Belonging at StG

At St. George’s, belonging is at the heart of who we are. We are committed to fostering a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment where every student can be their authentic self and thrive—and where every employee feels valued, respected and supported.

Our school draws great strength from diversity in all its forms. We believe that by embracing our differences, we deepen our understanding of one another and prepare our students to navigate—and contribute to—the rich complexities of the world with empathy and confidence.

Here, every member of our community—students, faculty, staff, trustees and families—is lifted by the belief that each person’s dignity and worth matters. We strive to ensure that everyone who walks through our doors feels a genuine sense of belonging, grounded in the principles of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

St. George's has been a No Place for Hate School in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) since 2009. In 2016, "Love DAT (Diversity Appreciation Team)" was founded by Middle School educators and administrators. St. George's Community and Belonging Committee was established in 2020 under the name "JEDI Committee," which stood for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Concurrently founded was Starting Small, an Early Childhood faculty anti-bias group committed to practices that promote JEDI values in an age-appropriate way for early learners.

St. George's strategic plan of 2021-2024, as well as our new mission statement (2023) address the importance of ensuring that all within our community feel a sense of belonging and reiterate our commitment to this goal. Attention has been and is continued to be directed to professional development, on-campus texts, assemblies and invitations to families to share their cultural experiences with the school.

The phrasing in our mission—"an unmatched sense of belonging"—is intentional; the school and Community and Belonging Committee strive for this daily goal, working to provide opportunities for all constituencies within the StG community to be active participants in advancing the school’s mission, inclusive of belonging.

Enrolling a student body that more closely resembles the comprehensive population of the city of New Orleans is a priority as we prepare our students for high school and the world. The Admissions Committee is comprised of the Director of Admission, Admissions Coordinator, Division Directors (Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School and Resource Services) and Director of Counseling and Wellness with input from our speech-language pathologist screener and faculty interacting with students during their on-campus visits. Our mission-driven decision-making process is determined by the academic and social-emotional development of each student, as well as the dynamics and composition of the incoming class and school. 

Our Admissions Non-Discrimination Statement:

St. George's admits students to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability in violation of state or federal law or regulation in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics and other school-administered programs. Limited financial aid, based on need, is available. We are committed to an inclusive school culture.

Annually, St. George's includes optional demographics questions in summer registration forms. The 2025-2026 percentage of our student body identifying as diverse, based on completion of these questions, is 25%.

Professional development is integral to our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and we are proud of the opportunities we provide our faculty and staff.  Starting Small, a faculty anti-bias learning community, focuses on encouraging an inclusive community within the Early Childhood division and shares their findings at periodic full faculty/staff meetings.

St. George's ongoing partnership with Leona Tate and the Tate Etienne and Prevost Interpretive Center (TEP Center) fosters experiences for our Middle School students, as well as faculty and parents. Annually, 5th grade students visit the TEP Center and meet with Leona Tate to learn more about the experiences of the New Orleans Four during the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation.

Since 2009, St. George's has been a No Place for Hate School in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Our commitment to this practice is guided by the principles of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), all of which affirm the responsibility of schools to pursue justice and inclusion as essential expressions of their mission.

At St. George's, belonging is how we live out our mission and our identity as an Episcopal school, honoring the dignity and worth of every individual as a beloved child of God.

As a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, St. George’s shares the NAES strategic goal to “articulate a core religious identity within the context of our multi-religious and inclusive Episcopal school communities by promoting values of justice, equity, service, civil discourse and moral courage.”

As part of this commitment, St. George’s:

• Honors the diversity of identities, backgrounds and perspectives within our community—including race, ethnicity, religion, learning profile, family structure, gender identity and more.
• Engages in school-wide and age-appropriate learning around topics such as empathy, fairness and understanding difference, rooted in our mission and Episcopal identity.
• Supports initiatives and programs that nurture equity, inclusion and belonging across all divisions—from curriculum to chapel to community events.
• Encourages open dialogue and shared learning among students, families, faculty and staff, guided by our civil discourse framework and our Episcopal tradition of seeking truth in community.