Dr. Sandra Heard: A Leader for Positive Change

“Intentional.” “Effective.” “Strategic.” When Upper School history teacher Dr. Sandra Heard talks about her new position as Potomac’s interim director of equity and community initiatives, these words come up again and again. 

A member of Potomac’s faculty since 2012, Sandra has a diverse academic background. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Mississippi State University, a Master of Theology from Xavier University of Louisiana, and a Ph.D. in American Studies from The George Washington University. She notes that her graduate studies included a focus on Afrocentricity in sociological and historical contexts. This mix of academic perspectives, combined with a rich array of personal and professional experiences, puts her in a strong position to tackle the responsibilities of her new role.

Sandra says, “I hope to work with many stakeholders this year, including parents, alumni, and my faculty colleagues. But my main focus is always on our students; as a teacher, that’s my wheelhouse!” Still, she acknowledges, “The director of equity and community initiatives role has a broader focus. I think about it in terms of helping Potomac achieve its vision of being an inclusive, progressive community so that our students and everyone else associated with the school can thrive.” As a member of Potomac’s senior administrative team this year, Sandra will be positioned to help keep the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals at the forefront. 

Projects on her radar include working with the Parent Cultural Competence Committee and the Parents of Black Students family network to plan programs and speakers. She observes, “Both of these groups have already created strong foundations and are making significant contributions to cultural competence at Potomac. I hope to help them build on their success and strengthen their partnerships within our community.” 

With respect to alumni, she says, “I know that there are exciting things happening, from programming sponsored by the Alumni Office to work being done by independent alumni affinity groups. I look forward to supporting these efforts as needed and desired.” She adds, “Alumni voices are essential as Potomac continues working to become a school that fully values and empowers each person. I am eager to continue listening and learning from our alums.”

Sandra’s work with colleagues this year will be a continuation of efforts in which she has already been engaged. She explains, “Our Cultural Competence Curriculum Team is focused on incorporating Potomac’s four cornerstones of cultural competence – identity, connection, justice, and action – into the K-12 curriculum. This goes to the heart of our work as educators, as we prepare students to be thoughtful, contributing members of a diverse global community.”

In addition to her efforts in the classroom, Sandra serves as a co-advisor to Potomac’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a job that she frames as “an opportunity to make sure that these students’ voices are heard.” She notes that the group is advocating for more LGBTQ+ perspectives in the curriculum, adding, “These students often feel that their stories are not being told.”

In the year ahead, Sandra looks forward to also serving as an advisor for Potomac’s new Center for Community, Equity, and Racial Justice (CCERJ). Housed in a freshly renovated space in the Upper School, the center is intended as a place for student leaders to gather to share ideas, explore issues, and build coalitions for positive change. Sandra says, “I’m excited about helping them launch this center and do incredible work from a coalition perspective. The efforts of individual groups are important and valuable, but it’s essential for students to work together effectively across differences (the very definition of cultural competence). Leveraging diverse perspectives and building collective strength will empower them to effect change, now and in the future.”

She adds, “While the CCERJ is primarily a student space, it will be good to have an adult presence to help them think through things. I plan to listen a lot, challenge them, and help them be strategic and effective. And I hope to see more faculty become involved in supporting the center’s efforts as we go forward.”

Sandra is proud to be part of The Potomac School – a place that she believes is moving in the right direction but still has plenty of room to grow. She says, “I want this community to live up to its mission. I want us to fully realize our vision of being an inclusive community where the dignity and humanity of each individual is honored. I’m willing to work for that. I believe in pushing myself and others so that, together, we can achieve our highest ideals.”