Diversity Statement 

Sarah Hornung 
 
Diversity, equity and inclusion have been the cornerstone of my first two years in 
school leadership. Not only have these terms been buzzing in our society over the last 
few years as I entered administration, they are the principles that my school was built 
on. 
 
As a former special education teacher, I have always been passionate that inclusion is 
not encouraged, it is expected. My experience with diversity was found in serving 
students with disabilities and advocating for more equitable opportunities for them in a 
traditional school setting. One area of diversity that was lacking in my classroom 
experience was diversity across race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic 
status. This has been shaped and formed in my first two years as an administrator. 
 
My first job in administration was in a school serving students with special emotional 
and behavioral needs. The school’s main focus surrounded the social-emotional 
well-being of an underserved population of children. Most of the students enrolled in 
the school were emotionally disturbed and had experienced childhood trauma. Trauma 
comes in many forms in childhood, most commonly abuse, neglect and poverty. 
Although the school served students from over 42 different school districts, almost 60% 
of the students came from Buffalo Public Schools and 100% of the students were 
eligible for free and reduced lunch.  
 
It was within this school community where I developed my stance on diversity, equity 
and inclusion for all students. It was within this school where I saw students who had 
never participated in a group lesson in the past, have the opportunity to act in a school 
play and present in a science fair. It was magical to see the transformation of students 
from their first days in the school and it was moving to see those same students walk 
across the stage at graduation. To see students valued, empowered and elevated to 
their fullest potential was to see equity in action and understand the impact one can 
have when equity and diversity are valued in an organization. 
 
It was in this school that my views on equity and diversity in education were refined. My 
passion for empowering every student to succeed in their own unique way is at the 
forefront of my mission in education, and it was through the eyes of diversity that this 
was formed.