All Belong

As a Catholic school we often sing songs at Mass such as “All Are Welcome,” “Come To The Table,” and “We Are All One Body.” At the very core of our Catholic faith is the idea of community and how we are all called to come together in the name of Christ.  As a school, we must be cognizant that while we are all created in God’s image, no one person is the same.  Each and every student brings different gifts and abilities to our school.  Before we can carry out our mission of partnering with and serving our families, parishes, and communities to develop the whole child, we must first recognize the differences each child brings and meet that student at the place they are,  so they themselves are better served.

We are reminded that “It (The Catholic School) does not exacerbate differences, but rather aids cooperation and contact with others. It opens itself to others and respects their way of thinking and of living. It wants to share their anxieties and their hopes…” (The Catholic School 57)  Our goal is to be as inclusive of a school as our resources allow. 

In keeping with these beliefs in February of this year we hosted a parent session about our partnership with All Belong Center for Inclusive Education https://allbelong.org/. The recording of that conversation is linked below. 

All Belong is an important piece of our student support services at All Saints Academy. They provide support and evaluation services so that schools like ASA can offer an inclusive Christ-centered education for students of all abilities.

All Belong (formerly known as CLC Network) provides teacher consulting, professional development, psychological evaluations, and research on best practices for our teachers and students. With more than forty years’ experience in special education, they bring a unique, faith-based perspective to the calling for belonging for persons of all abilities.

Inclusion is the practice of welcoming students with  unique learning needs as part of our general education classrooms.  Together with All Belong, we believe that diversity of ability is an enriching and important element of our learning community. When we work to build belonging at school we are able to celebrate the diverse talents of all learners, and also foster growth for everyone.

Many of All Belong’s Member Schools enjoy benefits to all their students thanks to inclusive education: students learn patience and compassion, and teachers learn how to encourage unique learners with strategies that improve learning for all. 

"Partnering with All Belong allows us to engage in valuable, ongoing conversations about the needs of our building and students.  The reflective conversations that often occur help us to clarify our thinking and develop plans for moving forward in ways that are best for students."

Mrs Gibson

I have enjoyed partnering with All Belong. They have been a great additional resource for us to use to help support our exceptional learners. 

Mrs. LaPonsie

#WeAreOne

#WeCanAllGrow