Speech Language Pathology teacher Wendy Stewart read the book Someone Special Just Like You to Ms. Latitia Wood’s and Ms. Carolyn Reese’ second grade classes to teach students about inclusion and disabilities at Burgess Peterson Academy. This event was held Tuesday afternoon in celebration of Inclusive Schools Week.
As Atlanta Public Schools continues its celebration of Inclusive Schools Week, teachers, students, families and communities engage in opportunities to discuss the inclusion of children with disabilities and the importance of providing a quality education to all children.
The activities and dialogue that occur during Inclusive Schools Week help create an awareness of the benefits of inclusive education and the progress schools have made toward providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including those students with disabilities. The weeklong celebration also provides an opportunity to discuss additional steps that must be taken to ensure that we continue to improve our schools’ ability to educate all children.
Throughout this week, APS has hosted events to promote such opportunities, including screenings of the documentary, “Including Samuel” at the APS Center for Leadership and Learning, the Auburn Avenue Research Library and Frederick Douglass High School. The Auburn Avenue screening was followed up with dialogue led by parent mentors, and the screening at Douglass included a student art exhibit.
Schools around the district have created various ways of participating in the nationwide celebration. At Hutchinson Elementary School students took part in five days of events.
On “Movie Day Monday,” students watched an animated version of the “Helen Keller Story” during enrichment classes;
Throughout the day on “Tell a Friend a Kind Word Tuesday,” teachers and students expressed kind words and thoughts to each other;
Teachers and students wore navy blue pants and red shirts in honor of inclusive schools week on “Wear Navy Blue and Red Shirts Wednesday”;
For “Thankful Thursday,” students drew pictures and wrote about what they were thankful for and why they are thankful;
Students, faculty and staff will close out Inclusive Schools Week by participating in “Favorite Outfit Friday” and wearing their favorite school appropriate outfits. Additionally, Clark Atlanta University students will stop by to read books about inclusion to students.
For a list of ISW activities and events, please visit www. Atlantapublicschools.us/pec
