"At Benson Hill, we respect and honor all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, family structures, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures. Every individual’s identity contributes to the richness of our community."
Our Anti-Bias Mission
The Four Core Goals of Anti-Bias Education for Children
Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
Identity
Express comfort and joy with human diversity; use accurate language for human differences; and form deep, caring human connections.
Diversity
Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
Justice
Demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discrimination.
Action
Benson Hill Cooperative Preschool
Anti-Bias Mission Statement
A Caring, Inclusive, and Safe Community for All
At Benson Hill Cooperative Preschool, we believe that parents are their children's first teachers. By working closely together, parents and teachers create a warm and supportive environment where children can explore, learn, and grow with confidence. Our mission is to help children become kind, thoughtful, and resilient learners through a play-based curriculum that meets the unique needs and interests of each child. We focus on helping children grow in all areas—thinking, social skills, emotions, and physical development—so that they are ready to become lifelong learners.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Benson Hill Cooperative Preschool is a diverse, welcoming, and safe space for everyone in our community. We see our diversity as one of our greatest strengths and value the contributions, insights, and talents that people from all backgrounds bring to our school. We believe it is important to celebrate, support, and protect this diversity both inside and outside the classroom. As our community grows, we promise to stay open and inclusive to all families who want to join us and grow with us.
At Benson Hill, we are committed to creating an inclusive community where diversity is celebrated. We respect and honor people of all races, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, family structures, abilities, income levels, and cultures. Building respectful and meaningful relationships within our diverse community is key to our mission.
Our cooperative model invites families to actively participate in the classroom, where they learn alongside their children and form lasting connections with other families. As we continue to bring anti-bias education into our school’s philosophy and practices, we are guided by our commitment to help both children and adults develop a strong sense of identity and respect for all differences. We know that even very young children are noticing and making sense of social identities and biases. We believe in affirming each child and family's identity and culture, while giving them the tools to recognize and resist bias and unfairness.
We work toward these four goals of anti-bias education for children and adults.
Goals for Children:
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Identity: Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
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Diversity: Express comfort and joy with human diversity; use accurate language for human differences; and form deep, caring human connections.
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Justice: Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
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Action: Demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discrimination.
Goals for Adults:
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Identity: Increase your awareness and understanding of your own individual and social identity in its many facets (race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation, family structure, economic class) and your own cultural contexts, both in your childhood and currently.
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Diversity: Examine what you have learned about differences, connections, and what you enjoy or fear across all aspects of human diversity.
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Justice: Identify how you have been advantaged or disadvantaged by the isms (ableism, classism, heterosexism, racism, sexism) and the stereotypes or prejudices you have absorbed about yourself or others.
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Action: Explore your ideas, feelings, and experiences of social justice activism. Open up dialogue with colleagues and families about all these goals. Develop the courage and commitment to model for young children that you stand for fairness and to be an activist voice for children.
Our Vision for a Collaborative Community
As a cooperative preschool, we deeply value the active involvement of families in the educational process. Parents are not only participants in their child’s learning but also play a key role in building the broader school community. This partnership strengthens the bonds between children, families, and educators, creating a supportive network that enriches everyone’s experience at the preschool.
At Benson Hill, we believe that diversity makes our learning environment more vibrant. By embracing and celebrating our differences, we create a community where everyone feels valued and respected. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, where every child and family can thrive, grow, and learn together.
Supporting Social Justice and Equity
We understand that our words and actions show what we believe about diversity and fairness. We ask that our educators and families commit to carefully thinking about and reflecting on how we approach these topics with children. This means working together to provide children with clear and accurate information about diversity and fairness. By doing this, we support teaching practices that fight against prejudice and celebrate all cultures. Our goal is to empower everyone in our community to stand up against bias and work toward a fair and just society.
We acknowledge that racism, bias, and privilege exist in our society and, therefore, in our school. We are committed to addressing these issues through ongoing action. We welcome thoughts, questions, and feedback from our community. This space is ours to build together, and an important part of that is hearing how we can improve and recognizing areas where we can grow.
Note: This mission statement is informed by the principles outlined in Anti-Bias Education for Young Children & Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).