Beyond the Label: Dispelling Myths About Autism
What does an inclusive school environment truly look like for autistic students? To mark Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in April, we visited Brookfield High School to hear from students themselves, as well as the dedicated staff who support them.
In this new video, we caught up with Grade 12 students Ethan J. and Currie W., who shared their personal experiences, highlighting supports and dispelling myths about autism. Teachers Kailey Probst and Jim Maxwell-Campagna also shared about ways to cultivate more inclusive classrooms where autistic students thrive.
The video highlights the collaborative efforts between students and educators in ensuring that every student feels a sense of belonging. It invites us to look beyond the label and seek to understand each autistic individual’s unique strengths, needs and gifts.
“While we focus on autism and awareness this month,” says Deb Lyon, the OCDSB’s System Principal of Learning Support Services, “we recognize the need to move beyond labels, awareness and acceptance to a place where autistic individuals belong and thrive in their educational setting and their community. We celebrate the strengths and gifts of neurodiverse students in creating and contributing to rich learning environments for all.”
This video is one of many autism awareness initiatives happening across the OCDSB this month, including classroom activities, informative displays, art projects and more. The District also hosted Dr. Grant Bruno for a virtual Speaker Series on April 10th titled “Decolonizing Autism: A Nehiyaw (Plains Cree) Perspective.”
This highly anticipated event welcomed over 2,000 registrants from across Ottawa and around the world. Drawing from his experience as a parent of autistic children and a member of Samson Cree Nation, Dr. Bruno discussed how to better support Indigenous families with autistic children by incorporating Indigenous perspectives and knowledge.
Read more about autism awareness and acceptance at the OCDSB.