Owasso Public Schools in Oklahoma is endeavoring to provide all 577 certified staff members with the opportunity to participate in the Schools Attuned courses during the school year while the district provides classroom substitutes.  The Schools Attuned in Oklahoma program received a letter from a counselor who was one of the first to complete the Schools Attuned program offered in Owasso.  Here’s an excerpt from her letter.

“As the school counselor and part of the Special Education team, I knew that Schools Attuned was the direction we needed to be going.  I was very tired of identifying a child with weaknesses, getting the child tested and then pulling the child out of class to go work on a specific weakness – with no thought of any of the child’s strengths or being able to help the parent understand how to help their child.

Learning about neurodevelopmental diversity, about the quest to be specific when describing weaknesses, about labeling the behavior rather than the student, about collaboration with students and parents and about the great importance of teaching a child about their strengths along with their weaknesses – why should we have to be told that this is a good way to do things?  This should be the only way, the mainstream.  Involving a child in their learning from the beginning – why does this seem like a new concept?

I am forever changed as an educator because of Schools Attuned and I hope I am able to be a part of changing the way we involve parents and students in their own learning.”

Congratulations to Owasso Public Schools on their commitment to make a difference not only in the lives of children, but in the lives of their educators through Schools Attuned.

Submitted by Dr. Sheryl Flowers, State Coordinator, Schools Attuned in Oklahoma