Last year, the Special Day program came back to the Monte Vista campus.

     Everyone has their differences, which make people unique, and brings Monte Vista together.

     Miss Flack, has done a fantastic job working with the special day students. Miss Flack has made a great effort to have other kids feel welcomed to help her, and spend time with the special day class.

     Special day class is a class for students with disabilities. These students spend more than 50% of their day in a specific classroom and receive most academic instruction from one teacher. There are three levels of special day classes-mild, moderate, and intensive. Miss Flack teaches the intensive class and students focus on reading and writing, math, and daily living skills.

     As you may have noticed, the special day kids are somewhat different.They have their own designated classroom and table in the commons. Even though most of the Special Day students spend most of their school day with Miss Flack, some of them are also enrolled in general education classes.

     “My students want to form relationships with peers as much as anyone else, but it’s not that easy for them to initiate friendships” Miss Flack said.

     One way to help make socializing easier for the Special Day students is simply getting to know their names and interests, and occasionally having small talk whenever you see them around campus.

     Juniors Natalie Brooker and Sophia Tomei started the club Kids 4 Kids, which directly corresponds with getting to know the Special Day students on campus and making people more aware.

     “We wanted to create a club to get a group of people and more who would devote time to make the students in the special day class at all the schools feel more important,” Tomei said. “Many of the Special Day kids go through high school without making a single friend outside their specific class, and we would like to change that.” (says Junior, Sophia Tomei)

     Joining the Kids 4 Kids club is just one of many great ways Monte Vista can make the special day kids feel welcomed. In this club, students will be able to participate in fun activities ranging from having lunch with the special day students at Monte Vista, to interacting with all the special day classes in the district. They will have after school opportunities to go bowling, enjoy picnics and make it easier for the special day students to form more bonds with other students. Joining the club is an easy way to make new friends and pave the way to make everyone feel at home while attending Monte Vista.

     Many of the special day kids just want to feel noticed. Be the change, a single hello can spark a beautiful friendship.