Diversity is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.  As citizens in an ever-changing world, all aspects of our humanity, our ways of being, knowing and moving through the world — are held in this one idea.

As human beings, we make ourselves known to one another by sharing our differences and commonalities as a humankind. The recognition of a common humanity is the first step in the celebration of our differences — differences that inform our cultures, our values, our minds and all our ways of being in the world. 

In a school district, such as ours, where the full circle of human qualities is regarded with respect and where the particular gifts of every community member are valued, human beings can thrive. We need to “think globally, act locally” in order to inspire our students to better understand that the world is a multicultural society of which we are a part. The systems of the world — its governments, economies, religions and cultures — are increasingly dependent on interdependence. Differences become strengths in a collaborative effort.