*double click on the page to start the game*

• Location: Track behind the school (near the baseball field)

• Time Slots:

  • 9:45–10:15

  • 10:30–11:00

  • 11:15–11:45

• Sign up with buddy class using this link

  • https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054DAFA92EAAFCC25-63054712-autism

    
    

We’re excited to have you participating in our upcoming Autism Acceptance Walk at Morse Elementary on Friday, April 10th!

This event is an opportunity for our school community to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month by promoting understanding, inclusion, and empathy. Through this walk, we aim to help students “walk in the shoes” of others and recognize and appreciate the differences that make each of us unique.

Please attend during your scheduled time slot. When you arrive, help guide your students onto the track and encourage positive participation and respectful behavior throughout the walk.

We also invite both staff and students to wear bright rainbow colors or an autism acceptance t-shirt to show support and help create a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere.

This is our 5th annual walk, and it’s always a meaningful and memorable experience for our students. Thank you for helping make this event special and impactful!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to seeing you there!

1. Prize Robinwood with pizza and level 4  

2. 5^th graders in level 4 will judge  

3. Doors need to have student made elements on it  

1. Each class will receive colored infinity symbol templates.

2. Give one infinity symbol to each student.

3. Ask students to write or draw what makes them unique on their symbol.

4. Allow time for students to share (optional) and celebrate their differences.

5. Collect all completed infinity symbols by the end of the week and put them is Mrs. Collins mailbox!

6. The Level 4 team will assemble all symbols into one large infinity display in the cafeteria.

Together, this activity will highlight the importance of acceptance, inclusion, and celebrating what makes each of us special.

"Imagine your brain is a garden. When you are little, it grows lots of plants, weeds, and vines (connections) everywhere. Pruning is the gardener trimming back the extra, unneeded plants so the main path is clear and the best flowers can grow." An autistic brain does NOT have the gardener (the brain does not produce the protein to break down the neurons), therefore their garden (brain) is very crowded and filled with a lot of information. A person without autism DOES have the gardener and is able to break down the weeds and vines (connections) that are no longer needed and to make room for new ones to grow!

We will run this event similarly to Mustang of the Month. Staff and students are invited to line up outside of their classrooms to “cheer” on our bowlers and peers as they walk down the hallway to the bus.

To ensure this is a sensory-friendly experience, we ask that this be a silent clap-out. This means keeping volume levels low while still showing support. You can cheer on students by using the universal hand sign for “Yay!” (please see the video above for a demonstration).

Students are also welcome to:

• Make signs to support the bowlers

• Use bubbles as a quiet and fun way to celebrate

  
  

Thank you all for your participation and support. Our students may not always show it, but being included and celebrated in this way means so much to them!

Common Ways Individuals May Communicate:

• Gestures and Body Language
  Pointing, nodding, shaking their head, or using hand movements to express wants, needs, or feelings.

• Facial Expressions
  Smiling, frowning, or other expressions can give important clues about how someone is feeling.

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
  Tools that support or replace speech, such as:

  • Communication boards or picture cards (PECS)

  • Speech-generating devices

  • Apps on tablets (like Proloquo2Go)

• Sign Language
  Some individuals use signs to communicate words, needs, or emotions.

• Writing or Typing
  Using a notebook, whiteboard, or device to communicate through written words.

• Visual Supports
  Schedules, choice boards, or pictures that help individuals understand and express themselves.

• Behavior as Communication
  Actions such as moving away, covering ears, or showing frustration can be a way of communicating discomfort, needs, or emotions.

How We Can Support Communication:

• Be patient and give extra time for responses

• Use clear, simple language

• Offer choices (verbal or visual)

• Pay attention to nonverbal cues

• Model and encourage different ways to communicate

• Respect all forms of communication as valid

Every individual communicates in their own way, and our role is to listen, observe, and respond with understanding and respect.

Remember,

- Non verbal doesn't mean non hearing

- Non verbal doesn't mean non thinking

- Non verbal doesn't mean non understanding

- Non verbal doesn't mean not having something to say