Board of Ed for December: Luisa Sparrow, Mass Teacher of the Year

 Luisa Sparrow, who teaches fifth and sixth grade students with disabilities at the Oliver Hazard Petty School in South Boston

Johnston in introducing her praises her for her presumption of competence in her students

learned to use person-first language in training, but there is growing support for identity-first language
will use both recognizing "neither approach is a one sized fits all solution"

nearly 8 of 10 American adults with an intellectual disability are unemployed
disabled students must have access to inclusive learning opportunities
"my students have intellectual disabilities and they also have big dreams"
"these jobs are not substantially separate" and so students need opportunities to learn with their peers
benefits both disabled and typically developing peers 

"would like to see us reframe" how we think of placement in schools
design spaces with all learners in mind, supports and staffing that all learners need
value of students in same classroom learning at different rates and producing different learning products

cooking club with typically developing peers
not only her students that benefit

thanks her paraprofessionals and her daughter's childcare teachers
paras and early childhood are "unsung heroes"

Fisher: "you have an A+ teacher name"
experience "resonated deeply with me"
"makes a huge difference so thank you for spreading that message"

Rocha: thank you for that message
children attended inclusion school in Boston
proudest of message she received from teacher about helping student in his class

Craven: thanks as parent of such a child
hopes for midyear update