Dr. Monica Alvarez Steps Into Director of Equity and Inclusion Role
We are excited to announce that, starting this fall, BUA English teacher Dr. Monica Alvarez will step into the newly-created Director of Equity and Inclusion role at our school.
Dr. Alvarez came to BUA following fourteen years at Trinity School in New York City, where she taught English and helped lead that school’s DEI efforts as Equity & Inclusion Coordinator. Since arriving at BUA in the fall of 2021, Dr. Alvarez has been an inspiring teacher for 9th and 10th graders, a trusted advisor, club leader, and co-chair of the student-faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She will continue to teach ninth and tenth-grade English alongside this important leadership role.
Dr. Alvarez offered the following reflection about her new responsibilities:
“Two of my favorite things at BUA are the deep mutual appreciation and genuine care that shape so many of the interactions among its members. This year, I am looking forward to discovering the ways in which BUA can nurture this appreciation and care into a sense of belonging: of joyfully co-creating a learning space that spills beyond the walls of the classrooms and encourages its members to fully show up, knowing we inhabit a space where we are seen for all that we are. What an exciting time lies ahead!”
As BUA’s inaugural Director of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Alvarez will work across constituencies – students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni – and lead the school’s efforts to fully live up to our core values of community and inclusion. The work will touch on many areas of school life: student support, parent engagement, admissions, professional development, curriculum, pedagogy, hiring, and others.
In creating the position, Head of School Chris Kolovos noted:
“I am proud of our school’s commitment and progress around diversity and inclusion. The rich diversity of our student body is one of the key reasons for our excellence. We stand out among our peer schools for being a place where all kinds of young people can feel at home and part of the BUA family. We have taken great strides in making BUA more accessible and our policies more fair. But the work is never done. I am so grateful to Dr. Alvarez for taking on this role at this pivotal moment. She loves and understands BUA, having gained an appreciation for what makes us special. She also has a deep respect for community voice and instinct for building consensus. She is in an ideal position to help us nourish our traditional strengths, identify areas for improvement, and move forward together.”
He went on to stress, “DEI is not one person’s job. It is the work of the entire community and only succeeds when we are all involved. I know the BUA family will embrace Dr. Alvarez in this new role, and I look forward to partnering with her for years to come.”