Create a Sensory Box For Your Classroom/Program/Sanctuary
by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Director, Whole Community Inclusion This past summer, we piloted a new tool to make our jkidphilly summer music series more inclusive--a sensory box. We know that for some children with noise sensitivity, attending any music concert--even an outdoor, acoustic one--could feel too loud and uncomfortable. We also know that some kids can pay attention and regulate emotions and activity better while holding tactile materials. So voila--we ordered some noise-cancelling headphones and various quiet fidgets and took our sensory box to each of our summer concerts. The box was introduced at the beginning of each program and children [...]
The Inclusion Specialists Network
We are thrilled to introduce Whole Community Inclusion’s newest initiative to support disability inclusion in our congregational schools: The Inclusion Specialists Network. Made possible by a generous grant from the Janet and Alvin Schwartz Fund for Special Education, the Inclusion Specialists Network is for professionals working in congregational schools to support students who need extra learning, behavioral and/or emotional support. Well-trained, special needs experts in our schools can dramatically improve the experience for these students as well as parents’ satisfaction with the program. With this new initiative, we will bring these specialists together to learn from each other, share resources [...]