The School District of Palm Beach County Joins The Florida Department of Education to Observe Disability History and Awareness Month
The School District of Palm Beach County announced its participation in promoting Disability History and Awareness Month. This is an annual awareness campaign that takes place the first two weeks of each October in compliance with the 2008 Florida Statutes, Section 1003.4205, Disability History and Awareness Instruction. The Department of Exceptional Student Education at the School District of Palm Beach County has set up a new webpage, http://www.palmbeachschools.org/ese/disabilityhistoryawareness.asp, where schools and community members can access the awareness activities resource manual, K-12 lesson plans, and the historical timeline to promote awareness of disability history and the contributions of people with disabilities.
“The School District of Palm Beach County is dedicated to the important message of access, equity, and inclusion as we continue to promote disability history and awareness in our schools and in our communities,” said Will Gordillo, Executive Director of the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Department. This year’s Disability History and Awareness Month theme is; Access, Equity, and Inclusion. Reflecting this year’s theme, throughout the month of October, the School District of Palm Beach County will be engaging in a variety of activities designed to raise awareness. These efforts include an Art Poster Contest based on this year’s theme which is open to all K-12 students in the district.
In addition, the ESE Department will be highlighting Disability History and Awareness Month at two upcoming conferences that are open to the public including parents and other community agencies. The conferences are the Annual STARZ Conference which will be held at John I Leonard High School on October 20, 2012 and the Florida Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) State Conference which will be held at Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa on October 25-27, 2012.
For more information on how to participate in the Disability History and Awareness Month activities and promote these important messages, during October and throughout the year, please contact Fartun Mohamud at Fartun.mohamud@palmbeachschools.org
