Community and Belonging

"It was evident that the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria are lived at a very deep level by the school community and that the depth of human relationships in the school, and the sense of really seeing each other and belonging in the community was profoundly embedded in the culture and ethos of the school."

— Council of International Schools 
2024 Evaluation Team Report
 

The concepts of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are central to our Sacred Heart Goals and to our unique identity as an international school. We celebrate diversity of all kinds in our school community, and believe that the concept of DEIB is integral to our mission and identity as a Sacred Heart School.The International School of the Sacred Heart embraces diversity and affirms the importance of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all corners of our community. In admissions and hiring, the school does not discriminate on the basis of religion, creed, socioeconomic status, culture, language, accent, national origin or ancestry, race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical appearance. We believe strongly that everyone deserves to be deeply cared for, loved and respected. Drawing from Catholic Social Teaching, our school community empowers students to be courageous as they advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and act for justice in our world. 

At a strategic level, Sacred Heart demonstrates its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through our faculty and staff Community and Belonging Committee, which conducts regular DEI-J audits of programming and policy utilizing the Japan Council of International Schools' Inclusion Framework alongside other tools. Celebration of diversity and a deep commitment to inclusion to foster a community of love, acceptance, and belonging are integral to our Goals (particularly Goals 1, 3, and 4) and to ISSH's identity as a Catholic school and a Sacred Heart school.

Read more about how DEIB is embedded in our Sacred Heart Goals