Cedar School Inclusive Schools Week 10/15/21

This is just a reminder that next week is Inclusive Schools Week. Here at Cedar, we are committed to encouraging diversity and inclusion all the time, but we want to highlight it and include explicit teaching during this week. We have many activities planned for the week. We will be kicking off the week with a wonderful story called Special People, Special Ways. Teachers will revisit the story over the week, read 3 other related stories, ignite conversations and follow-up questions, and highlight specific themes around inclusion. The school will be learning sign language on the morning announcements and students will learn to sign a song in Music class. Ask your child to teach you some sign when they get home!

Another story we will be highlighting is called You are Enough by Margaret O'Hair, inspired by Sophia Sanchez, a young girl with Down Syndrome. Sophia, herself, will be reading this story to Cedar students in a pre-recorded video that we will be watching together as a school. So excited!!

The last story we will read is Be Who You Are by Todd Parr. We will culminate the week by celebrating our differences by having our annual "Be Who You Are Day!" on October 22nd. We encourage the entire Cedar Community to wear something that is special about them. Students can wear their favorite color, a shirt that is from somewhere or someone special, a special hat, a special team or club, an outfit from a different culture, etc. This isn't meant to be a costume - just a simple way to say we are proud of ourselves for who we are!

At the end of the week, we will send links to all 3 stories so you can follow up at home following the school celebrations. We plan on continuing these conversations all year and will revisit this topic again in April with Autism Awareness month.

Have a great weekend!

Ellen and Garry