Celebration Plan Contest Winners

April Gruich,
Pecan Park Elementary School,
Ocean Springs, MS

Inclusive Schools Week is an exciting time for our school! This year we are challenging our classes to make connections with students around the world. They will be learning about the diversity of the different countries and sharing day to day activities, holiday traditions, language diversities and much more. We will be displaying a bulletin board with a map of the world and all connections will be shown using string and map pins from our home state of Mississippi and extend out to the countries that our students make connections with. Also, any letters, pictures, and postcards the classes receive from their penpals will be displayed on the bullitin board. We are excited to learn lessons from other students, as well as, teach lessons to students around the globe!

Lissa Watts,
Magee Middle School,
Tucson, AZ

Magee Middle School has many plans for NISW. Our Student Council is making 800 ribbons that will be distributed to every student to wear during the week. The Tucson Lobos, a local wheelchair basketball team will be visiting the PE classes on Friday for a demonstration game and the students will have a chance to try out a chair and play. Alison Hasel, who was a 2nd place runner up in Ms. Wheelchair Arizona will be coming to Magee and holding a motivational assembly open to all of our students. A music therapist will be visiting our band classes and leading a lesson. An art therapist will visit some of our classes and do a lesson. Students will be participating in a school-wide essay contest with shirt prizes from The Nth Degree. To show appreciation for the hard work that our teachers to do make inclusion work, we will be kicking off the week with coffee and breakfast items and ending with a lunch on Friday. During the week, several massage therapists have agreed to donate their time and will be visiting Magee during lunch to offer chair massages to our staff. One of the days, a person is coming in to do "spa at work" with manicures and eye soothers. For our professional development day that week, a person from the AZ Wins with Inclusion program, part of our state education department has agreed to lead PD.

There are many more events planned throughout the week!

We are very excited to be a part of this.

Kathy Rice,
Mt. Daniel Elementary School,
Falls Church, VA

Just wanted to let you know what my school, Mt. Daniel Elementary School, is doing for Inclusive Schools week.

To celebrate Inclusive Schools Week, we have adopted the them "there is a place for everyone in the Mt. Daniel School Community." So that each child (and teacher) can participate in this celebration, we will give out 'puzzle pieces' for each student in each class. The students can decorate the puzzle piece with an illustration of their favorite things, or something that makes them special. The pieces will fit together to make a large 'quilt' of puzzle pieces, for each class, but fitting together into one large puzzle representing the larger Mt. Daniel community. In this way we'll graphically demonstrate that each student and teacher contributes their unique qualities to create a community at the Mt. Daniel ES.

Thanks for all the ideas you have generated to help us plan Inclusive Schools Week!

Tara Bringmann,
Whittier Elementary School,
Frederick, MD

My name is Tara Bringmann and I am an instructional aid at Whittier Elementary in Frederick, Maryland. I also head the special education committee for the PTA and am the proud mother of a child who benefits from inclusion. I am working with a number of people to come up with fun ways to celebrate inclusion week and they are as follows:

Ideas for celebration...

Staff Crazy Dress Day

  • Staff member wear their worst ensemble possible.
  • Message no matter what we wear, we're still the same on the inside and still included in the Whittier Elementary Community.
  • Worst dress wins a prize

Hero Parade

During morning announcement we typically have a hero parade. Whittier children receive hero slips for positive behaviors and are allowed to come on morning announcements, state their name, and say something nice about their teacher.

  • For inclusion week we will ask children to share their name and I am included because....

Slogan Contest

Implement the slogan contest: "I feel included when . . . ", "I feel included because . . . . "

  • On morning announcements let kids know that if their response is chosen, they could win chocolate bars for their class.
  • I'd like to ask Mrs. Austin to help me produce wrappers with the National Inclusion School Week logo.

'We're All Included' Banner

  • Let kids sign the banner with their name along with something their good at.
  • Display the banner in the school

Think About It

  • On morning announcements play the following songs and let kids have a little time to discuss what the songs mean to them.
  • Lean on me.
  • We're all in this together (from high school musical)
  • Kids are different (from kids on the block)

I am also trying to coordinate having a speaker from the US. Army discuss the importance of inclusion:

  • I am asking a Captain from the U.S. Army, who is disabled, to speak about his decision to stay active duty and the Army's acceptance of his disability.
  • I believe this relates well to the concept of National Inclusion Week.

LaTeach
(Louisiana Together Educating All Children),
Baton Rouge, LA

LaTEACH, Louisiana Together Educating All Children, in conjunction with the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council put on an Inclusive Schools Art/Essay Contest across the state of Louisiana. Over 150 submissions were received and winners were have been announced. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony on December 5, 2007, at the Claiborne Building in Baton Rouge where the Louisiana Department of Education is housed. Guest speakers will include Craig Blackburn, a young man with Down Syndrome who received a Louisiana High School Diploma as a result of inclusive practices during his schooling. Lynnette Doga Fontenot, a women who lives with cerebral palsy and needs 24 hour supports, will talk about her inclusive school experience. Lynnette will tell the winners how that experience led to her not only earning her Louisiana High School Diploma, but also earning her associates degree from Louisiana State University at Eunice.

LaTEACH, Louisiana Together Educating All Children, will be hosting a book reading by BESE members across the state of Louisiana. BESE members have been asked to go to a school in thier area and read Don't Call Me Special to help celebrate Inclusive Schools Week. The book readings have been scheduled for the week of November 26-30. Each school will receive a copy of the book along with a celebration kit from NISW.

Marlowe Bechmann and Melissa Brinker, Guidance Counselor, Durham Elementary School, Southlake, TX

National Inclusion Week at D.E.S. (Durham Elementary School, Southlake, TX)

National Inclusion week provides an important opportunity for educators, students, and parents to ensure that our school continues to improve it's ability to successfully educate ALL of our children. In the school setting, the lessons the children learn from tolerance, compassion and inclusion extend way beyond the special needs realm into kindness, anti-bullying, and appreciation of the differences that make all of us unique.

Help us celebrate the week by sending your child in the appropriate wear for each day!

Theme song: "Take a Walk in Someone Else's Shoes"

With a soulful chorus and upbeat tempo, this song will get toes tapping and people singing at the same time getting across the powerful message of inclusion and acceptance for children with autism, special needs and other differences. Listen at http://cdbaby.com/cd/swingset3 .(available after 11/15). This will be performed with American Sign Language by our Dragon Pals after-school social program (that promotes awareness and interaction between typical and special needs children).

http://www.sonicbids.com/SwingsetMamas

Monday, Dec 5th:
Awareness "Look at the World through someone else's eyes"

STUDENTS WILL DECORATE THEIR OWN UNIQUE PAIR OF GLASSES AT SCHOOL

Tuesday, Dec 6th:
Non-Judgemental "Don't judge a book by it's cover"

WEAR INSIDE-OUT CLOTHES

Wednesday, Dec 7th:
Tolerance and Patience "Be a team player"

WEAR YOUR FAVORITE TEAM JERSEY

Thursday, Dec 8th:
Respect for Community

WEAR GREEN OR DRAGON GEAR

Friday, Dec 9th:
Inclusion "Take a walk in someone else's shoes"

WEAR WALKING/RUNNING SHOES

Week Activities

  • Each class will read and sign a "Constitution of Caring"
  • Encore teachers will incorporate the theme of the week into their classes.
  • P.E. classes will do disability awareness training.
  • Themed morning announcements everyday. Students will receive challenges every morning on announcements. Students have the opportunity to receive prizes when they are caught doing the challenge.

Vicki Therrien,
SAU 53,
Pembroke, NH

Our SAU comprised of 5 towns has a Learning Circle with administrators, special educators, general educators, and specialists who meet regularly to discuss inclusion and how all students can make educational gain.

Our group recently planned for our first Inclusive Schools Celebration. We have invited Dan Habib, photo journalist who produced the film, Including Samuel to come to our showing of the movie with question/ answer time. There will also be time for reflective practice and share with small groups how students are being included.

All staff from 9 schools have been sent information , a 9 minute preview of the film, along with an invitation to join us for the December 3rd after school Inclusive School Celebration. We want to make this week something special each year in our SAU.

Pat Gumm,
The ARC of Tucson,
Tucson, AZ

The Arc of Tucson presents an Inclusive Schools Week Celebration Event!

Monday, December 3rd, 2007
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
4710 E. 29th St., Bldg. 11
Tucson, AZ

The evening's activities include:

  • A keynote address
  • Screening of a powerful film documentary on Inclusion (TASH award recipient)
  • Q & A with our panel of professionals, parents, and self-advocates
  • An Inclusion workshop for practical strategies and take-home tools!

Please call for further information, directions, and to RSVP. If you need special assistance or accomodations, please let us know.

There is no childcare available for this event.

Dawn Cooke,
Granby Public Schools,
Granby, MA

As a school committee member, co chair of the SPED and parent of a child with special needs, I am informing you of our plans for celebrations for Inclusion Week. For the Elementary Level we are having "kids on the Block" puppets which put on an interactive skit teaching students about disabilities and bullying. On the middle school level we are having a musical performance from The Berkshire Hills Music Acedemy. All of the performers have disabilites including Willaims Syndrome. At the High School level we will be having workshops, speakers and video presentations. There will also be a workshop for parents including Parents Rights and Responsibilies. It will be a very busy week and we are looking forward to it.

Cozette Ferron,
The School District of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia, PA

Goal: 7th Annual Inclusive Schools Week (December 3-7, 2007) - Promote activities that bring about awareness and knowledge of Inclusive Practices during the year 2007-2008.

Objectives

Activities that Promote Citywide Awareness
Activities that Increase Knowledge and/or Skills
Activities that Influence the System

Strategies

Office Collaboration: OSS, OLCA & C & I - Showcase materials around the slogan “Great things happen in inclusive schools” at local public schools, regional & central offices.

  • Displays (video & DVD) posters, essays, and other artifacts to highlight the achievements of the district and its work toward being more inclusive
  • Present the school district with materials that promote the Week including stickers, posters, and pencils
  • Interviews with district personnel, family members and students; video tours of schools that promote inclusive education; or coverage of specific activities planned (media –TV & newspaper)
  • Invite vendor(s) and/or bookstore to highlight video and print resources
  • Video Theatre (central /regional offices)– view chapters of video during designated time periods
  • School Professional Development - instructing faculty on topics such as differentiated instruction, culturally relevant curriculum and providing accommodations for learners with disabilities
  • Collaborate with Arcadia University - Arcadia Inclusion Institute
  • Inclusive Practices Min-Grant 2007-2008
  • LRE Exemplary Programs & Practices - identify school buildings that have exemplary program or practices in the area of educating students with disabilities in the LRE.
  • Declare the first week in December as Inclusive Schools Week with our School Board/District/Associate Superintendent-Proclamation
  • State Improvement Grant/Secondary Program Pilot
  • Access to the Core - Co-Teaching Model

Outcomes and Timelines

  • Window displays showcased during Inclusive Schools Week (December 3-7, 2007)
  • Disseminate materials to be displayed during “Inclusive Schools Week” and school year.
  • Schedule site visits for district school personnel, community and media (December 3-7, 2007)
  • Curriculum (Supplementary materials and resources)
  • Inclusive Schools Week - December 3-7, 2007
  • National Publication Resources (NPR, Inc.) – December 6, 2007
  • Embedded training - Professional Development (2007-2008)
  • Sample Lesson from Celebration of Ideas: Teaching The Levees – Curriculum for Democratic Dialogue and Civic Engagement
  • Book & DVD / Spike Lee HBO Documentary Film
  • Annual Arcadia University 11 – Highlight successful implementation of Inclusive Practices - ongoing support from August 2007 to June 2008
  • Highlight the 10 schools targeted for the Inclusive Practices Mini-grant 20007-2008
  • Nominations are due by: December 1, 2007; selected schools will have an opportunity to be recognized publicly and to receive a mini-grant that will support development and dissemination of materials and mentoring to other schools.
  • School Board /District/Associate Superintendent Presentation @ 440 – Inclusive Schools Week (December 3-7, 2007)
  • Highlight videos, interviews and implementation of best practices of students, teachers and administrators - pilot cohort