AWSP Blog

October is a month dedicated to raising awareness, advocating for inclusion, and celebrating the unique contributions of individuals with disabilities. It’s an opportunity to shine a light on various conditions, both visible and invisible, while fostering a culture of acceptance and support. At the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), we are proud to recognize and honor the diverse experiences within our communities.

AWSP is a proud supporter of the new film, THE RIDE AHEAD, from father-son co-directors Samuel Habib & Dan Habib (creator of Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, and Intelligent Lives). THE RIDE AHEAD is the feature-length version of their Emmy Award-winning New York Times Op-Doc, My Disability Roadmap. Because AWSP was an early supporter of the film, we can make free copies of the Education Kit available

Walk into Peter G. Schmidt and you automatically belong! You are greeted with all smiles, and it is typical to see the principal, Kim Doughty, walking around the school and checking in with teacher teams. The school has been fully engaged in the AWSP Inclusionary Practices Project and Dr. Shelley Moore for several years and this year they are drilling down and planning for all.

North Pines Middle School is a beautiful, state-of-the-art building located in the heart of Spokane Valley. When you enter the facilities, it seems like any middle school in Washington State. It is abuzz with students and typical boisterous middle school activity - staff greeting students at the door, students greeting one another, and staff urging students to get to class. Then, the bell and quiet set in, and the learning starts. There are so many layers to the work happening in our schools across the state to set the learning conditions for our students. North Pines is one of the most diverse schools in the Central Valley School district, and they have taken their job to provide equitable, rigorous learning opportunities for their students seriously.

School leaders, what if one of your students said, “We won an Emmy!”? Our ultimate goal as inclusive educational leaders is to have all of our students achieve at high levels. For Samuel Habib, an Emmy was never his end goal; he set out to document his life story so others can see the daily struggle, perseverance, and payoff for our students with disabilities when they are encouraged, supported, included, and advocated for. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I encourage each of us to learn more about Samuel and your own staff and students with disabilities' journey. As you identify the barriers your students and staff face in your school and district, think about how you and other school leaders can use your privilege, title, and opportunity to remove some of those barriers. What can I (we) do to support and advocate for students and staff with disabilities? How can I (we) elevate their story of perseverance to pave the way and model for others?