What’s Your Dream?
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
This quotation has found me three times this week - and each time it struck a little deeper.
So let me ask you: What’s your dream for an inclusive school?
Imagine waving a magic wand and seeing your neighborhood school become a place where:
🪄 Every student belongs and learns beyond expectations.
🪄 Teachers feel valued, supported, and energized to inspire every child.
🪄 Leaders have the resources and structures to foster collaboration and shared purpose.
🪄 Families and community partners feel proud to nurture children alongside schools.
Now, picture yourself taking an invisible visit to this dream school. What would you see, hear, and feel? Imagine:
💭 An educator’s interaction with a struggling student.
💭 A class discussion when a wrong answer sparks new learning.
💭 Students chatting in the cafeteria or cheering each other on at recess.
💭 A teacher’s phone call home.
💭 A faculty meeting alive with shared vision.
💭 Families talking at the dinner table about their child’s day.
💭 Educators brainstorming how to support a learner with challenges.
💭 Or something else that tugs at your heart.
Share your dream with us by October 15th.
Why are we asking about your dreams?
In schools across the country and in virtual conversations I hear the same truth: we know schools must change to create true belonging for students who learn differently.
What we don’t often hear is the vivid picture of what that change should look like.
Walt Disney understood the value of that vivid picture. When designing his theme park, he could describe every detail - the buildings, the costumes, the rides, and, most of all, the feeling families would experience. He “saw” Disneyland long before anyone else did.
When he passed away before it was finished, someone said to his wife, “How sad that Walt never got to see it.”
She replied, “Oh no. He saw it every day.”
If we can’t clearly see inclusive schools in our mind’s eye, how will we ever create them?
So, the Joyful Inclusion Team is gathering dreams from all of you - educators, leaders, families, students, and community partners. Together, we can paint a vision of what’s possible.
Submit your dream by October 15th and receive the full collection of dreams from across the community. We can’t wait to hear from you.
So tell us… What’s your dream?
