FES PALSS “Hats off to Autism” is Friday, April 30th!
Beginning in the 1970s, Autism Awareness week was a way to raise awareness about autism at a time when the known prevalence of autism was 1 in 2,500 and it was considered an uncommon childhood disorder. Eventually, Autism Awareness month and World Autism Day were established to continue the effort to increase awareness. Fast forward to 2021, and so much has changed about our understanding of autism … If you read autism websites or social media, you will see a shift in thinking from awareness to a next level that encompasses acceptance, understanding, and advocacy. (Excerpt taken from the April START Connecting Newsletter. To read the full article or learn more about autism please visit the START Project website.)
Knowing that words matter and striving to increase acceptance, understanding, and advocacy, the FES PALSS team has worked to share autism facts, videos, and friendship bracelets. As we enter our last week of April, we invite all students to wear their favorite hats on Friday, April 30th. The PALSS team is appreciative of any donations that students may wish to make in support of Peer to Peer and our commitment to creating classroom communities where all students belong.