The James MacDonald Inclusion Grant

What is the Grant?

Northshore’s SEPAC (Special Education Parent/Professional Advisory Council), as part of its mission to promote inclusive school communities, is providing grants up to $500 per school who submit an application for a project, program or eventwhich is approved by SEPAC and fulfills the following:

  • Is a student led initiative with guidance from a named NSD faculty member, mentor or advisor.
  • Promotes the inclusion of ALL students (the project does not have to be about disability, but it must involve youth from general and special education classes).
  • Is open to and promotes involvement of students from ALL segments of the student population.
  • Makes a positive difference in the community.
  • Builds leadership in the student body and specifically targets students in special services,which includesspecial education and ELL, giving them the same opportunities to develop leadership skills.
  • Must have school administration approval.

Key criteria

  • Proposed experiences will generate positive change for the Northshore community.
  • Proposal will promote a more inclusive society and disability awareness.
  • Will create opportunities for students to develop their own leadership skills and build leadership in others.
  • Will place special emphasis on leadership development of students with disabilities in special education programs.

NOTE: Projects which create segregated programs or separate activities will not be considered.

How is an application selected?

Grant judges from SEPAC will review each application to see if the project will:

  1. Continue to make a difference, even after the grant cycle is complete.
  2. Build community within the school and potentially beyond.
  3. Involve students, faculty, families and potentially other community members.
  4. Demonstrate a larger vision of what a fully inclusive community should be.

Grant Cycle timeline:

October 26th–Grant application availability announced

November 23rd–Grant application due

Week of December 15th- Grant recipients announced

GRANT APPLICATION:

Please complete the following application and submit by 5:00pm, November 23, 2015. Mail to:

SEPAC

c/o Northshore Schools Foundation

3330 Monte Villa Parkway, Bothell, WA 98021

If questions, contact Jeanie at .

General information:

Project Title:

School:

Project Leader Name(s)(student/s):

Project Leader(s) Contact phone and email:

Project Advisor(NSD faculty, mentor, etc...):

Project Advisor Contact phone and email:

Project Description:

Please briefly describe the project you are proposing by answering the questions below. Please limit your answers to five total pagesif possible.

  1. Provide an overall project description:
  1. Describe how will students benefit by this project?
  1. Approximately how many students will benefit?
  1. Where and when will this project take place (include start and completion dates)?
  1. How will you measure the success of the project and evaluate its impact on building a culture of belonging in your school/community?
  1. Please describe who will be involved (teachers, students, parents, community reps. etc.), and how will they be involved?
  1. Please provide a budget for the completed project (feel free to attach) or include below:

PLEASE SIGN:

Project Leader(s) Statement of Understanding:

I have read the terms of the Grant Acceptance Form and commit to following those guidelines should my grant be funded.

______

Signature(s)

Principal Support:

I have read this proposal and will support its implementation. It is compatible with Northshore School District curriculum and policies.

______

Signature

Sample Project Ideas:

  • Develop a service project for local homeless youth
  • Tackle school bullying with skits and games created for elementary students
  • Develop a community-based benefit concert, bowl-a-thon, or other event to promote any cause
  • Have high school youth with disabilities talk to all elementary students about disability and belonging
  • Campaign to end use of the word "retarded" in the Northshore school district
  • Do an outreach campaign on youth suicide prevention, or a mental health awareness campaign
  • Create your own "It Gets Better" series
  • Build inclusive recreation opportunities in the community
  • Change policies, procedures or practices that isolate students with disabilities or any other minority
  • Set up local trail maintenance or another park-related project
  • Do a cyber-bullying awareness campaign, and help students with disabilities access social networking
  • Build more jobs for people with disabilities in the community
  • Create inclusive community gardens to reduce the carbon footprint and promote sustainable living
  • Create a documentary or video to show the challenges of inclusion in high school or junior high
  • Advocate with local legislators or visit legislators in Olympia, to promote a goal important to students
  • Create a mentor program where secondary students work with elementary students
  • Campaign for healthier eating habits and active lifestyles
  • Remodel a classroom for gaming or other fun hang-out activities
  • Create any other project that a) builds community b) makes a difference c) allows youth with and without disabilities to work together and share in leadership development

Past Grant Recipient project examples:

Canyon Creek Elementary School receives grant for “Families” project

Facilitated by older students and school staff members, students across all grade levels form “families” that meet monthly to participate in activities to promote acceptance and understanding of diversity and individual similarities and differences. The project hopes to create strong bonds of friendship and collaboration, to challenge students to work together to build a more positive school climate and to make everyone feel comfortable with who they are and be a part of the Canyon Creek family.

Leota Junior High WEB program

Leota Junior High School also received an inclusion grant to bring an enhanced version of the WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) program to its school. WEB is a nationally recognized program that strives to make all incoming students feel welcome and comfortable.This is how two of WEB Leaders viewed the program in their own words:

Coming to a new school is scary. No matter what grade you’re in there will be new people that are different. It can be scary learning to navigate around the school and make friends by yourself, that’s why the WEB (Where everybody belongs)helps bring together every student. The WEB program is a group of 48 students in 9thgrade thatvolunteer to helpnew students and 7thgraders feel more comfortable in school. The first day of schooltwo 9thgraders who volunteertake a group of 8-10 students (all picked at random) and show them around and help them make friends.Everyone in our school is involved including the leaders;who speak different languages, have gone to different schools, are in special education and kids from different clubs and activities.

WEB leaders are people chosen to represent Leota because they’re positive and courteous to others everywhere. Not just in school. People who join WEB go through training to become even better leaders and role models for everyone in our community. WEB is a sustainable program because the leaders get together with their group every month to check in and see how everyone is. We make sure they’re enjoying school and help them with any problems they may come across. Doing this helps build a positive and happy community among students.

WEB is run by student leaders who want to make a difference in our community. We want students to not only build high self-esteem but to keep it. We also want them to feel better about themselves! We mainly involve students, but we make sure parents are in the loop. We called the students before their first day and get them excited! The leaders not only are positive with their attitude but also with their language. We keep a “Yes and…” attitude, not only in WEB but everywhere else!

Funds for this Grant are generated by the SEPAC Woodinville Holiday CraftFair,

SEPAC is aprogram of the Northshore Schools Foundation, .

James MacDonald Inclusion Grant – SEPAC – October, 2015