Include Me

12/19/2025

12/19/2025

Deadline extended! Snag a spot in this season's Disability Acceptance through Literature book studies. 8-12 year olds will read "Fish in a Tree" (facilitator Marykate says this is a favorite of hers!) Registration is open through Sunday, December 21 for this inclusive virtual program. Books will be sent out the first week of January. Sign up here! https://thearcpa.org/includeme/bookstudy/

12/19/2025

Early-Bird Registration for the 2026 Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Annual Conference Is NOW OPEN!
This annual statewide special education conference offers an opportunity to learn and engage with nationally recognized presenters and colleagues, highlighting effective skills and strategies designed to make an educational difference for ALL students. Teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, family members, and others involved in special education are encouraged to attend. But hurry – early bird discount for registration ends on December 23. A limited number of parent scholarships are available.
📅 February 25-27, 2026
📍Hershey Lodge | Hershey, PA
Register now: https://tinyurl.com/PaEdConf

12/18/2025

We are pleased to announce the dates for the first 3 Making Employment Work trainings of 2026! If your goal is to receive an ACRE certification or to learn best practices in Supported Employment and Community Participation Services, sign up here: https://thearcpa.org/training/acre-training

12/15/2025

Our December Staff Spotlight is on MaryKate Miller! MaryKate has worked as an Include Me Program Specialist for four years. Before that, she spent 25 years in various roles in education, including serving as a school social worker and program coordinator, helping students stay on track with their schoolwork while hospitalized and facilitating their transition back to school. With The Arc of Pennsylvania, MaryKate collaborates with school staff to support the inclusion process. She also participates in the Disability Acceptance Through Literature (DATL) and Include Me Connection Club (IMCC) programs. Her favorite part of her job is working with students in DATL and IMCC and seeing them enjoy their time with us. She also loves witnessing students with different needs be successful in school.

When she is not working, MaryKate enjoys spending quality time with family, whether at the shore, at home, or at a family member's house. She describes herself as a very picky eater, and her current favorite food is French fries.

We’re lucky to have her on our team!

12/12/2025

🎉It’s Inclusive Schools Week! All week, we’ve been sharing our favorite inclusive stories and strategies – like using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC can be as simple as pictures on paper to help students communicate. Successful communication builds confidence and connections! What other examples of AAC have you used?

12/12/2025

🎉It’s Inclusive Schools Week! All week we’ve been sharing our favorite inclusive stories and strategies. Watch this story to learn how emotions cards made a huge difference for one student to express what he was feeling. When kids can be supported in the moment, everything else gets easier and that’s a win for everyone!

12/12/2025

As Inclusive Schools Week nears its end, we hope you watched our daily videos sharing inclusive strategies and stories and gained valuable takeaways.

We also shared art from children expressing what inclusion and belonging looked like to them - now it's our turn! Enjoy our talented team showing, in many forms, what it looks like to them when everyone belongs or a time when they felt included. Which expression speaks to you?

12/11/2025

This winter, grab your spot for an inclusive story tour (kids ages 5-8) or inclusive book study (kids ages 8-12)! Registration for winter Disability Acceptance through Literature programming closes December 14, so sign up now! Spots are limited: https://bit.ly/includemebookstudy

12/11/2025

It’s Inclusive Schools Week and this year’s theme, “Children First,” is rooted in the powerful Maasai greeting, Casserian Engeri, which translates to “And how are the children?” This traditional expression reflects the Maasai’s deep commitment to ensuring that their children are well, recognizing that the well-being of children reflects the health and future of the entire society.

One way to put children first is by letting them express what inclusion looks like through their eyes. These drawings by our Disability Acceptance Through Literature (DATL) participants show a time when they felt included or what it looks like when everyone belongs. Let their art remind us all what it truly means to put Children First!

12/11/2025

🎉It’s Inclusive Schools Week!
This week, we’re sharing our favorite inclusive stories and strategies – like an emotions map! This is an excellent tool for students to express their emotions as a location on a map. What is the name of your emotional location today?

12/10/2025

🎉It’s Inclusive Schools Week!
Our Include Me team is sharing their favorite inclusive strategies and stories all week long – like peer supports! Research shows that peer support strategies benefit participating students with and without disabilities. Everyone grows together!