Disability Inclusion Toolkit

An inclusive community welcomes and values everyone. It’s a place where everyone belongs. Yet creating an inclusive community requires us not only to say the words “inclusion” and “belonging,” but also to do the work to make those ideals a reality.

Celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of people with disabilities is an integral step toward creating a more inclusive community. Teaching children and young people about the heroes, icons and trailblazers of the disability community and about disability culture and #DisabilityPride can help reframe some of the negative stereotypes of the past.

Even more critical is teaching children and young people the importance of including disabled peers in the classroom, on the playground or playing field and in the broader social fabric of our schools. All students need to know the “why" and the “how” of including others who may look different, think differently or interact differently with the world.

Helping students, educators and families develop the heart set, mindset and skill set to celebrate and include students with disabilities is the purpose of this toolkit. We hope that our Conejo Valley USD community will take our mission to heart and use the toolkit resources to build more inclusive spaces and to provide more opportunities for authentic friendships and equitable education for every student.

Working together, we can create school communities where everyone belongs.

In partnership,

The Special Education District Advisory Council (SEDAC) Disability Inclusion Committee

Welcome Page

Section One: Reframing the Narrative

Section Two: Inclusion Year-Round

Section Three: Ideas for Any Disability Event

Section Four: Four District-Recognized Disability/Inclusion Events and Ways to Celebrate

• Disability Awareness (Any Time)
• National Bullying Prevention Month and Unity Day (October)
• Inclusive Schools Week (First Week of December)
• Disability History Month (March)

• ADHD Awareness Month
• Dyslexia Awareness Month
• Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
• National Bullying Prevention Month & Unity Day
• National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
  
• World Cerebral Palsy Day (October 6)
• National Kabuki Syndrome Awareness Day (October 23)

November

• 22q Awareness Month
• National Epilepsy Awareness Month

December

• International Day of People with Disabilities (December 3)
  
• Inclusive Schools Week (first full week of December)

January

• World Braille Day (January 4)
• Ed Roberts Day (January 23)

February

• Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month
• International Angelman Day (February 15)
• Rare Disease Day (February 28)

March

• Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
• Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
• Disability History Month
• Neurodiversity Celebration Week
• Spread the Word Day (first Wednesday in March)
• World Down Syndrome Day (March 21)

April

• Autism Acceptance Month & World Autism Awareness Day (April 2)
  
• Occupational Therapy Awareness Month
  

May

• Apraxia of Speech Awareness Month
• Better Hearing and Speech Awareness Month
• Mental Health Awareness Month
• Prader Willi Awareness Month
• Williams Syndrome Awareness Month
• Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month (May 15 to June 15)

• Erin Bell, SEDAC Chair
  
• Jenny Crosby, Committee Chair, Newbury Park High School SEDAC Representative

• Lee Ann Holland, Committee Chair, SEDAC Member At Large, Colina Middle School SEDAC Representative
• Carole Shelton, SEDAC Member At Large
  

• Denise Benic, SEDAC Chair
  

• Lee Ann Holland, Committee Chair, SEDAC Parliamentarian
• Lana Clark, EARthS SEDAC Representative
• Karen Kyle, SEDAC Member At Large, Weathersfield Elementary SEDAC Representative
• Neptune Mizrahi, Cypress Elementary SEDAC Representative
• Michelle Murphy, Wildwood Elementary SEDAC Representative
• Danielle Vega, Community Member