At Greene Hill School children consider themselves as part of a larger community, whether it is their classroom, neighborhood or the wider world.  They are attuned to how their actions impact themselves and others and use this lens as they investigate historical movements and relate them to contemporary times.  Starting with a framework that examines social justice and is embedded in daily classroom life, young children are encouraged to love and know themselves while practicing respect for others.  They begin to tackle issues of social justice, ones that relate directly to their own lives and in developmentally aligned ways explore concepts like power, discrimination and social change.  Part of this work is exploring historical and contemporary movements for social change and participating in awareness raising and social action in the school and wider community.

This mission of Greene Hill School is based upon a commitment to social justice, and a desire to bring about positive change in our school, our local community, and the world. Our faculty design curriculum in order to make connections between classroom learning and social justice. Students throughout the school study literacy, history, and math with a lens that allows for frequent exploration of ideas of power and inequality.  Conversations and lessons on social justice topics often emerge organically and in response to current events.  Students have natural interest in right and wrong, and teachers tap into this and get them excited about learning from a young age. In addition, teachers support students in understanding and sharing different points of view.  It is a goal that students at Greene Hill recognize the development of similar themes and ideas throughout their years of study, becoming critical thinkers and learners across the curriculum.

Each class’s curriculum includes themes and topics related to social justice that are regularly taught, aligned with the Six Elements of Social Justice Curriculum Design: Self-Love & Knowledge; Respect for Others; Issues of Social Injustice; Social Movements & Social Change; Awareness-Raising; and Social Action.*  Throughout their years at Greene Hill, students build their capacity for grappling with, articulating ideas about, and asking meaningful questions related to justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through work around concepts and topics that they are able to understand and relate to.  This work is intentional and deeply embedded in even our youngest classrooms.