachers of color. Participants will be reflecting on where they are in their career journeys, learning about independent school culture, honing their craft as educators, and developing personal mission statements to ground them as they navigate the next year. Mentorship will also be an important piece of the conference. Participants will be matched with an advisor who will support them through the institute and beyond. Sessions will be facilitated by Alethea Dunham-Carson, JohnEric Advento and Susan Yao, along with guest speakers.
Sessions will take place from 9am to 3pm on Tuesday, August 12th through Thursday, August 14th. We welcome all teachers who identify as people of color, who are in their first or second year at an independent school, and who are looking for a supportive cohort and mentorship to set them up for success. We also invite experienced teachers who are joining the independent school world to consider joining us.
$595 tuition includes books and lunch each day
About the Gordon School
Gordon is proud to host this institute for teachers of color who are new to the independent school world. This is the third of what we hope will be a longrunning annual event.
Gordon has a long history of leadership in multicultural education and antiracist work. By supporting events like this workshop, Gordon hopes to further extend the school's mission to help reshape the culture of independent schools so that students, teachers and families can all benefit from a richer range of perspectives and experiences and more diverse and inclusive school community.
Faculty
JohnEric Advento
JohnEric has worked for 30 years in education, from lower school up to higher ed. He started his career in 1995 as a Grade 5 teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Vienna, Virginia. His international career brought him to work at top-tier schools in Cairo, Egypt, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, where he served as a teacher, coach, Curriculum Coordinator, Associate Principal, and Elementary Principal. An educational leader with a wealth of experience in guiding institutions toward excellence, JohnEric brings a unique blend of visionary leadership, strategic thinking, and a passion for fostering transformative educational environments. His 22 years of living and working overseas have equipped him with a deep understanding of diverse cultures, best practices in educational systems, and the importance of cultivating a global perspective and sense of service among students. His most recent role as Head of the Lower School at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison, New Jersey, reflects his ability to lead and inspire in diverse educational settings. And as a mentor for aspiring leaders of color with the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color, JohnEric is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within educational leadership. JohnEric's academic credentials include a Master of Education in International Administration and Supervision from The College of New Jersey, and a Bachelor of Arts in Special and Elementary Education from Providence College. He is also the proud parent of two college age children.
Alethea Dunham-Carson
Alethea Dunham-Carson just completed her forth year as Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning at Gordon, a remarkably busy time that included the design of a complete overhaul of the school's schedule as well as a schoolwide assessment of Gordon's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and extended work evaluating the experience of Gordon's Black and Brown boys.
Alethea came to Gordon after seven years at Meadowbrook, where she held a variety of roles, including Director of Multicultural Affairs, Director of Community Partnerships and Interim Head of Lower School. Highlights of her tenure include coordinating curriculum across early childhood to eighth grade classrooms, developing anti-bias hiring protocols, increasing the numbers of teachers and prospective families from underrepresented groups, and creating dynamic partnerships with local not-for-profit organizations. In myriad areas of school life and operations at Meadowbrook, Alethea has had a direct hand in transforming systems, policies, and programs so they work, in her words, to more effectively cultivate “community, creativity, and human dignity.”
Alethea holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, and she earned a Master’s degree in Educational Policy, Advocacy and Leadership from New York University. Alethea is a trained S.E.E.D (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Facilitator, and in 2017 she was selected to participate in the prestigious Fellowship for Aspiring Heads sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools.
Susan Yao
Susan Yao is the founder and leader of the Laughing Rivers School, a new, progressive Kindergarten to eighth grade school anchored in Buddhist principles. Until 2021, she was Middle School Head at Friends Academy. She began her career in independent schools at St. Luke's School in New York City as a social studies teacher.
An alumna of Bank Street's leadership program, she is passionate about progressive education, project-based learning, and mindfulness. She is excited to support new administrators of color on their leadership journeys.
above: the faculty and participants for the first institute, summer 2021
above: the faculty and participants for the second institute, summer 2022
above: the faculty and participants for the third institute, summer 2024