Neurodiversity training for district staff is a priority at Bedford Central

Teachers and staff have hands in the air during workshop.Bedford Central School District Photo

The Bedford Central School District last month participated in a workshop focussed on inclusive practices to support all learners.

All K-12 teachers, teaching assistants, clinicians, nurses and teacher aides who work directly with students were required to attend the workshop, held during the Superintendent’s Conference Day Nov. 5. They learned key strategies to remove barriers and help all students access learning in the classroom. The district’s goal is to apply the strategies learned at the workshop in the coming months and then to reflect and plan for the future during January’s Superintendent’s Conference Day.

“Professional development in neurodiversity empowers teachers to create inclusive classrooms, better support diverse learning needs, and help every student reach their potential,” said Toni Ann Carey, director of special education. “BCSD has been lucky to partner with Wendy Belzberg, the founder of the Inclusive Initiative. Wendy was instrumental in connecting us with the work of Aaron Lanou.”

Lanou is an educational consultant supporting schools and organizations to reach kids with inclusive, strengths-based practices. Through the lens of Universal Design for Learning, Lanou coaches people to teach and support students with a variety of academic, executive functioning, and social support needs. Lanou was previously a special education teacher in New York City public schools and executive director of the Nest Program at New York University, leading the nation’s largest inclusion program for autistic students.

“Some of the techniques and strategies Aaron went over confirmed the good teaching we are already doing,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Amy Fishkin. “Some of the strategies and frameworks put a new spin on a way of thinking about our classroom environment and the barriers we might unintentionally create that prevent our students from becoming fully successful.”

BCSD continues to expand its commitment to instructional strategies that support all students. The district has expanded clubs and activities with a bilingual musical, Best Buddies clubs, the Pioneer team, and more. The district also has created inclusive opportunities for community events with the support of the accessibility team and incorporated UDL principles through the use of learner profiles to help build on the strengths of our students.

“The key to our students’ success is when we create a learning environment that is accessible to all students, regardless of their learning needs, language acquisition or neurodivergent ways of thinking,” Fishkin said.