About

Community & Belonging

Norfolk Collegiate's Commitment to Belonging

Norfolk Collegiate’s commitment to community, belonging and respect has continued to evolve over time. In 2020, the School strengthened its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), ensuring that every student felt valued and supported as part of the Collegiate experience.

Building on this foundation, Norfolk Collegiate is advancing toward a framework centered on pluralism and civil discourse—an approach that reflects our mission and the values outlined in the Portrait of an Oak. This evolution emphasizes the development of intercultural competencies, intellectual curiosity and respectful engagement in the Collegiate community and beyond.

Pluralism asks not only who is represented in our community, but how we thoughtfully engage with one another. Through structured dialogue and civil discourse, students learn to articulate ideas, listen generously and navigate disagreement with empathy and confidence.

This work builds on our long standing commitment to diversity and inclusion. By aligning pluralism and civil discourse with the Portrait of an Oak, Norfolk Collegiate prepares students to become thoughtful scholars, principled leaders and engaged citizens in a complex and changing world.

Norfolk Collegiate Standard of Civility

Civility is a choice. It is our school’s intentional practice of honoring the dignity and humanity of every individual in our community. This standard of civility reflects our Portrait of an Oak and Portrait of an Educator, which motivate us to uplift ourselves and one another with encouraging words and compassionate actions. Even when navigating differences, we strive to speak with courage, respect, empathy and integrity. Through joy and resilience, we fortify our shared responsibility for preserving our community’s sense of belonging.

Portrait of an Oak: In Action

At Norfolk Collegiate, our commitment to pluralism and civil discourse directly supports the competencies outlined in the Portrait of an Oak, including:

Critical Thinking & Intellectual Curiosity
Engaging with diverse ideas, asking meaningful questions and examining multiple perspectives.
Ethical Leadership & Civic Responsibility
Practicing respectful dialogue, thoughtful disagreement and principled decision-making.
Empathy & Community Engagement
Listening generously, understanding differences and contributing positively to a shared community.

Together, these elements prepare students to thrive academically, lead with integrity and participate thoughtfully in an increasingly complex world.

Belonging & Community Engagement Programming

Norfolk Collegiate actively participates in faculty and staff, and student programming to celebrate the diversity of our world and our community. Click the links below to read about some of the programming and guest speakers who have joined our community throughout the year.