Inclusion at Columbia: Changing society one child at a time

Columbia Elementary School’s principal, staff and students recently met with school board members and district leadership to showcase the school’s inclusion journey and the power of belonging.

Principal Minh Nguyen talked about the staff’s intentional work over the last five years to study, understand and implement inclusionary practices. Inclusion, in this context, means integrating students served in Special Education into the least restrictive environment (as opposed to supporting students in separate classrooms).

This shared goal can be seen across all schools, with more and more students working with typically developing peers in classes ranging from elementary to high school, from math and science to music and CTE. 

Fifth grade teacher Ashley Welch and paraeducator Stephanie Burnham work together in Columbia’s fifth grade classroom. They talked about the friendships and advocacy between students they witness every day.

“We have kids talking with kids who are nonverbal and using technology to communicate. They all talk and work with their peers every day. It’s totally normal,” Welch said.

“These students would have otherwise been excluded from these classrooms, but they work side-by-side. These students belong, and it’s one of the most rewarding things to see,” she said.

Special Education teacher Alyssa Bowhay shared the belonging wheel and importance of having all of the elements of the wheel present, including being welcomed, known, supported and heard for someone to feel they truly belong. The wheel is used as a teaching tool with staff, in addition to professional development staff have received through positive discipline and GLAD (guided language acquisition design.)

Bowhay shared her work and role at the school has changed under the inclusion model and she sees a transformation among all students in the school.

“This is a big shift. We are really changing society. These students are advocates and they’ll carry that advocacy with them all through their life,” Bowhay said.

“We are changing society one child at a time,” she said.

Columbia students also talked about a recent schoolwide activity where students wrote examples of belonging at school and posted writing to a bulletin board. They emphasized using humanizing language to show care and respect for others.

Board members and staff participated in the morning circle activities in Wendy Colby’s second grade class and worked with students to find pieces of a heart puzzle with encouraging messages. Students were quizzed on Spanish vocabulary while signing the same  words in American Sign Language. 

Walking the halls of his old elementary school, executive director of teaching and learning Marty Atkins felt inspired to sing the former school song, which he wrote.