Inclusive Classroom Community Helps Student Thrive

When Allison Lockhart’s son, Miles, started Kindergarten, she felt nervous to send him to school.

She worried what type of relationships, if any, would be fostered with his classmates. Her academic goal for him was straightforward; Allison wanted Miles, a student with autism, to increase his level of independent function.

It wasn’t long before Allison’s concerns were replaced with relief, joy and pride and her goals for Miles expanded. In Miles’ 4th grade year at Huntington Place Elementary, she has seen him unlock new potential and exceed expectations in a nurturing environment with positive teacher role models and kindhearted peers.

This year in the classroom community of Ms. Lett and Ms. Nelson, Miles has blossomed. Before this breakthrough year, Allison describes Miles as speaking in two- or three-word short phrases. Now, she and her family sometimes have to rein in Miles’ chattiness, an issue they’d only ever dreamed of having to address. Allison credits this life-changing progress to the classroom program focused on character, a program driven by the partnership of general education teacher Ms. Lett and special education teacher Ms. Nelson.

The teachers have developed an inclusive classroom environment where all students are learning how to accept and celebrate others with differences. Allison is grateful for Miles’ support system at school, “The students in his class are his biggest cheerleaders. Everything he accomplishes, they cheer him on.” This year, Ms. Lett and Ms. Nelson’s class hosted an Inclusion Week to celebrate the joy of these relationships. At one Inclusion Week event, after his mother and guest speaker Liz Huntley spoke to the group, Miles enthusiastically took a turn at the microphone. His mother attributes this confidence to speak in front of the group as having grown through the classroom’s daily morning meetings. During morning meetings, students sit together as a classroom community and go through a meditation (led by Miles!) and a routine where answers, thoughts and comments are shared in a comfortable, supportive atmosphere.

Miles is not the only student benefitting from the character-focused culture. Allison says students from school routinely approach them to say hello and speak to Miles as they walk through the grocery store. She has even received positive responses from fellow parents, including several who share their wishes that Miles is in their child’s class next year in 5th grade and one whose daughter now wants to be a special education teacher after growing a friendship with Miles. Allison is in awe of the impact of this environment on her son and his peers, “These kids are being given the tools of acceptance. They carry that with them forever.”

Huntington Place Elementary is committed to a character-focused school culture. The school has attended the Hope Leadership Academy, sending multiple teams, since January 2018. Through participation in the Hope Leadership Academy, Principal Andrea Hamner says her staff has been “inspired to take the concepts that we have learned and transform our school into a school of character.” Since this transformation began, Huntington has been recognized for their dedicated efforts by Character.org with a 2019 Promising Practice award and were recently deemed a 2020 State School of Character. The goal to become a Character.org National School of Character is next on their agenda.

Allison Lockhart supports the school in this culture driven mission, “I hope they continue to carry it on. I want my younger two children to experience this. It’s more than I could have ever conjured up or imagined.”