HILLSBORO—On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Northwest Regional Education Service District’s Board of Directors will recognize Amazing Minds Child Development Center for its efforts to create inclusive preschool opportunities for children experiencing disabilities.
In the K-12 education system, federal and state laws protect the rights of children with disabilities. However, research shows that families with children who have delays or disabilities and are under five years of age are too often rejected from the already limited early learning opportunities in their communities.
That’s why Northwest Regional Education Service District has made it a priority to partner with local preschools and support child care providers on creating inclusive classrooms. The agency partners with more than 100 preschools in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties.
Sabi Velasco, the owner and founder of Amazing Minds, is one of these partnership preschools. Velasco runs two child care centers in Washington County with her daughters Yesenia Flores and Saray Flores.
“This partnership was natural from the beginning,” says Jenny Youngblood, an early childhood education specialist, who visits the preschool several times a month to provide special education services to children and help the child care providers navigate challenges and celebrate successes.
During her time there, they talk about how to ensure the physical layout of the classroom is inclusive for all kinds of children. That includes having posters about emotions on the walls, using softer lighting and creating calming corners where children can go to process their emotions in a healthy way.
But the physical layout is just the beginning. “It’s the teachers themselves who bring the school to life and help make it a loving and nurturing place to learn,” says Youngblood.
She says that the teachers get down at eye-level with the children and play with them. They understand their individual needs and understand that every child has different sensory needs. For example, a child with autism might need to sit in a different sort of chair and play with a fidget during storytime.
Youngblood emphasizes that making these accommodations isn’t something that is extra. These approaches help every child, regardless of whether they are experiencing a disability. Data shows that everyone benefits when preschools create inclusive environments where typically developing children can learn about accepting difference, empathy and compassion.
To read more about the work Amazing Minds Childhood Development Center is doing, read this partner spotlight story on nwresd.org.
Northwest Regional Education Service District is the largest of Oregon’s 19 education service districts. It serves 20 school districts in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. These school districts serve 98,000 students. Through state funding, contracts, and private and public grants, the agency provides a wide range of special education and specialized services to students, educators and families in the region.