Inclusive Education: A Guide for Parents<\/h3>\n
Corey, the youngest of six, wanted to attend Sussex Christian School just like his older siblings, despite being non-verbal and having significant communication impairments. When he entered the school two years ago<\/a><\/span>, his language exploded, his confidence grew, and his friendliness became a blessing to others. The community at Sussex Christian became more complete because Corey was a member\u2014just like his classmates\u2014of that school.<\/p>\n Our friend Kathy had difficulty finding an inclusive learning environment for her son in California. She wanted her son, who has high-functioning autism, to be educated with his neuro-typical peers in a general education setting. Acting on faith, Kathy and her husband moved to Michigan so their son could attend Zeeland Christian School – a place where he would be welcomed, supported, and included.<\/p>\n I rejoice when I hear stories like these: students that grow, classes that are transformed, friends that are blessed, schools that are more complete because students at all levels of ability are included. It\u2019s a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God.<\/p>\n Parents, is your son or daughter experiencing this type of community at school? If not, there are some steps you can take to encourage your school administration to pursue inclusive education and become a place where each student is academically, socially, and spiritually supported so the Kingdom can be more complete.<\/p>\n At CLC Network, we want your child to receive a quality education in an environment where they thrive. Our staff of teacher consultants and psychologists want to equip and support parents and schools to educate all of God\u2019s children. Fighting for your child to be included doesn\u2019t need to be a struggle \u2013 let us help.<\/p>\n One parent told us after sending her son to a CLC Network partner school that she doesn\u2019t have to advocate for him anymore because the teachers and administrators also want what\u2019s best for him. What a blessing! Isn\u2019t this the way it should be? If there are ways that we can be of service, please contact us at 616.245.8388 or visit our website.<\/p>\n Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ background_color=”#b4dbc0″ custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl9hcmNoaXZlIn19@” image=”http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/kbarkley-image-1.jpg” icon_placement=”left” image_max_width=”100px” content_max_width=”800px” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” header_font=”Rubik|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#44465f” header_font_size=”14px” header_line_height=”32px” body_font=”Rubik||||||||” body_text_color=”rgba(0,6,69,0.6)” body_link_text_color=”#ffffff” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” border_color_all_image=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”20px” box_shadow_blur_image=”40px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(68,70,95,0.27)” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Katie Barkley is the marketing communications manager at CLC Network, where she curates and writes about inclusion on the blog, Making Us Whole<\/a>. She is inspired by stories that share the beauty of inclusive communities.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#EBDCB2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_comments][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#42313A” background_color_gradient_end=”#EBDCB2″ background_color_gradient_direction=”159deg” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all=”3px” border_color_all=”#1c1259″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”25px|0px|5px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”horizontal_optin_column_1″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_align=”right” header_text_color=”#45107a” header_3_font=”Dancing Script|700|||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#B4DBC0″ header_3_font_size=”45px” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_signup mailchimp_list=”JolenePhilo|89f719a52b” layout=”bottom_top” first_name_fullwidth=”off” last_name_field=”off” email_fullwidth=”off” module_class=”custom_emailoptin” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ form_field_focus_background_color=”#42313A” background_enable_color=”off” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”16px” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#B4DBC0″ button_border_width=”2px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” button_custom_margin=”5px||||false|false” button_custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all_fields=”2px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_signup][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_font=”EB Garamond|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#B6452C” header_font_size=”50px” header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”current” show_more=”on” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_color=”#42313A” meta_font=”||on||||||” read_more_font=”|||on|||||” read_more_text_color=”#B6452C” read_more_font_size=”12px” pagination_text_color=”#B6452C” pagination_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Considering inclusive education options for your child with special needs? This post serves up inclusion food for thought and ideas to pursue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"How to Talk to Your School about Inclusive Education<\/h4>\n
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![\"Considering](\"http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/IMG_0977-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\nTwo months remain in this school year, so it's time to start thinking about the best placement for kids with special needs. Guest blogger Katie Barkley of the CLC Network serves up some inclusion food for thought in today's post. Even if you don't live in the vicinity of the CLC Network schools, her advice may give you some ideas to pursue where you do live.<\/em>\nInclusive Education: A Guide for Parents<\/h3>\nCorey, the youngest of six, wanted to attend Sussex Christian School just like his older siblings, despite being non-verbal and having significant communication impairments. When he entered the school two years ago<\/a>, his language exploded, his confidence grew, and his friendliness became a blessing to others. The community at Sussex Christian became more complete because Corey was a member \u2013 just like his classmates \u2013 of that school.\n\nOur friend Kathy<\/a> had difficulty finding an inclusive learning environment for her son in California. She wanted her son, who has high-functioning autism, to be educated with his neuro-typical peers in a general education setting. Acting on faith, Kathy and her husband moved to Michigan so their son could attend Zeeland Christian School - a place where he would be welcomed, supported, and included.\n\nI rejoice when I hear stories like these: students that grow, classes that are transformed, friends that are blessed, schools that are more complete because students at all levels of ability are included. It\u2019s a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God.\n\nParents, is your son or daughter experiencing this type of community at school? If not, there are some steps you can take to encourage your school administration to pursue inclusive education and become a place where each student is academically, socially, and spiritually supported so the Kingdom can be more complete.\n
How to Talk to Your School about Inclusive Education<\/h4>\n
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![\"kbarkley](\"http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/kbarkley-image-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a>Katie Barkley is the marketing communications manager at CLC Network, where she curates and writes about inclusion on the blog, Making Us Whole. She is inspired by stories that share the beauty of inclusive communities.\n\nDo you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em>","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[3559,3606,3561],"tags":[3821,3822,3823,3824],"class_list":["post-43947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-different-dream","category-schooleducation","category-special-needs-parenting","tag-barbara-newman","tag-clc-network","tag-inclusive-education","tag-katie-barkley"],"yoast_head":"\n