Celebrate Inclusive Schools All Year Long!

Inclusive Schools Week "Unity Within Our Community"

Inclusive Schools Week 2022 RECAP!

Thank you to our wonderful school leaders, teachers, and students across the district who celebrated Inclusive Schools Week 2022! See below for highlights of some of the inclusive activities put on by school sites.

View celebrations here!
Foreground - Drawing of a child in shorts and a t-shirt with brown skin and brown hair, another child in a dress with blond hair and pale skin, a child with brown skin wearing jeans and a tshirt, a child in a red dress with brown skin and a ponytail and they are all holding hands. Behind them is a rainbow with the words "The Time for Inclusion is Now".

SFUSD Inclusive Arts Showcase

Did your students create Inclusive Artwork related to their disability, gender, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, language preference, etc. for Inclusive Schools Week? Submit it below to be featured in the district's annual Inclusive Arts Showcase!

Check out the Inclusive Arts Showcase Website for inspiration!

Submit Your Artwork Here
Special Olympics and SFUSD PE logo Banner

Inclusive Schools Week Activities from Special Olympics

SFUSD Physical Education and Activity partnered with Special Olympics Northern California to provide resources and activities throughout Inclusive Schools Week. Use the resources created beyond Inclusive Schools Week to promote inclusion in our school communities year-round!

 

Explore Activities
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SFUSD Inclusion Resource Guide

Inclusive Schools Week provides an opportunity for SFUSD educators and community members to teach students not just about disabilities but also about the intersection of disabilities with other categories of identity, like race, gender, class, cultural heritage, language preference and other differences.  Education and awareness can be a powerful tool to bridge across various differences and enable all students to find their voice and be appreciated for their unique selves.  Use our resource guide linked below to promote inclusion in our community y

Download our Inclusion Guide

2022 Inclusion Events Highlights

Missed our Community Inclusion Events during Inclusive Schools Week? See below for information and resources shared by our wonderful community partners.

Keynote Event: "Inclusion in San Francisco- From the Birthplace of the Disability Rights Movement to Today"

Presented in partnership with The Longmore Institute on Disability, Support for Families, Parents for Public Schools

Check out our Keynote Glossary & Community Resources to learn more about the Disability Rights Movement in San Francisco and the various resources the city has available through government organizations, community groups, etc.

 

2nd District PTA 411 Wednesday: Inclusive & Accessible Meetings

Check out the slides and recording to learn more about frameworks and resources to make your meetings meetings accessible!

School Site Inclusion Activities & Ideas

School Site Activity Highlights:

Fill out this form to share your site plans and we will add your school's information to our list. We can't wait to hear about the activities hosted at your school site!

Join our Inclusion Email List - add the name and contact information for the ISW coordinator at your school site to receive updates and resources. (ISW Coordinators can be administrators, teachers, staff or parents.)  

Invite a speaker from one of our wonderful community partners to speak about inclusion resources we have available in San Francisco all year long!

Are you struggling to plan Inclusive Schools Week activities for your school site, or need inclusion resources in general? Reach out to Charlotte Tresslar, Family and Community Coordinator for Special Education Services, at tresslarc@sfusd.edu for support!

EED, Pre-K, and TK Activities

Below are suggestions for Inclusive Schools Week celebrations and resources to support planning for EDD and Pre-K programs. School sites are also welcome to create original celebrations that highlight inclusion in their communities:

School-wide Celebrations

  • Start your morning circle by prompting students to use pictures or augmentative communication to introduce Inclusive Schools Week and show students there are ways outside of words to express their thoughts and emotions
  • Invite a group like Canine Companions to speak or facilitate an activity for a school site assembly

Classroom Activities

  • Collaborate with your school librarian to read-aloud one of our featured inclusive books for EDD & Pre-K, such as We Move Together, and facilitate a discussion about how students can authentically include their peers
  • Implement a response card strategy in one of your daily activities, like this one provided by Stetson, to practice differentiated and inclusive instructional practices that can be used beyond the week

Specials Activities

  • Design an art project to share with district leaders featuring work from your students, drawing inspiration from some of the visual artwork from last year, to showcase their diverse interests and abilities
  • Explore the PE Department resources and lesson plans for Inclusive Schools Week in partnership with Special Olympics of Northern California
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Elementary School Activities

In our elementary schools, principals are kicking off the week by leading activities and discussions about Inclusion. Teachers, librarians and parents are also doing read alouds and talking about being accepting and proud of differences. School sites are also sharing and posting videos about inclusion and doing writing activities in their classes.

Below are suggestions for Inclusive Schools Week celebrations and resources to support planning. Schools are also welcome to create original celebrations that highlight inclusion in their communities:

School-wide Celebrations

  • Create an inclusion bulletin board featuring relevant student work about what makes them unique or pictures and information about disability heroes
  • Start your morning circle by talking about Inclusive Schools Week and expanding the languages and communication used (pictures, augmentative communication, etc.)
  • Invite a speaker from our list of community partners (for example, Special Olympics) to speak to your students about inclusion and ability awareness

Classroom Activities

  • Collaborate with your school librarian to read-aloud one of our featured inclusive books and facilitate a reflective discussion of how students can promote inclusion
  • Check out sample writing activities from our Inclusive Arts Showcase inspiration from beautiful poetry and illustrations created by students in previous years
  • Select a lesson plan from our inclusion guide surrounding ability awareness or respectful language

Specials Activities

  • Have students create visual or written art to submit to our Inclusive Arts Showcase, art should be tied to this year’s theme of “Unity in the Community” and can be related to their disability, gender, cultural heritage, etc.
  • Explore the PE Department resources and lesson plans for Inclusive Schools Week in partnership with Special Olympics of Northern California
  • Invite a group like Canine Companions to speak or facilitate an activity
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Middle School Activities

In our middle schools there are Inclusive Schools Week Virtual Film Festival and learning experiences about difference and inclusion during Advisory.

Below are suggestions for Inclusive Schools Week celebrations and resources to support planning. Schools are also welcome to create original celebrations that highlight inclusion in their communities:

School-wide Celebrations

  • Create an inclusion bulletin board (short poems, artwork, etc.) featuring how students see inclusivity in action in your school community 
  • Invite a speaker from our list of community partners to speak to your students about what inclusion can look like and how they can be inclusive in and outside of school
  • Create an inclusion video of different students talking about what inclusion means

Classroom Activities

  • Join our keynote session “San Francisco - From the Birthplace of the Disability Rights Movement to Today” to learn about Inclusion in our city.
  • Check out sample writing activities from our Inclusive Arts Showcase for inspiration from beautiful poetry and illustrations created by students in previous years
  • Select a pre-written lesson plan from our inclusion guide regarding ability awareness and respectful language, such as the “Understanding Disabilities” reflective exercise

Specials Activities

  • Have students create visual or written art to submit to our Inclusive Arts Showcase, which can be related to their disability, gender, cultural heritage, etc.
  • Explore the PE Department resources and lesson plans for Inclusive Schools Week in partnership with Special Olympics of Northern California
  • Invite one of our adaptive sports partners to speak and facilitate an activity at your school site to demonstrate how participation can take many forms

Feel free to use these examples for inspiration!

 

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High School and Access Program Activities

During Inclusive Schools Week SFUSD high schools address ableism, disability awareness and best practices for supporting students with disabilities. 

Below are suggestions for Inclusive Schools Week celebrations and resources to support planning. Schools are also welcome to create original celebrations that highlight inclusion in their communities:

School-wide Celebrations

  • Create an inclusion bulletin board featuring relevant student work about what makes them unique or pictures and information about disability heroes
  • Invite a speaker from our list of community partners to speak to your students about what inclusion can look like and how they can be inclusive in and outside of school
  • Enable Special Education teachers at your school to share best practices for supporting students with disabilities each morning (email, staff announcement, etc.)

Classroom Activities

  • Join our keynote session “San Francisco - From the Birthplace of the Disability Rights Movement to Today” to learn about the intersection between Civil & Disability Rights movements and have students complete a reflection
  • Check out sample writing activities from our Inclusive Arts Showcase for inspiration from beautiful poetry and illustrations created by students in previous years
  • Lead a discussion on the power of language and complete an activity about People-First Language

Specials Activities

  • Allow a student-led organization, such as Best Buddies, conduct an “Instagram Takeover” to promote inclusion
  • Explore the PE Department resources and lesson plans for Inclusive Schools Week in partnership with Special Olympics of Northern California
  • Host a screening of a disability film such as Crip Camp, Superfest Films, etc.

 

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10 Easy Inclusive Schools Week Celebration Ideas
  1. Build a Peace Corner in your classroom or school yard. Create a quiet place for students to cool down and take a moment to regroup when they are feeling overwhelmed.
  2. Put up an inclusion bulletin board in your classroom or the school hallway. Hang up pictures of disability heroes or student work on the topic of inclusion.
  3. Talk about Inclusion and Inclusive Schools Week during morning circle and include various modes of communication. For example, use sign language, foreign languages, and augmentative communication supports (including photos, pictures, and assistive technology devices, etc.).
  4. Read Inclusive books with your students that represent all marginalized students.
  5. Extra Credit Assignment: Watch either of the district's virtual events: "Inclusion in San Francisco- From the Birthplace of the Disability Rights Movement to Today" or the Special Olympics Virtual Assembly with Phillip Gonzales and then write a reflection. 
  6. Encourage and help students submit work in the SFUSD Online Inclusive Arts Showcase. Checkout the Inclusive Arts Showcase website for inspiration. 
  7. Check out the Inclusive Schools Network or 30th Anniversary of the ADA celebration guides for resources and ideas for your school community.
  8. Do some of the Champions of Inclusion Activities from the Inclusive Schools Network.
  9. Join the “Spread the Word to End the R-Word” Initiative
  10. Visit ADA30 in Color - a series of original essays on the past, present, and future of disability rights and justice by disabled people of color. Published and edited by Alice Wong, of the Disability Visibility Project. 
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Inclusion Articles and Resources
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Inclusion Videos

Check out our Inclusion You Tube Channel for more videos!

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Grounding documents: talking about Race & White Supremacy Culture
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LGBTQ+ Resources

Click on the links in the PRIDE Virtual Classroom to find a fun music LGBTQ+ Playlist, LGBTQ Heroes choiceboard, virtual library, and more!

Embrace Diversity to Build Safer, More Inclusive Communities 

“Dominator culture has tried to keep us all afraid, to make us choose safety instead of risk, sameness instead of diversity. Moving through that fear, finding out what connects us, reveling in our differences; this is the process that brings us closer, that gives us a world of shared values, of meaningful community.”    
                                                 —bell hooks, Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope

To uplift Transgender Awareness Week, we highlight these resources that emphasize why inclusive education is imperative and how the power of LGBTQ+ visibility fosters positive spaces of understanding and empathy where all students feel visible and accepted.

Visibility is Power by Elementary educator Skye Tooley emphasizes the power of LGBTQ+ visibility in fostering positive spaces of understanding and empathy where all students feel visible and accepted. From Learning for Justice.

Inclusive Education Benefits All Children by Melanie Willingham-Jaggers and the GLSEN Team. In confronting attacks on LGBTQ+ students’ rights to representation and safety in public education, we hold firm to creating inclusive and affirming learning spaces. From Learning for Justice

Advocating for LGBTQ Students with Disabilities - a guide for educators and parents/guardians on supporting LGBTQ students with an IEP or 504 plan

The Trevor Project - 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

 

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Disability Voices - Check out these quotes from disability advocates

Disability Voices

“Disability is not a brave struggle or courage in the face of adversity. Disability is an art. It is an ingenious way to live.”
-Neil Marcus, actor/playwright


“Disability must be considered within an intersectional framework because it cuts across political, social, and cultural narratives and identities. An intersectional lens challenges the historically white, cisgender, heterosexual understanding of disability to more accurately reflect the narratives as told by lived experiences of disabled people.”
-Sandy Ho, community organizer


“As ‘invisibles’, our history is hidden from us, our heroes buried in the pages, unnamed, unrecognized. Disability culture is about naming, about recognizing.”
-Cheryl Marie Wade, “Disability Culture Rap”

 

“Staying alive is a lot of work for a disabled person in an ableist society.”
-Alice Wong, editor; Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century

 

“Overthinking is one enemy of disability etiquette, but so is making assumptions about what a person wants and needs. Of course, individuals with disabilities want to be treated like everyone else, but when we say that, we don’t mean “treat every person exactly the same. We mean recognize our humanity and meet us where we are at.
-Kyle Khachadurian, cohost, The Accessible Stall podcast

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 SFUSD Inclusion Bitmoji Classroom

Check out our Inclusion Bitmoji Classroom to learn more about Inclusive Schools Week, Special Education and Disability Heroes!

a bitmoji in a room with a large fish tank, a shelving unit, bean bag chairs, books and other resources.

What is Inclusive Schools Week?

Inclusive Schools Week is an annual event sponsored by the Inclusive Schools Network (ISN) and Stetson & Associates, Inc., which is held each year during the first full week in December. 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. The Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students and parents to discuss what else needs to be done in order to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children.

Inclusive Schools Weeks provides an opportunity for SFUSD educators and community members to teach students about disabilities AND the intersection of disabilities with other categories of identity, like race, gender, class, cultural heritage, language preference and other differences.  Education and awareness can be a powerful tool to bridge across various differences and enable all students to find their voice and be appreciated for their unique selves. 

SFUSD has been celebrating Inclusive Schools Week during the first week in December since 2010, when Mayor Gavin Newsom issued this Mayoral Proclamation on Inclusive Schools Week. In 2013, the SFUSD Board of Education issued a resolution on Guiding Principles Regarding Inclusive Education Practices for the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)  

 

This page was last updated on January 5, 2023