Elizabeth Barrett School (EBS) is looking to rethink how disability is viewed – and experienced – at the school. This year a pilot program, Just Like You, was rolled out through Variety Village. It's a course integrated into the elementary classes to teach children to be sensitive, understanding and inclusive to those with disabilities. The school is now looking at getting an inclusive playground – where all physical abilities can access the park features – making it the third of its kind in Cochrane. "I think one of our greatest roles is helping children understand who they are and to develop empathy and understanding and building that tolerance of others," said Susan Parker, EBS principal. "I think that inclusion is about everyone and it impacts all of us on a daily basis." The school isn't due for a new playground until 2023 but they're laying the groundwork to cover its hefty cost – which could be upwards of $400,000. "A universal playground allows everyone to partake and to understand that we need to think of everyone, we need to be inclusive. If you think of a child in a wheelchair who has friends and then they can't even play with their friends, what message is that?" Over the next few years, the EBS fundraising committee will be setting aside funds to go toward the playground. EBS has gone one step further to push for a welcoming model. Recently the school logo was modified to reflect inclusivity. The new image shows a circle that represents holistic care, nurturing and community and a break in the circle, which reflects inclusion and welcoming of others. "It shows that students' journey here is emphasizing what's at stake and calling out the best in every person in our community. How do we allow that to happen unless every child has a voice? Even having a vision of a child not being able to play with their peers on a playground, breaks my heart," Parker said. "We're pretty passionate about inclusion," Parker said. "It's not just for the kids who may have a disability ... as we like to say, rather then them having a disability it's about trying to make things accessible. It's about all those other kids that are also very aware of how we are treating each other."
