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MAY 17, 2024— Two Primary School teachers teamed up to build bridges between their classrooms. 

Second-grade teacher Emma Sens and 8-1-1 (Bridges)  teacher Samantha Gagliano worked together on a project centered around inclusion and belonging. 

The project focused on teaching second graders how to communicate with classmates who communicate in different ways. 

“If a school lacks inclusivity, it lacks equity,” Sens said. “And everybody deserves to be included.”

First, Sens’ students learned about different modes of communication, including speech-generating devices and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) boards. These two pieces of technology are used to help people express their thoughts and feelings.

Students then learned how to ask a classmate who communicates with a device or AAC board how to play. 

Then it was time to play! Both classrooms came together on a Friday afternoon in the Bridges classroom. Students dressed up in costumes, played games, and made memories.

Gagliano says she saw ‘overwhelming joy’ on the faces of her students as they played with their new friends. Sens saw the same positive reaction out of her students.

Then it was time to play! Both classrooms came together on a Friday afternoon in the Bridges classroom. Students dressed up in costumes played games, and made memories.

Gagliano says she saw "overwhelming joy" on the faces of her students as they played with their new friends. Sens saw the same positive reaction from her students.

Both teachers said the project was a small step toward teaching children the importance of empathy, patience, and acceptance. They hope this effort can expand to more classes within the building, and even across the District.

“The only way we're going to be able to include and have them belong is if we systematically teach our youth to interact and learn how to communicate with all people,” Gagliano said. “Everybody deserves to be included.”