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April Newsletter 2024
March 5th, 2024
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Supervisor's Message
What’s in a Name?
As many of you are well aware that Autism Awareness month has been the recognized month to celebrate individuals with Autism and the Autistic community. However, a recent movement throughout special education, community leaders and the Westlake School community is embracing the concept change and mindset from Autism “AWARENESS” to Autism “ACCEPTANCE”.
The distinction between autism acceptance and autism awareness is significant in understanding how society perceives and supports individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism awareness focuses on educating the public on signs and symptoms of autism, while autism acceptance breaks down barriers and negative stigma by advocating for inclusive environments where individuals with ASD feel valued, respected, and included. It emphasizes creating communities where everyone belongs and has the opportunity to thrive and feel comfortable and be proud of who they are. Acceptance acknowledges the importance of listening to and respecting the perspectives of autistic individuals themselves and recognizes that they themselves are the experts on their own experiences and preferences and advocates for their voices to be heard, respected and valued.
Recently, this month President Biden hammered this idea home when he spoke about the name/concept change from “awareness” to “acceptance” , “I call upon all Americans to learn more about autism to improve early diagnosis, to learn more about the experiences of autistic people from autistic people, and to build more welcoming and inclusive communities to support people with autism.”
While autism awareness is an important first step in increasing understanding and educating the masses, autism acceptance takes that understanding to the next level by promoting respect, inclusion, empowerment and advocacy of individuals with autism.
We at Westlake applaud those who have embraced this shift and will continue to educate, advance and advocate for our students, their families and a society that accommodates and includes individuals with autism in all aspects of life.
Till next time my friends, be good to yourself and each other :)
Mr. P
Dates to Remember!
May 3: Westlake Prom (Spring Fling)
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 12: Mother’s Day
May 27: Memorial Day (District Closed)
Autism Acceptance!
Here's why autism acceptance is often considered more meaningful than mere awareness:
Embracing Neurodiversity: Autism acceptance goes beyond awareness by embracing the concept of neurodiversity. It recognizes that autism is a natural variation of the human experience and values the unique strengths and abilities of individuals with ASD. Instead of focusing solely on deficits or challenges, autism acceptance promotes respect, inclusion, and celebration of neurodiversity.
Promoting Inclusion and Belonging: Awareness campaigns often focus on educating the public about the signs and symptoms of autism, which is important for increasing understanding and reducing stigma. However, Respecting Autistic Perspectives: Autism It in discussions about autism-related policies, programs, and services.
Empowering Autistic Advocacy: Awareness campaigns often portray autism as a problem to be solved or a tragedy to be overcome, which can perpetuate negative stereotypes and attitudes towards autism. In contrast, autism acceptance empowers autistic individuals to advocate for their rights, needs, and preferences. It encourages them to challenge stereotypes, demand equality, and participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
Fostering Positive Change: While awareness campaigns have helped raise visibility and understanding of autism, they may not always lead to meaningful change in attitudes, policies, or practices. Autism acceptance, on the other hand, aims to drive systemic change by challenging ableism, promoting accessibility, and advocating for policies and practices that support the full inclusion and participation of autistic individuals in society.
In summary, while autism awareness is an important first step in increasing understanding and reducing stigma, autism acceptance takes that understanding to the next level by promoting respect, inclusion, and empowerment of autistic individuals. It recognizes their inherent value and contributions to society and advocates for a world where everyone, regardless of neurotype, is accepted, valued, and celebrated.
Thank You Park Elite Boxing Academy!
Westlake March Spotlight!
Student of the Month!
T.R. has shown her responsibility this month by mastering the coffee machine and passing her barista test!
Principal Award Winner!
J.A. has let this positive attitude shine over the past month!
Sunshine Cafe Employee of the Month!
We would like to Congratulate Robbie on being selected for the employee of the month. He has mastered the coffee, hot chocolate, and tea station in the cafe. His ability to maintain a clean and safe environment is appreciated!
Sunshine Cafe!
Alumni Visit!
The Sunshine Cafe had a special group of customers on April 12th! Some of our alumni, their parents, and Mrs. Palmer enjoyed an exclusive Friday seating. Mrs. Palmer even brought a friend ! The Sunshine Cafe workers were able to serve their friends and catch up with them. The alumni updated us on their life after Westlake! We are so proud of them and happy to see them!
Spotlight on the Behavior Department!
This month Westlake BCBAs partnered with Lamberts Mill Academy to start a pilot for a mentorship program between the two schools. A student from Lamberts Mill Academy was matched with one of the middle school students at Westlake to create this pilot program. The students have met weekly the past two weeks to get to know each other through facilitated games and leisure activities under the supervision of the BCBA at Westlake and Social Worker at Lamberts Mill Academy. This is an opportunity for the students at Lamberts Mill Academy to build leadership and interpersonal skills while creating higher level social models and opportunities for our students at Westlake. The two students began the first week by playing an icebreaker Uno game with questions incorporated into each of the cards in order for the students to learn more about one another. Last week, the students, who share a love of sports, played a basketball game. It was apparent from the way that they were cheering one another on throughout their game that they already have enjoyed their time together and have begun to form a strong bond. Westlake looks forward to continuing this partnership with Lamberts Mill Academy and expanding this mentorship program to include more Westlake students and Lamberts Mill Academy student mentors.
Ms. Pajewski's Class!
Everyone enjoyed a restful break and came back ready to work!
We started our month off with an Earthquake and an Eclipse!
Some students said they felt the earthquake, others did not. The main event for this month was the Eclipse. Together we explored how an eclipse happens, and learned how to protect our eyes!
The next eclipse in our area will be in the year 2044. We also calculated how old the students will be when the next total eclipse occurs. Everyone will be between 31 to 34 years old during the next eclipse. WOW!!
April is responsibility & learning to care for ourselves. Our class has been working closely with Ms. Jenn & Ms. Sara, our occupational therapists to practice some daily living skills. They have been practicing in the Westlake Apartment. There students have the opportunity to use real life appliances and furniture that they would use in their own homes. They enjoy cooking on a stove then cleaning up using the dishwasher, making the bed, and doing the laundry.
Earth day is a celebration of the Earth. So many fascinating things are on our planet. We should protect it. So we explored ways to help our planet. We learned that we can repurpose items. Reposursing items helps the Earth by reducing trash. Recycle, reuse and reduce!
Earth Day!
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to highlight protecting our enviroment. The official theme for 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics. Classes leaned about recycling. Westlakes's Ms. Frizzle(Ms. Ivonne) planted flowers with our students.
WolfPack Press!
Welcome back to the second Spring Edition of the Wolf pack press. Reporting for you today we have Venus, Ashanti, and Tiffany and we went out to ask the question: What did you do during your spring break? To our surprise many people took this time to relax or do some home improvement projects around the house. Many people did some activities like visit a zoo, watch a baseball game, and enjoyed some lunch with friends. The most interesting story was the teacher who took a road trip from California to San Diego, she not only enjoyed the views but had great weather and good food while she was there. There were some other interesting vacation locations like Cape May NJ, Miami Florida, and Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Staff and students also visited other countries like Milan, Italy and Cairo, Egypt. Overall everyone seemed to enjoy their week off of school!