Blog | Jenna Rufo | EMPOWERED SCHOOL SOLUTIONS

World Down Syndrome Day...What Have Socks Got To Do With It?

Happy World Down Syndrome Day! In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, or WDSD, sport your most colorful and creative socks on 3/21. But...

The Problem with "Alternative Curriculum" and "Functional Skills"

Years ago, when I was a special education director transitioning a school district to a more inclusive service delivery model, I put out...

A Few of My Favorite Inclusive Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, inclusion documentaries and articles that were written… Okay, that might not be how the song...

Carry The Torch For Inclusion: Honoring the Legacy of Tom Hehir

In 2001, I entered the doors of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, armed with little more than an undergraduate degree,...

Inclusion Facilitators: The Unicorns of Special Education

Twenty years ago, I was privileged to begin my career as an inclusion facilitator at a public middle school in Massachusetts. Let that...

How To Host An Inclusive School Theme Day

If you’ve ever resented spending what should be a perfectly boring Tuesday night scouring the dollar store for an elaborate school spirit...

Aspire To More Than Compliance (and stop worrying about getting sued)

Special education is perhaps the most litigated area of education due to the many rights parents and students are afforded under the law. ...

The Naughty and Nice List: What Was Santa Thinking???

Santa has made a lot of questionable decisions if you ask me. Let’s begin with the surveillance - “he sees you when you’re sleeping and...

Not That Mom. (A non-education, mom blog this time!)

Today I took my eight-year-old daughter to a friend’s house for a playdate. There was only one small problem. The playdate wasn’t...

Finding the Sweet Spot in the IEP

Over the years, I have seen my share of IEPs that are 50 pages, 60 pages, even 70+ pages long. I can best describe these documents...

Co-Teaching: What Can Two Do Better Than One?

Co-teaching typically refers to a general education teacher and special educator working together to provide instruction to a group of...