About Us
Inclusive Schools Week highlights and celebrates the progress of our nation's schools in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students with disabilities and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students, and parents to discuss what else needs to be done in order to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children.
The Week is organized by the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative (the Collaborative) and Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) as a way of acknowledging the hard work and commitment of teachers, administrators, students, and parents in making their schools more inclusive, and thereby, significantly contributing to the development of a more inclusive society.
Since its inception in December 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has been celebrated by tens of thousands of students, families, and educators in schools and communities in virtually every state in the country as well as several foreign countries.
In 1999, the Collaborative, as part of its work with the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, conducted research on the public's perceptions of inclusion and inclusive educational practices. The Collaborative found that "inclusion" was broadly omitted from the education and public debate. Armed with this realization, the Collaborative developed the Week to promote a national dialogue on the benefits of inclusion and inclusive educational practices.
The Week quickly surpassed the Collaborative's initial goals—celebrating how far we have come and where we need to go with regard to inclusive educational practices. Its influence extends beyond this single week: It encourages teachers to try new practices, it improves communication across school communities, and it honors the diversity of the children and youth in our nation's schools.
The White House and U.S. Department of Education have both endorsed the Week. Many schools and school districts have made it a yearly event and use the activities and lesson plans throughout the school year. In 2002, Canada replicated the Week, with Inclusive Education Week, which is held each November.
Held annually the first full week of December, 2007 marks the 7th anniversary of this celebration that recognizes the importance of building schools and communities that are welcoming of all children and youth.
Meet the Advisory Board
Elizabeth Bauer | Charlene Green | Bill Henderson
Cathy Orlando | Michael Peterson
Elizabeth W. Bauer
Elizabeth W. Bauer has advocated the legal and human rights of all persons, especially persons with
disabilities, for over four decades. As a volunteer and in various professional roles she has championed enlightened public policy and the development of
inclusive, consumer-directed, culturally competent, community-based services and supports for people with disabilities in Michigan, nationally and in
numerous other countries. She has served as a speech pathologist; special educator, and school administrator; director of staff development and, later,
director of community placement in Michigan's public mental health system. From 1981-2001 she was executive director of Michigan Protection and Advocacy
Service, Inc. (the federally mandated rights protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities in Michigan). Currently, she is an elected member
of the State Board of Education in Michigan. Her eight-year term expires January 1, 2011. She also consults
throughout the United States and internationally on human rights and the development of civil society. Mrs. Bauer is the mother
of four adult children, one of whom has been the beneficiary of special education services and currently receives public mental health services in Michigan.
Mrs. Bauer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Holyoke College and did graduate work in Speech Pathology at the University of Minnesota. She
holds a Master's degree in Education of Exceptional Children from The Ohio State University. She also completed extensive post-graduate work in education
administration at Wayne State University and Michigan State University.
Charlene A. Green
Charlene A. Green is currently serving as Deputy Superintendent for the Clark
County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. In her position in the Student Support Services Division, Ms. Green is responsible for providing support
to schools for students with disabilities, gifted students, English language learners and Title I. She also oversees the Departments of Grant Development
and Administration and Student Threat Evaluation and Crisis Management.
She brings extensive experience from school districts across the country. Beginning her career as a general education teacher in her hometown of Mt. Vernon, New York, Ms. Green also taught in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Indianapolis, Indiana where she expanded her role as an educator to include the instruction of students with disabilities. She has served as a Team Leader for the National Teacher Corp Program, Director of Special Education and Assistant to the Deputy Superintendent for Instruction while in the Indianapolis Public Schools. In 1991, Ms. Green accepted the challenge of balancing the ever present needs of children with disabilities with the demands of a large urban school district when she accepted the position of Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Pupil Support Services in the Chicago Public Schools. She has provided technical assistance as a consultant to the Baltimore City Public Schools, The Stamford Connecticut Public Schools, The Arlington Virginia Public Schools, The Ysleta Public Schools, El Paso, Texas, The Indiana Department of Public Instruction, and the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services.
Ms. Green received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio. She obtained her Master of Science Degree in Special Education from Indiana University and pursued advance studies in Administration at Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana where she also served as an adjunct instructor. She was chosen as a participant and completed the Superintendents Prepared Program; a leadership program for the urban superintendency sponsored the Institute for Educational Leadership, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and the McKinzie Group. Having a broad range of professional experiences on behalf of children with disabilities, Ms. Green is an active member of numerous organizations such as CEC, and CASE (Council for Administrators in Special Education). She presently serves as a member of the Institute for Urban School Improvement's Leadership Team, The Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative Advisory Team, CADRE (Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution) Technical Assistance Team, and serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Special Education Leadership. She has also recently accepted the Nevada State Board's appointment to the Title I Committee of Practitioners. She has served as a board member for Opportunity Village in Las Vegas, and is often an invited participant to OSEP focus group meetings. Ms. Green has accepted invitations from three governors to serve on State Advisory Councils on Disability, in Indiana, Illinois, and Nevada and was previously on the Board of Access Living, an independent living organization for people with disabilities in Chicago. She had the pleasure of testifying before the Senate on the reauthorization of IDEA. Her work with diverse populations in urban settings has prepared her to understand and better serve students and their families. She is a committed educator who continues to address the many outstanding issues related to providing full educational opportunities to children with diverse needs.
Bill Henderson
Bill Henderson has been an educator in Boston for the past 34 years.
Bill holds a B.A. from Yale University, an M. A. from Goddard College, and an ED.D. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Bill began his
career as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher at both the elementary and middle school levels. He has worked as a staff trainer and curriculum consultant
and as an assistant principal. Bill has also presented extensively at universities and conferences, and he has served as a consultant for school systems and
agencies. For the past 18 years, he has been principal of the O’Hearn Elementary School.
The Patrick O'Hearn is a small, urban elementary school serving children from diverse ethnic, linguistic, and ability backgrounds from early childhood through Grade 5. The O’Hearn has gained widespread recognition for its inclusion program. Students who are involved in regular education, students who have moderate to significant disabilities, and students considered talented and gifted learn together and from each other. Teachers and support staff team to work with all children in integrated classrooms. When not working, Bill enjoys exercising, gardening, playing the saxophone, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Cathy Orlando
Cathy Orlando is currently the Facilitator with the Florida
Inclusion Network in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. In her capacity as Facilitator within the 4th largest school district in the country, she
has been responsible for coordinating the restructuring of the service delivery of educational services for students with disabilities.
Her professional background includes several practitioner and administrative positions, from Speech Therapist, Behavioral Specialist, Residential Services Director, university professor, consultant, to teacher of students with and without disabilities. She holds a Master of Education from Lesley University and an Educational Specialist (ABD) from Florida International University. When away from the office, you may see Cathy on stage as an actress--her favorite role is Annie in Misery.
Michael Peterson
Michael
Peterson has been Professor in the College of Education, Teacher Education at Wayne State University since 1994 where he teaches courses related
to inclusive teaching and transition from school to adult life. He is from Texas, graduated with his doctoral degree in Vocational Education – Special
Needs from the University of North Texas in 1980, and was a faculty member at Mississippi State University from 1980 to 1987. From 1988 to 1994 Michael
directed the Developmental Disabilities Institute and co-directed the Michigan Inclusive Education Project, a statewide program to provide training and
technical assistance to schools to facilitate movement towards inclusive education. Dr. Peterson has 30 years experience in wide range of settings
and programs working with children and adults with disabilities. Has worked in urban and rural programs and direct teaching experience with both elementary
and secondary age students with special needs and disabilities. Dr. Peterson co-founded and presently coordinates the Whole
Schooling Consortium, an international network of educators, university faculty, parents, and schools devoted to using the Principles of Whole Schooling
to improve schools. This approach to school improvement sees inclusive education as a central component of effective schooling and teaching. He also has published
some 80 articles and monographs including, in 2003, Inclusive Teaching: Creating Effective Schools for All Learners, published by Allyn and
Bacon. He wrote this text collaboratively with his daughter, Mishael Hittie, a 4th grade teacher in Southfield Public Schools from whom he has learned
many lessons about inclusive teaching. He has been married to Georgie for 35 years, has two adult children and two young grandchildren, Rachel Ellen
and Shannon Noel.
