Together We Can

This week, December 8-12, we celebrate Inclusive Schools Week. It is a time when schools and communities around the world come together to recognize the meaningful progress being made toward creating welcoming, supportive learning environments for every student. It is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come in fostering a culture where all learners feel valued, included, and empowered to succeed.

I am incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by our GPS staff, who work tirelessly to build inclusive spaces for students of all ages and abilities. Their efforts continue to make our schools stronger, more compassionate, and truly reflective of the diverse community we serve.

Best

Stacey

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Ms. O'Neill's class at North Street School are engaging with the letter I during their literacy centers. They are identifying the uppercase and lowercase representation of the letter I by using dot-dot markers, playing Letter Bingo, and exploring items that begin with the /i/ sound using the mystery box.

Preschool students in Mr. Redmond's preschool class at Julian Curtiss School are learning about buildings and maps. Fourth graders joined their preschool friends to create a map of Greenwich.

Hamilton Avenue School students in Ms. Pellegrino's preschool classroom worked together on a special project. They created their neighborhood on the bulletin board. This activity was part of their exploration of buildings and maps.

Ms. Warzoha's preschool class at Old Greenwich School used cardboard boxes to create their own buildings. An added bonus to this Building unit was being able to climb inside and explore their designs!

Ms. Weiss' preschool class at Cos Cob School practiced counting and number recognition with vehicles. Using the clothespins provided embedded fine motor practice.

Students took writing to the next level at Julian Curtiss. Students wrote the letters for a word placed in the teeth and and if they got them right, they used the "toothbrush" to erase/clean the letters.

Students at North Mianus School held a food drive "Thanksgiving Pie Throw." Students were picked randomly to get to throw pies at staff. The entire school got to watch and laugh.

The International School at Dundee held their second parent training and had the district's psychologist, Dr. Alina Agiurgioaei Boie, present on executive functioning. Dr. Alina presented hands on practical strategies to help parents support their students. A lot of movement activities and easy reframing were presented to help all children and families.

Students at New Lebanon School worked on number identification for the warm up using the Bridges intervention program. Students then tried to identify how many dots correspond with the number. Students worked confidently on using their one to one correspondence skills.

Students in a co-taught kindergarten class at Cos Cob School are working in pairs with manipulatives to bring their number stories to life. One partner tells the story, while the other uses the manipulatives to build a visual model that matches the events. Afterward, the storyteller writes the corresponding number sentence, strengthening the connection between concrete, visual, and written representations. Working in pairs encourages communication, turn-taking, and shared problem-solving, helping students deepen their understanding through peer interaction. This collaborative approach supports both mathematical thinking and social-emotional growth.

Old Greenwich School's school psychologist, Ms. Hickey, and social worker, Ms. Livingston, joined kindergarten to read Just Ask, by Sonia Sotomayor. This book was selected as the school's ongoing effort at OGS to promote understanding, inclusion, and empathy among all students. Just Ask celebrates the many ways children think, learn, and experience the world differently, including those with learning differences and disabilities. The goal is to help students recognize the strengths in diversity and to encourage respectful curiosity and acceptance of others.

Riverside School's psychologist, Ms. Garofoli, worked with a group of students on strengthening their ability to use “I” statements, an important skill for healthy communication. Through a fun scenario-based game, students were presented with real-life situations and challenged to express how they felt and why they felt that way using an “I” statement. To support them, Ms. Garofoli offered visual cue cards featuring a range of emotions and helpful sentence starters, giving students the tools they needed to craft clear and appropriate responses. Building this skill empowers students to communicate their feelings confidently and respectfully when interacting with peers. By learning to express themselves using “I” statements, students are better able to resolve conflicts, build empathy, and foster positive peer relationships.

Students at Eastern Middle School worked on snap & read universal. Students went up to the board to practice features of the program. The students practiced using their own text also. Students made good comments about generalizing the skills taught.

Sixth-grade students in Mrs. Cheney and Mrs. Kakadele's ELA class at Eastern MS participated in a book club discussion. They focused on big ideas from their reading, using sentence starters and probing questions to guide their conversation. Students actively engaged by asking questions and commenting on their peers' points, fostering a collaborative exchange of ideas. A rubric was utilized to evaluate both the students' discussion etiquette and their overall participation during the book club.

During a Co-Taught ELA class for sixth graders at Central Middle School, led by Ms. McKay and Mrs. Gale, students focused on the character analysis project. To demonstrate their understanding of character analysis, they were given several creative options for final products, including developing a slide deck, crafting a news report, conducting peer interviews, or designing a board game. Students had the flexibility to complete this project either independently or with another peer.

Sixth-grade math students at Eastern MS, under the instruction of Mrs. Espinoza and Mrs. Shive, worked on rates and ratios during the Co-Taught Math. To reinforce the lesson, students chose between a pizza activity and a fruit lab. The teachers circulated, providing one-on-one help to guarantee that students progressed toward their IEP goals within the curriculum.

In Mrs. Kane’s and Mrs. Pietrafeso's COT ELA class at Central MS, students are beginning a new nonfiction unit on natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Today’s assignment is to start a Disasters WebQuest focusing on either the most recent or a devastating earthquake from the last 20 years. Working individually or with a partner, students must read and investigate the topic using key questions like When, Where, Why, How, and What. The final goal is to complete their own WebQuest sheet by taking detailed bullet notes from their research.

Eighth graders in Mrs. Lomanto and Mrs. Ralston's Co-Taught ELA class at Eastern MS engaged in group work focused on literature analysis. They shared and discussed their answers, with the goal of identifying common ground or realizing an "aha moment" after hearing a classmate's point of view. This peer discussion provided an opportunity for students to refine their original responses.

Mrs. Rahaniotis's ELA students at Western Middle School performed a picture walk of the story, "Let's Make Lime Juice," as a pre-reading strategy which comes from the Encore curriculum. The activity focused on developing story vocabulary through word-and-picture matching. Additionally, some students used their communication devices to help them identify words and build a sentence during the walk. The skills emphasized align perfectly with each student's established goals and objectives.

On November 25, freshmen from Greenwich High School participated in a day long antibullying program affectionately known as “Voices Day.” During the workshop, students are invited to explore concepts such as stereotyping, prejudice, and name calling related to their own experiences.

Jordan Bici's Functional Math Class at Greenwich High School provides students with the math skills necessary to develop students' independence in the real world. During the week of December 1, the class was working on "Keeping Track of Your Money." The lessons included managing credits and debits for items that the students would need or want. Students engaged with the class and showed their understanding of the concepts with individualized access to the problems via their laptops with support of the teacher, paraeducators, and calculators, as needed.

GHS Unified Sports had its last soccer game of the season vs. Stamford on November 20 in the Greenwich HS gymnasium. The game included lots of running, goals, and smiles. The GHS Unified cheer squad provided lots of support for all the athletes and partners throughout the game and put on a spirited halftime show.

Community Connections is constantly teaching our students the activity of daily living they need as adults. The program has recently unveiled its new lounge and store.

Glowing and Growing Together was a successful GPS parent/child mindfulness and yoga retreat held on November 22 at New Lebanon School. Families participated in calming yoga, mindfulness activities, and shared reflection, strengthening their connections while learning practical tools to manage stress and emotions. This event was possible with the support of a generous grant from Greenwich Alliance for Education.

With Rachel Rubin

One of the most powerful parts of inclusive classrooms is how teachers and paraeducators use least-invasive supports: quiet, subtle prompting that helps children try something on their own before an adult steps in. This might look like pointing to a visual instead of giving a verbal reminder, offering a few seconds of wait time, or standing nearby rather than right beside a child. These small choices are intentional.

This same philosophy works beautifully at home through simple, predictable routines. Research shows that routines reduce cognitive load and help kids build confidence and independence. “Routines support learning by directing attention and reducing brain load,” writes the Chartered College of Teaching. The Kids Mental Health Foundation states, “When children follow the same steps over and over, they begin to do these steps on their own, which builds a sense of mastery and confidence.” Using a picture checklist or asking “What comes next?” instead of giving instructions mirrors the gentle prompting we use in school and helps kids gain ownership of everyday tasks.

When school and home work this way together, supportive but not over-helping, children begin to trust their own abilities. They take more initiative, feel more capable, and show more confidence in both spaces. Independence grows through small, repeated moments of trying, practicing, and being supported just enough.

If you’d like help creating a visual routine for home using AI, check out last month’s Inclusion Corner, or please email me at Rachel_Rubin@greenwich.k12.ct.us.

With Jessica McEvily

The holiday season can be exciting, but it can also bring added pressure. Many families experience shifting routines, travel, financial strain, and full schedules. Children and teens of all ages often feel this stress alongside adults, even when it is not directed at them. Keeping routines as steady as possible, communicating openly about plans, and building in downtime can help young people stay regulated and enjoy the season more fully. And remember: if you ever feel unsure about how to support your child during busy or stressful times, your school’s mental health team is here to answer questions and help you problem-solve ahead of time.

We recommend reading, "24 Ways to Make the Holidays Kid-Friendly." The article outlines practical ways to prepare children for schedule changes, ways to reduce sensory overload, create calm spaces, and set realistic expectations during the holiday season. These strategies apply to children from preschool through high school and can make celebrations feel more manageable for everyone

Parenting Tip of the Month: Focus on connection over perfection. It is okay if everything is not picture-perfect; what kids remember most is how supported, loved and connected they felt. Choose one holiday task or expectation to simplify this year, giving your family a little extra room to breathe and just enjoy each other's company.

AT Spotlight: Speech-to-Text Built Into Websites & Search Bars

Did you know many websites and search bars now include built-in speech-to-text? With a simple microphone button, kids can speak instead of type — making it easier to search for information, complete assignments, and express their ideas. This tool is especially helpful for students who struggle with spelling, typing, or getting their thoughts onto the page. Speech-to-text boosts independence, reduces frustration, and helps students focus on what they want to say, not how to spell it. And best of all, it is already built into many of the sites and tools families use every day.

Please visit the new Special Education and Student Supports Department webpage on the Greenwich Public School Website. Information about Special Education supports and services as well as contact information is provided

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Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493