Thursday was a day of celebration for the Charlotte Country Day School’s chapter of POCIS, which stands for People of Color in Independent Schools.

Each year for the past nine years, the chapter has sponsored an end-of-year event to recognize the achievements of its departing seniors. On Thursday, six students were celebrated.

Brian Wise, director of diversity planning at Charlotte County Day, said POCIS, a national organization, was started as a support group for parents and students. At some schools, faculty also may join.

“There are still differences in our society as it relates to race and ethnicity,” he said. “People are looking for shared experiences.”

Wise said POCIS isn’t strictly about race. He said the group is open to anyone who wants to join or champions diversity.

With about 1,600-students, Charlotte Country Day School is among the nation’s 10 largest independent schools. About 13 percent of its students are people of color, he said. About 8 percent are African American.

Wise said independent schools are committed to having student bodies and staffs that are multicultural.

Asked what barriers prevent more ethnic minorities from attending the schools, he said: “I think one of the biggest barriers is the perceptions that independent schools are not places for people of color.”

The second big barrier, he said, is cost: Tuition at the south Charlotte school is $13,000 to $19,000 a year.

Wise said his school has not seen an influx of new students because of staff cuts and other reductions in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.

At Thursday’s POCIS event, the guest speaker was Brett Carter, president of Duke Energy Carolinas.
 

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