Celebration Plans - Celebrations Across the Nations

Inclusive Schools Week participants from schools and communities across the United States, Canada, and other nations have flooded our email box with details about their exciting celebration plans. We are pleased to share a sampling of the messages below.

Alabama

The first celebration of Inclusive Schools Week in Alabama was felt throughout the state. To highlight the accomplishment of enhancing education and community supports for youth and adults with autism, Governor Bob Riley proclaimed this week as Inclusive Schools Week in Alabama. Karen Dixon, Ph.D., a Consumer Coordinator at the Civitan International Research Center, wrote an opinion piece on inclusion which was published by the Birmingham News on December 2, 2007 (circ. approx. 175,000). These efforts were coordinated by the state's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network, which consists of the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP), the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities (ACDD).

The opinion piece can be found here.

Arizona

The Arc of Tucson is hosting a community event that will include a screening of an award-winning documentary on inclusion; a Q & A with a panel of professionals, parents, and self-advocates; and a workshop focusing on practical strategies and tools for building inclusive schools and communities.

At Kyrene de los Niños Elementary School (Tempe), the Structured English Immersion classes are presenting several readers' theater plays, reciting poems, and singing songs that reflect their English learning. The forty students involved speak nine different languages and are from nine different countries.

Magee Middle School (Tucson) has a variety of activities planned for everyone in the school community:

  • The Student Council is making 800 ribbons that will be distributed to all students during the Week.
  • The Tucson Lobos, a local wheelchair basketball team, will visit physical education classes for a demonstration game.
  • Alison Hasel, a runner up in Ms. Wheelchair Arizona, will be a guest speaker at a student assembly.
  • A music therapist and an art therapist will conduct special classroom lessons.
  • Students will participate in a school-wide essay contest with shirt prizes from The Nth Degree.
  • Teacher appreciation activities include: a breakfast to kick off the Week and a lunch on Friday; "a spa at work" complete with chair massages, manicures, and eye soothers.
  • The Arizona Wins with Inclusion Program will lead a professional development day.

California

At Hale Middle School (Los Angeles), morning announcements will focus on famous people who have disabilities to highlight their wide-ranging and inspiring accomplishments.

Colorado

The school board of Douglas County School District will pass a resolution declaring December 3-7 Inclusive Schools Week. The Department of Instructional Support Services will publish a special edition of its newsletter focusing on exemplary educational practices. Special education team leaders and district coordinators have been invited to submit a description of the "best, most creative, innovative, successful, or out-of-the-box inclusionary practice" in their school. Entries will be included in a drawing to win a trip to the National LRP Special Education Convention in North Carolina.

Florida

The Florida Inclusion Network will host its 7th Annual Inclusive Schools Week Teachers' Expo to share inclusive strategies and tips across Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Duval County Public Schools (Jacksonville) will celebrate Inclusive Schools Week by providing additional instructional and scheduling supports to its schools. Every school will receive a toolbox with resources designed to assist all teachers as they craft their work with students with disabilities. Also, DCPS, Florida Inclusion Network/Duval, and Council for Exceptional Children Chapter 75 will gather together to share how elementary and secondary schools have met the needs of the students with disabilities through a flexible scheduling process.

Kansas

Families Together, Inc., the state PTI in Kansas, will host its 3rd Annual Statewide Inclusion Conference "Together We're Better," with an expected audience of 200 parents and professionals. Michael Remus, Director of Special Education for Deer Valley Unified District (Phoenix, AZ), is the featured speaker, with a presentation titled "The Road to Systems Change."

Louisiana

Louisiana Together Educating All Children (LaTEACH), in conjunction with the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, held a statewide inclusive schools art/essay contest. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony at the Louisiana Department of Education. Guest speakers will include Craig Blackburn, a young man with Down Syndrome, who received a high school diploma as a result of inclusive practices, and Lynnette Doga Fontenot, a woman with cerebral palsy and needs 24-hour supports, will talk about her inclusive school experience resulting in her associates degree. LaTEACH also is hosting a book reading of Don't Call Me Special with members of the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education.

Students at the North DeSoto Elementary School (Stonewall) will get a special reading of “Don’t Call Me Special” by Superintendent Walter Lee in recognition of Inclusive Schools Week.

Maryland

Whittier Elementary (Frederick) has many fun and creative ideas for celebrating the Week planned. Staff members are invited to wear their "worst ensemble possible" to promote the message: "No matter what we wear, we're still the same on the inside and still included in the Whittier Elementary Community." During morning announcements, students will share their name and "I am included because....". Students will also sign a banner with the message "We're all included" with something special about them.

Massachusetts

The Patrick O'Hearn Elementary School (Boston) scheduled numerous activities throughout the month of December, including inspirational presentations by young adults with disabilities. On Friday, December 7, the entire pupil population will gather for after-school assembly showcasing the writing, artistic, acting, and musical talents of the students. Community members and local officials are invited to the celebration that highlights how inclusion works in this urban school.

Granby Public Schools (Granby) is organizing a variety of events for students and families: a puppet show to teach elementary students about bullying, a musical performance by students with disabilities for middle school students; workshops and video presentations for high school students; and a workshop for families on Parents' Rights and Responsibilities.

The state’s Department of Education promoted celebrations of Inclusive Schools Week via its web site (http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.asp?id=3795). School leaders are encouraged to highlight the accomplishments of students, families, school personnel, and community members in promoting inclusive education for all children.

Michigan

For the second consecutive year, the Michigan Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution declaring December 3-7 Inclusive Schools Week in the state.

Mississippi

Pecan Park Elementary School (Ocean Springs) is encouraging its students to make connections with other children and youth around the world. They will learn about the diversity of the different countries and share day-to-day activities, holiday traditions, language diversities, and much more. A bulletin board will display a map of the world and connections students have made to places around the globe, as well as letters, pictures, and postcards the classes receive from their pen pals.

New Hampshire

School Administrative Unit #53, comprised of five towns in the state, has a Learning Circle of administrators, special educators, general educators, and specialists that focuses on inclusion. The group has invited Dan Habib, who produced the film, "Including Samuel" to an after-school showing of the movie.

New Jersey

Governor Jon Corzine has issued a proclamation for New Jersey Inclusive Schools Week, and local school districts, such as the Newark Public Schools and the Montclair Public Schools, are adopting local resolutions supporting Inclusive Schools Week. The NJ Coalition for Inclusive Education, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, the Arc of New Jersey, and the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities are having a press conference in honor of Inclusive Schools Week, focused on increasing funding for inclusion. Also, the NJ Map to Inclusive Child Care Team is meeting to focus on inclusion in after-school programs, featuring a speaker from NJ Protection and Advocacy.

New York

The New York City Department of Education celebrates Inclusive Schools Week by featuring the award-winning film, “The Keys to the House.” In this film, Italian director Gianni Amelio tackles difficult material with a sublime touch, and offers a powerful cinematic treatise on mental illness, physical disability, and child abandonment. The film is about a father who abandons his son, who is mentally and physically disabled, at birth; fifteen years later, the father gets back in touch with the son he has never met and accompanies him on a medical trip to a clinic for children who are disabled. In addition, “Keys to the House” triumphs in many ways, including giving screen time to two actors who are disabled.

Nevada

Frank Kim Elementary (Las Vegas) has a variety of activities planned for the Week. The Chris Burke Band (Chris played “Corky” in the television show “Life Goes On”) will perform for the entire school as well as visit classrooms where students can interact with people with disabilities who have made an impact on this world. Media have been invited. Staff will participate in Equity & Diversity Professional Learning sessions, and a banner reading “We Celebrate Inclusive Education Week All Year Long” will hang in front of the school.

A.D. Guy Elementary (Las Vegas) kicked off their celebration of Inclusive Schools Week by decorating classroom doors with the theme, “Teaching every Child, every day---Together, We Can & We Will,” writing about how they helped or were helped by someone, and having a Mix It Up lunch. Students will also build a community with “bricks” that will illustrate what is special about the school, and will decorate tracings of their hands with what is special about them. Spirit Day will be at the end of the Week with students wearing the school’s colors and wearing stickers that say “Ask me why I am GREAT at...”. An inclusion night will also be held with the following activities:

  • 30’s Greatroom: Tip Hula - Each member of the group is allowed to use one (and only one) finger to pick up a hula hoop and carry it across the room.
  • 40’s Greatroom: Marble Madness - Each group is given a variety of PVC pipe pieces. They are told to select one each. They must then get their marble from one end of the room to the other. Nobody can mover their feet when they have the marble in their possession. Each member must possess the marble once. The marble can only touch the PVC.
  • 50’s Greatroom: No Talk Building - Each team gets 100 straws and 3 feet of tape. They must construct a tower as tall as possible in 10 minutes. There can be no verbal communication between people.
  • 60’s Greatroom: Blind Bean Toss - Each member of a team of two must take turns throwing their bean bag into a coffee can. The member throwing the bean bag is blindfolded and must rely on their partner to guide their throws.

North Carolina

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Charlotte) highlighted the academic accomplishments of students in co-taught classes during its seventh annual celebration of Inclusive Schools Week. CMS says other school districts from around the nation are inquiring about its co-teacher program where data shows that students in co-taught classrooms improved in algebra, geometry, reading and math. Teachers say one of the keys to success is making students with disabilities feel comfortable and building confidence in the student.

The story can be found at here.

Pennsylvania

The School District of Philadelphia has organized a variety of celebrations using the Inclusive Schools Week Celebration Kit as a guide, including:

  • Activities that promote citywide awareness: window displays and site visits for school district personnel, community, and media
  • Activities that increase knowledge and skills: professional development and training; highlight materials from the "Celebration Ideas: Activities and Resources for Schools, Classrooms, and Families" (e.g., "Teaching the Levees," a Spike Lee film)
  • Activities that change the system: inclusive practices mini-grants, collaborations with Arcadia University, and district proclamation

The Inclusion Team at Jefferson Middle School (Pittsburgh) recently founded an International Club to raise student awareness, appreciation, interest, and respect for various cultures throughout the world and to help ESL students develop stronger connections to the school. The club will host its 1st Annual International Night during Inclusive Schools Week.

Forbes Elementary School (Penn Hills School District) will host a Fabulous Family Event to celebrate Inclusive Schools Week. "Everybody Belongs" will include information available to all families about inclusive education, person-first language, the benefits of inclusion. "Celebrity" teacher book-readers will read books on inclusion and awareness, and an art activity will have students create a small piece of a larger display to show the benefits of belonging to a community.

Texas

Caroll Independent School District (Southlake) has planned a celebration using the song, "Take a Walk in Someone Else's Shoes." Students with and without disabilities will perform the song in American Sign Language. Each day of the week will have a different focus related to building awareness, respect, and community. Each class will read and sign a "Constitution of Caring," physical education classes will participate in disability awareness training, and much more.

Students and teachers at Lamar Fleming Middle School (Houston) will highlight inclusive practices over the public address system each morning.

Virginia

To celebrate Inclusive Schools Week, Mount Daniel Elementary School (Falls Church) has adopted the theme "There is a place for everyone in the Mount Daniel School Community." Teachers will give each student a puzzle piece to decorate with an illustration of their favorite things or something that makes them special. The pieces will fit together to make a large "quilt" for each class, and will fit together into one large puzzle representing the larger Mount Daniel community.

Students and teachers at River Oaks Elementary School (Woodbridge) will start their week of celebration by displaying how they are special or unique in their “We Are All Unique” celebration. Students will decorate a foot or a set of footprints by writing how they are special or unique, while teachers will share experiences that may have been a challenge for them and how they adapted on their footprints. The Week will continue with students and staff sharing information about their heritage in the “Walk In My Shoes” activity, and with a viewing of the film “Happy Feet” coupled with a discussion about the main character and how he is unique. Inclusive Schools Week will end with a Spirit Day where students will write about how the film changed their feelings about people who are different. Lastly, students and teachers involved in the special education program will conduct daily announcements.

Wisconsin

Sennett Middle School (Madison) has organized many celebrations to occur on each day throughout the Week. An Inclusion Quilt will be on display in the school; a local businessman who is a parapelegic and an athlete, will talk with the students about his experiences and up-to-date research. Other activities include students experiencing what it is like to have a disability; daily announcements about a disability, including facts, characteristics, and dispelling myths; students will wear clothing that represents other countries or cultures; and books written about disabilities or by someone with a disability will be displayed in the school.

Canada

Rainbow Schools (Ontario) are holding workshops aimed at building empathy and understanding of children with special needs. Families and staff will attend assistive technology workshops to help them better meet the needs of exceptional learners.

The classes at the Webbwood Public School (Ontario) will create posters advertising the Inclusive Schools Week theme, "Great things are happening in inclusive schools," and families will be a part of the classrooms during the Week. Students will learn sign language, and a guest speaker will join the children in signing. Classes will also connect with pen pals around the globe and will learn about other world traditions.

There's still time to send us a note about the activities and events you will be hosting for the 2007 Inclusive Schools Week. Please drop us a line at inclusiveschools@edc.org. We wish you all well next week, and congratulate you on your inspiring efforts to build stronger schools and communities for all children and youth.