Life at Ellis
Culture & Community Life
Belonging You Can Feel
Ellis is a community that pursues, supports, and honors diversity in all its forms.
The Department of Culture and Community Life helps Ellis live its mission, vision, and motto, Esse Quam Videri, “to be rather than to seem,” in the daily life of the school. Our work is rooted in the belief that culture is not only what we say we value. Culture is what students, families, faculty, and staff experience every day.
We are committed to strengthening a school community where every student feels safe, supported, and valued. This work asks us to honor the dignity of each person, recognize the strength found in our differences, and build the conditions that allow every girl to learn, lead, grow, and thrive.
We do this by:
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Recognizing and celebrating the lived experience of every student.
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Practicing equity and inclusion with intention, humility, and consistency across our internal culture and external partnerships.
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Building authentic, reciprocal relationships with families that are grounded in trust, communication, and shared care for each girl.
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Supporting culturally sustaining teaching and learning that honors students’ identities, expands understanding, and prepares students to engage the world with empathy, confidence, and responsibility.
At its heart, this work is about helping Ellis become what it says it values. Through leadership, communication, reflection, and partnership, we continue building a school culture where belonging, dignity, and care are not only stated, but deeply felt.
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Commitment to Equity and Inclusion
We understand that this work requires intention, humility, and consistency. It calls us to reflect on our culture, systems, and daily interactions while preparing students to engage the world with empathy, courage, and responsibility. We are committed to building a community where dignity is protected, voices are respected, and every girl has what she needs to thrive. -
Culturally Sustaining Learning
We are committed to teaching and learning that honors students' identities, broadens their understanding of others, and encourages thoughtful curiosity. Through meaningful experiences and inclusive classrooms, every girl is empowered to see herself as both a learner and a leader in a diverse and interconnected world. -
Partnering with Families
We believe strong family partnerships are essential to a thriving school community. By fostering relationships rooted in trust, respect, open communication, and shared purpose, we work together to support each girl's academic, social, and emotional growth throughout her Ellis journey. -
Valuing Every Individual
We believe every girl at Ellis is more than a student in our classrooms. She is a whole person with a unique story, voice, culture, family, perspective, and future. We honor that individuality by creating a community where every student is known, valued, supported, and empowered to flourish.
A Note from the Interim Assistant Head of Teaching, Learning & Community Life
Dr. Christine Herring
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Dr. Christine Herring, Interim Assistant Head of Teaching, Learning & Community Life
Teaching Girls Well. Strengthening Community. Living Our Motto.
At The Ellis School, we believe an exceptional education is measured not only by what girls learn, but also by how they experience learning, how they develop confidence in their voices, and how they come to understand their place in the world.'
Grounded in Esse Quam Videri, “To be, rather than to seem,” the newly established role of Interim Assistant Head of Teaching, Learning & Community Life brings together two essential dimensions of the Ellis experience: academic excellence and a school culture where every girl is known, valued, challenged, and supported.
In this role, Dr. Christine Herring provides strategic leadership across PreK–12, connecting curriculum, instruction, faculty development, student growth, and community life through a shared commitment to teaching girls well. Working in partnership with the Head of School, Division Heads, faculty, and staff, she helps ensure that Ellis' educational philosophy is reflected not simply in what the school promises, but in what students and families experience every day.
What This Means for Our Community
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For Families: A Connected and Purposeful Ellis Experience
Families entrust Ellis with both their daughters' education and their growth as individuals.This role helps ensure greater continuity across divisions, stronger connections between academic and community experiences, and a shared understanding of what it means to teach girls well.
Through collaboration with divisional leaders and intentional family engagement, Dr. Herring will help strengthen communication, deepen trust, and ensure that families see Ellis's mission reflected in their daughters' daily experiences. -
For Students: An Education That Sees the Whole Girl
Every girl deserves an educational experience that challenges her intellectually, honors her individuality, and encourages her to discover what she is capable of becoming.This role strengthens the connections between classroom learning, personal development, belonging, and leadership. From the earliest grades through graduation, students will benefit from a more intentional approach to academic rigor, student voice, civic engagement, and opportunities to think critically, take meaningful risks, and contribute to the world around them. -
For Faculty: Partnership in the Art and Practice of Teaching
Excellent schools are built by excellent educators.This role supports faculty through meaningful professional learning, curriculum collaboration, instructional innovation, and opportunities to share their expertise.
By connecting academic priorities with a deep understanding of student development and school culture, Dr. Herring will work alongside faculty and academic leaders to strengthen teaching practices while honoring the creativity, professional judgment, and relationships that make Ellis classrooms distinctive. -
For Staff: A Shared Commitment to Community
Every adult at Ellis contributes to the experience of belonging, care, and excellence that defines the school.This role recognizes staff as essential partners in creating a community where students can thrive. Through purposeful collaboration, clear communication, and shared expectations, Dr. Herring will support a school environment where all employees understand their contributions to the mission, feel valued for their work, and have opportunities to strengthen the community together.
One Schoolwide Vision. A Stronger Ellis Experience.
By bringing Teaching and Learning together with Culture and Community Life, Ellis is creating a more connected approach to educational leadership. Rather than treating academic achievement and school culture as separate priorities, this role recognizes that each strengthens the other.
For Dr. Herring, the work is both strategic and deeply relational: aligning educational priorities, supporting those who teach and care for students, listening to families, and ensuring that every girl's experience reflects the values that distinguish Ellis.
The goal is not simply to prepare girls for what comes next. It is to help them develop the knowledge, confidence, character, and sense of responsibility to shape what comes next.
At Ellis, teaching girls well means challenging their minds, honoring their voices, strengthening their sense of belonging, and preparing them to lead lives of purpose.
Esse Quam Videri. To be, rather than to seem.
Affinity Groups
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Student Affinity Groups
Student Affinity Groups bring together students who share a core identifier, providing a safe environment in which students who share a specific identity can come together for building community while supporting and empowering one another. Affinity Groups prepare community members to engage effectively in cross/intercultural exchanges. -
Ellisians for an Inclusive Community
Ellisians for an Inclusive Community (EFIC) brings together faculty, administrators, and staff to help ensure that Ellis’s values are not only stated, but practiced. The group supports the ongoing work of building a school culture rooted in equity, dignity, inclusion, and care.
Middle School Affinity Groups
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Upper School Affinity Groups
Upper School Alliance Groups
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Culture Jam
Culture Jam is an annual student-led conference that creates space for high school students to learn, lead, and engage in meaningful conversations about identity, equity, culture, and community.
Designed and produced by students, Culture Jam invites participants into thoughtful dialogue about the issues shaping their schools, the Pittsburgh region, and the wider world. Through this experience, students build the confidence to listen deeply, speak with purpose, ask courageous questions, and engage across differences with care, dignity, and respect.
