CLASSROOM: Students learn during Inclusive Week

Third-grader Yessilly Ramos nestled a small Puerto Rican flag in a box alongside a picture of her family vacationing in their homeland and proudly brought the items to Stanley Elementary School to share with other students.
She described the items in her culture box, which also included a pair of Puerto Rican slippers, as she waited on Friday morning to sing along with Sol y Canto, a Latin American and Caribbean-styled musical group consisting of Rosi and Brian Amador.
The Friday performance of Sol y Canto, who interweaves cultural lessons into their upbeat songs, was the culmination of a week-long effort spearheaded by Stanley's adjustment counselor, Priscilla Picardi.
To celebrate a learning environment structured around tolerance, acceptance and understanding, Picardi brought a national program to the school during the first week of December - Inclusive Schools Week.
``I became aware of it ... and thought that our school is a good example of an inclusive school,'' said Picardi, who has been at Stanley for almost 15 years. ``We have a lot of kids from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds as well as a variety of kids with learning needs.''
Originally organized seven years ago by the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative and the Education Development Center, Inclusive Schools Week highlights schools' hard work to promote tolerance while providing a chance to further the dialogue amongst students.
``I think we work really hard here at the Stanley School to promote tolerance and really embrace the diversity,'' said Picardi, who said school administrators deal with only a few minor incidents where students are picked on because of their differences in a school year.
According to fifth-grader Arianna Oti the week's purpose was simple - ``We have been talking about our heritage,'' she said. Along with making culture boxes, students from the fifth grade worked with first-graders to create an alphabet and form different cultural words.
On Thursday morning, students from the third-grade classes were treated to a puppetry performance assembled by faculty members, including Assistant Principal Thomas LeFort.
Using Kids on the Block puppets, which are accompanied by curriculum, activities and scripts, students listened as Buddy Bergeron performed the role of Nam Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American student who is struggling to hold onto his heritage although his ethnic name makes him feel like an outsider.
In the end, Nam decides to continue using his birth name, prompting Picardi to ask the student audience if anyone can relate to having an ``un-American'' name.
In the third-grade at Stanley, there were more than few who could, including students Vincenzo, Rudolfo and Antonio.
The students in all of Waltham's schools mirror the demographics of their parents and guardians. In a city that has a higher percentage of Asian, Latino and Hispanic populations than the state average, according to the most recent census information, the school district is its own melting pot.
Creating more differences and a greater need for acceptance in the schools is the inclusion of students with special needs or individualized learning plans, said Picardi.
``The push is for inclusive education,'' Picardi said. ``Teachers are put in the position of having to educate kids from all different backgrounds and abilities.''
Whether it a mild form of autism or significant developmental delays, Picardi said efforts are constantly made to bring these students into a regular classroom setting as often as possible. Gone are the days when students with special needs are segregated from the mainstream population for the entire school day, she said.
``It provides the opportunity for kids to understand and learn from one another. It benefits the kids who maybe are not as able,'' Picardi said. Also, ``the more able students are learning how deal with people ... who are different from them.''
During the week, an adult with autism arrived at Stanley to read aloud a book about her disability. Also, a student's grandmother, who is confined to a wheelchair, came into a preschool class and discussed what it is like to rely on a wheelchair before allowing students to touch it.
In another puppetry performance for the third-grade, a character named Brenda struggled to understand why her autistic classmate is frequently rewarded for his good behavior with stickers and extra recess time.
At the end of this performance, hands darted into the air to ask the puppets what it is like to have autism and how to befriend a fellow student who has it.
According to drama teacher Betsey Czarnowski, the use of the puppets allows students to talk and ask questions more openly and freely. Although the characters were controlled by faculty members, students seem to forget they are actually talking to their vice principal.
``It's less threatening having the puppets,'' Czarnowski said. ``Anyone can talk to a puppet.''
According to Stanley Principal Marcia Pertuz, the week-long celebration was intended to highlight the school's year-long initiatives and day-to-day lessons.
``This just brings it to the forefront. It is just like the frosting on the cake,'' Pertuz said.
Kerri Roche can be reached at kroche@cnc.com or 781-318-8009.