This month’s Guest Blogger is Courtney Liggett. A 16 year veteran, Courtney started her Cariola career as an extended school year Special Education Teacher. She moved on to become a Behavior Analyst, Behavior Therapist Supervisor, and is currently the Principal of our East Henrietta Campus. Courtney has a B.S. in Special Education, a M.S. in Psychology, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, a Licensed Behavior Analyst and holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Administration

At Mary Cariola Center, as the spring blooms unfold before our eyes, so does our awareness and acceptance of autism. During the month of April, we reflect and celebrate the vibrant neuro diversity within our Agency community.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability that encompasses a wide range of characteristics and abilities without our students. Not one child with autism is exactly like another child with autism. Therefore, we choose to not only be aware of autism, but accept autism in our children and adults that we serve. We have shifted from understanding autism to accepting autism, celebrating the diverse characteristics of each individual, and embracing their strengths, talents, and yes, even their challenges. We choose to create environments in our schools and homes that foster inclusion and value what our young children and adults with autism contribute to our community.

As an Agency, we continually look toward new ways of teaching and supporting those we serve. We attend conferences, read journal article after journal article and spend time getting to truly know our students. We take time to reflect on the profound impact that our neurodiverse population has on our community and ourselves. We continue to cultivate empathy, kindness, and respect for all. The month of April reminds us to continue to spread the message of acceptance, to continue to work toward true inclusion in our community, and to continue to celebrate those that we serve and their families.