Schuylerville, NY: Elem celebrates autism for entire week
- The end of childhood
- May 20
- 2 min read
May 15, 2025, Saratoga Today: Schuylerville Schools Celebrate Autism Awareness Week
To celebrate Autism Awareness Month in April, Schuylerville Elementary School students and staff took part in a spirit week designed not only to show support for individuals with autism, but also to educate and inspire kindness, understanding, and friendship throughout the school community.
The physical education department created a special sensory-friendly unit, allowing all students to experience movement and games in a way that respects different sensory needs; classroom teachers incorporated a variety of educational activities into their week, aimed at helping students better understand neurodiversity; and each day had its own theme and small challenge to encourage empathy, inclusion, and self-awareness. The themes were:
• Monday – Team Up for Autism Day
Students wore their favorite team apparel, celebrating the idea that everyone is on the same team when it comes to inclusion. The day’s challenge: include someone in your game at recess.
• Tuesday – Neurodiversity Day
Students honored the diverse ways minds can work. Challenge: notice what’s unique about yourself.
• Wednesday – What’s Your Passion Wednesday
From Pokémon to painting, kids and teachers proudly dressed to reflect their interests, recognizing that passion is a powerful part of identity for those on the autism spectrum. The day encouraged students to start a conversation with someone about their passion.
• Thursday – Sensory Friendly Day
Students dressed in their comfiest (school-appropriate) clothes to reflect on how sensory experiences affect everyone differently. Challenge: notice what sensory experiences overwhelm or calm you.
• Friday – Go Blue Day
The school “blued out” in solidarity for Autism Awareness Month, with students and staff donning shades of blue from head to toe. The final challenge was: be kind.
To close out the week, elementary students came together on the playground for a Blowing Bubbles for Autism event. What began as a local initiative has now grown into a global movement, with tens of thousands of people participating in the bubbles event each April.
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