The following story is how one principal sought to reimagine and challenge this dominant Christian school paradigm.
Webinar – Welcoming Students of All Abilities at Your School (Part 2)
In this second webinar on the topic of inclusive education, co-hosts Dan Beerens, CACE Fellow, and Elizabeth Lucas Dombrowski, executive director of CLC Network, explore biblical support for, and practical realities involved with, implementing inclusive education in Christian schools. They are joined by two school administrator panelists, Brian Koetje and Carolyn Beall, who share their respective joys and challenges … Read More
Inclusive Education: Envisioning the Opportunity for Christian Schools (Part 4 of the Welcoming Students of All Abilities at Your School Series)
In a time that values speed, efficiency, success, independence, individual achievement, and “easy”, the Christian school must choose an alternative story – the story of shalom to guide our work. Christian schools exist to point kids to Christ, to help them understand what Christ valued through his life and ministry, and to increase their desire to imitate him in their … Read More
Inclusive Education: What If We’re Not Equipped for Students of All Abilities? (Part 2 of the Welcoming Students of All Abilities at Your School Series)
Readiness is a tricky notion. We humans have a very long history of responding to our callings with some sense of our own shortcomings – Moses, David, Paul, and on and on. And yet, we are still called to change our world and ourselves in response to God’s grace. When we think of being well-equipped for serving students with disabilities, … Read More
Inclusive Education: How Will My School Pay for Additional Educational Support Services? (Part 3 of Welcoming Students of All Abilities at Your School Series)
In some ways, this is the wrong question to ask. As nonprofits, after all, how in the world do we pay for anything? Many prayers, generous donors, and perhaps a bit of luck. But budgets are often seen as reflections of our values. As Christian schools, we value our faith, our people, our teaching, and our communities; educational support services … Read More
Webinar – Welcoming Students of All Abilities at Your School (Part 1)
In this webinar CACE Fellow Dan Beerens and CLC executive director Elizabeth Dombrowski explore the opportunity for, and biblical basis of, inclusion in Christian schools. They are joined by two school administrators, Megan Willink and Mark Buteyn, who reflect on the joys and challenges of implementing inclusive education at their respective schools. This was Part 1 of a two part … Read More
Christian School Identity and Disability: Questions of Faith and Community
It’s a wonder I didn’t quit before I even started. Fresh off from gaining my special education degree (in an era where the famous 94-142 federal bill now known as IDEA was just being implemented), my first job was to teach all the behavior disordered/emotionally disturbed 5th and 6th graders in a public, urban school district. The kids had been … Read More