National Inclusive Schools Week

WHAT IS NATIONAL INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK?  
Since its inception in 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has celebrated the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who are marginalized due to disability, gender, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, language preference, and other factors. 

WHAT DO WE DO DURING NATIONAL INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK?
The CPTA Special Education Committee celebrates our students with visible and invisible disabilities! We educate to promote empathy and understanding! We keep improving!  

Our committee has worked hard to put together meaningful programming at each school to demonstrate the importance of inclusion.   We hope our programming leaves all students and families feeling inspired to play a role in a more inclusive community.

ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY READ  

ALL GRADES: “Just Ask” by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Feeling different, especially as a kid, can be tough. But in the same way that different types of plants and flowers make a garden more beautiful and enjoyable, different types of people make our world more vibrant and wonderful.

In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges--and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we're not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask.

GRADES K - 2: “Wings” by Christopher Myers
Are you brave enough to be your true self? Ikarus Jackson is, but it isn't always easy. The people in his neighborhood point at his wings. The kids at school laugh. The teachers call him a distraction. One girl identifies with Ikarus, but she is too shy to speak up for herself, let alone for him. Maybe I should have said something to those mean kids, she thinks, when their taunts send him drifting into the sky. Inspired by Ikarus's own courage, she sets out in search of him and so begins her own journey of self discovery -- leaving both of them transformed."I wanted to create a book that tells kids never to abandon the things that make them different, to be proud of what makes them unique. Every child has his own beauty, her own talents. Ikarus Jackson can fly through the air; I want kids to find their own set of wings and soar with him." -- Christopher Myers

GRADES 3 & 4: “I Am Not a Label” by Cerrie Burnell
In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 34 artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences, and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them.

These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges that have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates, and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sports, science, math, art, breakdancing, or the world of pop.

Challenge your preconceptions of disability and mental health with the eye-opening stories of these remarkable people: Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Kirchhoff, Henri Matisse, Eliza Suggs, Helen Keller, Frida Kahlo, John Nash, Stephen Hawking, Temple Grandin, Stevie Wonder, Nabil Shaban, Terry Fox, Peter Dinklage, Catalina Devandas, Wanda Diaz-Merced, Victor Pineda, Arunima Sinha, Abraham Lincoln, Demi Lovato, Matt Haig, Redouan Ait Chitt, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Farida Bedwei, Jonas Jacobsson,Trischa Zorn, Ade Adepitan, Stella Young, Lady Gaga, Naoki Higashida, Isabella Springmuhl Tejada, Aaron Philip, Michelle Akers, Lil Wayne, Dynamo

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY READ

GRADES 5 & 6: "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public" -- in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

GRADES 7 & 8: "Someday Birds" by Sally J. Pla
Charlie’s perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan. 

When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. He decides that if he can spot all the birds that he and his father were hoping to see someday along the way, then everything might just turn out okay.

Debut author Sally J. Pla has written a tale that is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis.

HORACE GREELEY HIGH SCHOOL - A WEEK LONG SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The HGHS Special Ed PTA along with Greeley student clubs, Pathways program, SE Department and Student Life has designed a week of activities, challenges and education to increase awareness and inclusion of students with visual and/or hidden disabilities. 

The goal is to give all students, staff and administration opportunities to promote social and academic inclusion leading to success for students with disabilities. 

 Please encourage your child to check their canvas notifications for more information to participate. #beinclusive  #webelonghere

Horace Greeley High School will be kicking off National Inclusive Schools Week with The Breakfast Club's QUAKERFEST!  Today, Monday December 6^th, during the day 5 club activity period, all students and staff are welcome and encouraged to join.  We will have breakfast treats, hot chocolate, and many fun games in the courtyard.

The week will continue with the following activities:

TUESDAY: QR CODE DAY - we will have QR codes for all to scan and learn about famous leaders, innovators and celebrities who were not limited by or overcame different challenges in their life.

WEDNESDAY: POST IT, TAG IT, SHARE IT -  we will have a large interactive wings display in the academic commons.  The wings will be created with words from our student body.  All are welcome to take a photograph with the wings- post it, tag it and share it!  #beinclusive #webelonghere

THURSDAY: MEDIA SHARE - through canvas student life we will be sharing a variety of media publications, recommendations, articles and stories.

FRIDAY: WE BELONG HERE DAY - At the start of school we will be handing out stickers "We Belong Here" and sharing a culminating community video created by our students.

WINGS PROJECT - ALL SCHOOLS

Each student will receive a paper feather where they can write any of the following:

My Super Power is. . .

 What my peers don't know about me. . .

To me, inclusion means. . .

Feathers will be collected and assembled into wings. 

Each school will pick a slogan to place over the wings: 

“Where will your wings take you”

 “Spread your wings and fly”

 “Each feather is unique but together we can fly”

SEE PHOTO BELOW
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/94/60/579460ac016190b1c35b5bedd088a3a5.jpg

Our Special Education Committee and our School Administrators have worked hard to put together meaningful programming at each school to demonstrate the importance of inclusion.   We hope our programming leaves all students and families feeling inspired to play a role in a more inclusive community.

CONTACT US

Gina Malmgren
CPTA District Special Education Chair

Amy Andrus
CPTA District Special Education Vice Chair