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Missy showing off her badge |
Recently our school decided on
Student Representative Council Members for 2013. Each class voted for their own
boy and girl representative in a secret ballot after speeches are given. The
Objective of the SRC is to help make their school the best it can be, organise
events and be available and approachable to other students and take forward
their ideas and feedback to and from SRC meetings.
So what a wonderful honour it was for
Missy to be voted by her peers to be their representative.
The school had a special Leaders
Induction Day recently where School Captions/prefects and SRC Members, took the
pledge, were presented to our local Mayor and parents pinned on their child
badge in front of the school. It was a lovely morning assembly and I couldn’t but
help have a deeper appreciation of just how exciting and rewarding it was, in
our quest for an inclusive life for Missy in a Mainstream school.
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Mum, Missy and our Mayor at the SRC Presentation |
To be chosen by your peers to be the
“go to person” with ideas and be responsible to report back to class, shows
their respect and trust. Their choice showed normality and a total
disregard for her disability particularly her alternative ways of
communicating. Most of the kids have been with Missy for 6 years and she is seen
by them as a valued member of the class.
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Missy and Miss H |
It would seem to be no big deal and of
course, Missy should be regarded as a valuable member of her Year but as many
families would know attending a mainstream school and striving for an inclusive
life can be a very rewarding but sometimes difficult journey.
I’d like to think it will be her Year 6 peers, who will be the kids who smile and
engage with others who have a
disability, show them the same respect and not be one of those kids who trip over
while they walk and stare. Those same peers could be future teachers who have
an appreciation of accessible curriculum, a store owner who makes their shop
accessible and generally have a greater empathy to others.
Congratulations Missy and well deserved.