Michele (McNichol) Stocker ’83 has been a valued member of the Pine Crest School community for more than 40 years, most recently as the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
In one of her first addresses to Pine Crest faculty and staff as Board Chair, she spoke about having been recruited to Pine Crest at a time when the School was working to attract more diverse students. She enrolled at the School only five years after the first Black student graduated in 1974 and has herself made School history in becoming the first Black person to serve as Board Chair.
However, after the tumultuous summer of 2020 — a global pandemic, political turmoil, and a resurgence in the Black Lives Matter movement — Michele knew there were steps that needed to be taken to ensure that all types of students not only felt included at Pine Crest, but knew they belonged. That work had to extend beyond simply recruiting more Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students.
Suzanne Sandow, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Dana Markham ’18H, Pine Crest School President, and Michele Stocker ’83, Board Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Here, Michele explains the changes she hopes to see a result of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work in which the school engages.
“There is no doubt that the number of diverse students at Pine Crest has increased since my time here in the early 1980s, and as an alumna, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made,” she says. “However, embracing diversity is much more than just increasing the number of diverse students. It is equally as important that we improve the experience for diverse students and faculty since school climate and school culture directly impact student success. My sincerest hope is that through these DEI initiatives, Pine Crest will continue to attract more students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, and will ensure that our school is a place where differences are welcomed, different perspectives are respectfully heard and where every individual feels a sense of belonging and inclusion.”
Working closely with School President Dr. Dana Markham ’18H, one of the first steps Michele, Dr. Markham, and other administrators took was to meet with Upper School student leaders in the Black Student Association (BSA). Perhaps more eye-opening than anticipated, students’ raw, honest depictions of their experiences on and off campus served as a catalyst for fortifying the School’s DEI work.
After the meeting, this small group of faculty and administrators began outlining what would become a nine-step action plan. The plan will address:
- Leadership
- Curriculum
- Professional Development
- Study and Celebration of Cultures
- Student Mentorship
- Restorative Practices
- Bias Awareness Reporting System
- Faculty Recruitment and Retention
- Family Recruitment and Retention
The action plan has come to life on the campuses with the promotion of Ms. Uche Pendergast to Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Michele has been hard at work making sure that support from the Board of Trustees is consistent. As the Chair of the Board, she is in a unique position to help enact change in school culture from a "top-down" perspective. So Michele formed an ad hoc DEI committee, and she explains how she intends for this committee to influence progress within the school community.
“My history with Pine Crest dates back over 30 years, both as a Pine Crest student and parent,” she said. “Knowing that I am the first Black person to serve as Chair, I recognized that it was important for me to lead by example for the rest of the community. In order for us to implement meaningful change, all sectors of our community including alumni and Trustees, must be proactive in promoting inclusion. Without buy-in and commitment at every level, we run the risk of not engaging all stakeholders, and thus not achieving our DEI goals. This is why forming the DEI committee at the Board level was perhaps one of the most important decisions I have made as the Board Chair.”
Michele goes on to say that her “goals in establishing this committee are to send a clear message to the School community about the value and importance of diversity, equity and inclusion; provide support to the Administration; ensure that DEI issues will be addressed by the Board of Trustees as part of its review of the School’s strategic plan, and; to hold ourselves accountable to also increase the number of Trustees from diverse backgrounds.”
A primary function of the Board of Trustees is to ensure financial support for the school's many operations, but Michele says there are other means of support the Board will lend to these DEI efforts.
“As representatives and advocates for Pine Crest, the Board of Trustees play a critical leadership role in creating an organization that prioritizes, supports, and invests in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” she said. “Whether we are reviewing long-term strategic goals or allocating financial resources, our work is a reflection of the School’s values and beliefs since we are empowered and entrusted with some of its most important decisions.”
With a plan and resources in place, there was one outstanding task that needed to be addressed. Complementing the School’s mission statement was a separate diversity statement. While both were reflective of the School’s guiding principles, Michele and Dr. Markham decided it was time to unite them.
In a joint letter to the community, they announced Pine Crest School’s new mission statement:
“To develop the character, independence, and leadership of each student; to prepare our students to meet the global challenges of our future by offering an exceptional academic experience complemented by excellence in arts and athletics, and to build a collaborative, inclusive, and open-minded learning community that respects, appreciates, and encourages those with diverse cultures, backgrounds, talents, experiences, and opinions.”
Michele explains why that was an important step.
“The mission statement defines an organization, and its primary goals or objectives. It is critical for us to embrace diversity as part of our mission statement because it is integral to who we are as a school community. We both felt that Pine Crest’s dedication to academic excellence is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the mission statement should reflect that. I applaud Dr. Markham for her commitment and dedication to establishing clear DEI goals, and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to meet these objectives.”
After sharing so much about the DEI work the school has committed to, Michele has a special message for her fellow alumni. In particular, she wants to address those who may have had challenging experiences at the School in years past, and talk about the future of Pine Crest forging a path toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
“In order for us to achieve our DEI goals, we must confront the past and acknowledge the discomfort around difficult, emotional topics regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pine Crest. Through permanent and sustainable action, we must remain committed to zero tolerance for racism, discrimination, and bias in any form against our students and faculty of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities. We must commit to diversifying who we are, what and how we teach, and to facilitate an inclusive and equitable school climate. To my fellow alumni, I encourage you to engage with Pine Crest. We need your voices to be heard so that we can learn from your past experiences. We need your help as important members of the Pine Crest community to commit your time and your resources to help us achieve our DEI goals. I am confident that with the support of our students, parents, alumni, faculty, trustees, and the forward-looking vision of Dr. Markham, Pine Crest will continue to be a leader amongst independent schools, promoting an environment where everyone is welcomed, valued, and respected.”