Survivor-Led Sexual Misconduct Prevention for Independent Schools

About
Learning Courage

Survivor Led. School Focused. Trauma Informed.

Learning Courage partners with leaders of K–12 independent schools and youth-serving organizations to prevent sexual misconduct, reduce harm, and foster long-term healing.

Through systemic change grounded in survivor well-being, we help schools build cultures of accountability, compassion, and care.

Our Mission

To transform school communities by preventing sexual misconduct, reducing harm, and fostering healing—through systemic change grounded in survivor well-being.

Our Vision

We envision school communities free from sexual abuse—where every student thrives in a safe, supportive environment.

Our Values

Our work is guided by these core principles:

Integrity

We act with transparency and trust.

Caring

We lead with compassion for survivors, students, and communities.

Learning

We evolve our practices through ongoing research, reflection, and responsiveness to school needs.

Cultural Change

We believe that institutional change is possible—and essential.

Collaboration

We work side-by-side school leaders, faculty, and staff.

Why our work matters

1 in 4 / 1 in 6

girls/boys (under the age of 18) in the U.S. experience sexual abuse in their lifetime.

>50%

of abuse occurs before the age of 17, according to the CDC.

Up to 90%

of incidents go unreported, according to United Educators.

Schools must be equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to sexual misconduct. Learning Courage provides the expertise and tools to make that possible.

What sets us apart

Survivor Led

Our work is shaped by lived experience, offering insight into both institutional challenges and what survivors truly need.

Independent School Expertise

We are former independent school educators with deep experience allowing us to tailor every aspect of our work to specific institutional cultures, structures, and values.

Trauma-Informed Approach

We help organizations respond with dignity, compassion, and accountability, fostering community trust and resilience.

Comprehensive, Customized Services:

Training
Policy review
Risk assessments
On-demand consultation

We offer flexible support to meet each organization’s evolving needs.

We bring a unique combination of lived experience, professional expertise, and over 75 years of collective experience working in independent schools and youth-serving organizations to transform communities.

From Our Members

“Marin Country Day is a Founding Member of Learning Courage because keeping students safe is one of our greatest concerns. We recognize the importance of knowing the most current thinking for reducing and responding to incidents of sexual misconduct in schools. That’s exactly what Learning Courage gives us."
Katherine Dinh, Head of School, Marin Country Day School
“Learning Courage is exactly what school leaders need so they can plan with confidence and respond quickly, knowing they are using the best practices."
Anne Owen Armfield, Former Board of Trustees, The Hotchkiss School
“Learning Courage fills a crucial hole in the response to Sexual Misconduct that has been an enormous obstacle: an accurate, compassionate and LONG term, BIG picture solution to this chronic issue. This organization is one that I feel confident in fully standing behind."
Charis Denison, Founder, Prajna Consulting
"My work with survivors of sexual misconduct asked more of me than anything I'd previously done or imagined. It was also a privilege to be afforded the responsibility to do it as well as possible. I only wish that I had met the team at Learning Courage before taking on the work; their wisdom, compassion, and commitment to supporting school leaders in keeping students safe will serve generations of individuals and school communities to come."
Mike Hanas, Former Head of School, San Francisco Friends School

About Learning Courage