In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, Brea Olinda Unified School District is highlighting a dedicated group of parents in the Brea Olinda Unified School District who are taking an important step toward fostering inclusivity for neurodiverse students. The Inclusion Initiative Team, founded by Sarah Watkins and Kimberly Sommer, both parents of neurodiverse children, recognized the need for greater inclusion in school events and activities aiming to create a more accessible school environment.
Watkins and Sommer gathered a team of passionate parents who are advocates of inclusion for neurodiverse students. Together, they are launching the IN-Team Initiative across all six BOUSD elementary schools by collaborating with the district to implement Special Education (SPED) liaisons within each school's Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). These liaisons will advocate for students with special needs, ensuring that PTO-sponsored events are designed with inclusion in mind.
“The IN-Team is committed to fostering belonging, and making inclusion a priority across Brea Olinda schools,” said co-founder Kimberly Sommer. “The IN-Team seeks to ensure that students with Autism and other neurodiverse needs have safe and supportive environments at all BOUSD events.”
Sommer and Watkins are also spearheading the development of a sensory room at Falcon Academy of Science and Technology. A sensory room is a specially designed space that provides a controlled and immersive sensory experience, used for relaxation, stress relief, and as a therapeutic tool for various conditions like sensory processing disorders, disabilities, and cognitive conditions. Through PTO donations and fundraising efforts, the IN-Team hopes to create a space for neurodiverse students to feel welcomed and have a place to go during the school day and during school events.
Through collaboration with the district, the IN-Team is actively working to establish essential resources for accessibility and engagement, ensuring that inclusion becomes a fundamental part of school culture.