Belonging Means...
From The Department of Student Services, Equity & Inclusion
Schools should be thoroughly welcoming places. The way students are greeted and treated by others communicates quite a bit about their place within the community. To be welcomed is to be received by others with warmth, friendliness, and an authentic delight. In other words, people find pleasure in your presence. Students tend to feel welcomed when others greet them, strike up a conversation, ask about their day, and join them in shared activities. The extent to which students feel genuinely welcomed in their classrooms or at their school can impact their enthusiasm for learning and their sense of membership. When hospitality abounds, students will be more excited about coming to class each day. When it is absent, they may feel uncomfortable or express more reluctance. Unfortunately, a warm welcome is not always experienced by students with significant cognitive disabilities. Some students are made to feel like a perpetual guest or a part-time member of a class. Others are overlooked by their peers or are rarely noticed by school staff. Finding ways of ensuring that every student feels extravagantly welcomed each day can shape the extent to which they also experience a sense of belonging.
What Does It Look Like?
- Everyone—including Ms. Yin, his general education teacher—is truly delighted Jayden is a member of their class. Jayden knows it! The warm reception he receives each day when he arrives reminds Jayden that he really does belong.
- Mateo’s classmates love spending time with him. In fact, it sometimes seems as if they compete over who gets to be in a small group with him. They all call out, “Hey, Mateo, come sit here by me!” as they make space for his wheelchair.
- Ginny is never an afterthought. Before she ever arrives to school, Ginny’s third-grade teachers have already planned for how she will be supported in each of the day’s academic and social activities. When she bounds through the door, there is no uncertainty about whether she will participate just like anyone else.
- The environmental club just wouldn’t be the same without Yasmine. Her peers remind her regularly just how glad they are that she decided to join.
What Can You Do?
- Model and encourage a culture of friendliness and warmth in your class. Talk with classmates about how they can greet and get to know students who have significant cognitive disabilities.
- Ask family members, special education staff, and students themselves what would make your club or class the best part of the school day.
- Ask students to share about their experiences in your class and the things that make them feel welcomed by others. Turn it into a regularly occurring discussion where students with and without disabilities can hear from each other about what makes them feel welcomed and wanted.
- Have students with and without disabilities collaborate on projects and assignments so that they have abundant opportunities to get to know each other.
Questions for Reflection
- Think about the various communities you personally belong to. What makes you feel welcomed in each of those spaces? What does not? How does the extent of this welcome impact your sense of belonging?
- Observe and reflect on the experiences of students with significant cognitive disabilities that you know. Do students feel truly welcomed in your classroom or at your school? What tells you this is or is not the case?
- What do students at your school say are the things that make them feel welcomed there? If you don’t know, ask them.
- Are there certain students you are less excited to see each day or struggle to welcome in your classroom? What steps could be taken to change this situation?
Carter, E. W., & Biggs, E. E. (2021). Creating communities of belonging for students with significant cognitive disabilities (Belonging Series). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.
At Hubbard Woods, we believe that creating a strong sense of belonging begins the moment someone walks through our doors. Whether it’s a student entering the halls for the first time or a new staff member joining our team, the feeling of being welcome is essential to being “the heart of the community”.
Being part of a school like Hubbard Woods is about more than just learning—it’s about being part of something larger, a place where we desire for everyone to feel valued and connected. Our welcoming environment is carefully nurtured through our daily interactions, traditions, and the intentional efforts we make to ensure everyone feels they are welcomed and feel a sense of belonging.
One of the ways we foster this sense of belonging is by focusing on making each person feel seen and supported. From morning greetings, hallway smiles, classroom buddy systems and community-building activities, we strive to create an atmosphere where new members of our school family quickly feel at home. On day one of this school year, we had a school wide assembly where we had the chance to welcome new members of our school community. We had the opportunity to engage in collectively singing our school songs with pride which demonstrated our inclusive and welcoming Hubbard Woods spirit.
This focus on being a welcoming environment is not limited to new students or staff—it is a continuous effort that reminds all of us that Hubbard Woods is a place where everyone can thrive. It’s in the moments we share, the relationships we build, and the understanding that we are all part of a supportive, caring and welcoming community.
The Human Resources Department has welcomed 40 new staff members for the 2024/2025 school year. The District is excited to learn from these individuals, recognizing that they bring a unique perspective and numerous strengths in helping to create an incredible learning environment for students in Winnetka. Prior to the start of the school year, new educators went through two days of onboarding and orientation . This included an overview about the District from Dr. Tess followed by time with all District Departments (Human Resources; Business; Student Services, Equity & Inclusion; Innovation, Teaching & Learning; and Communications, Safety & Security) to introduce Department leaders along with critical information for new staff to have prior to starting the school year. Orientation continued the following day and involved activities planned by the Winnetka New Teacher Orientation Committee. After completing the activities, the new staff were taken on a trolley ride tour through Winnetka, hearing more from the Winnetka Historical Society about the background and uniqueness of our community. Finally, staff were welcomed back with a social hour at the Happ Inn to celebrate their initial two days of learning in District and congratulate each other on a successful entrance into The Winnetka Public Schools for the 2024/2025 school year!
November’s monthly observances include Native American Heritage Month, Diwali, Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving. Our wonderful RC Directors are curating materials for staff and students.
Greeley’s Destiny Collection for Native American Heritage Month
Skokie’s Native American Heritage Resources