North Pole backdrops, oversized candy cane balloons, and mounds of gifts set the courtyard stage at this week for student performances for parents and educators.
The Winter Extravaganza in the Miami Gardens school is more than a heart-felt holiday festivity 鈥� it鈥檚 a chance for students in the special education program to build their skills and socialize with their general education peers.
The school鈥檚 drumming club, made up of students in general education, kickstarted the show with drum booms and cymbal crashes. A dance choreography complete with clapping and stomping by pupils in exceptional education followed.
Nury Gonzalez, an exceptional student education teacher at Wyche, guided the stars in their dance. She has been at the school for 30 years.
鈥淪ome of the parents are amazed to see how their kids have grown in our program,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淲hen they go and dance, they are like, 鈥榯his is my world, this is me, I am shining today.鈥欌��
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Of the more than 560 students enrolled, 175 are ESE, the acronym for Exceptional Student Education.
鈥溾�奣hat's a lot for an elementary school,鈥� said Principal Thalya Watkins.
Idenia Beliveau's daughter, fourth grader Emily Rodriguez, has autism, ADHD, and a learning difficulty. She started at Wyche two years ago.
鈥淗alf of the things that she can do now, she couldn't before,鈥� Beliveau said. 鈥淭hat's why we moved her schools and it was the best decision that we made putting her here.鈥�
And Emily鈥檚 proud of herself, too.
鈥溾�奍 feel so happy and proud because I was dancing in front of a big crowd, which is something I don't usually do,鈥� Emily said.
Watkins said seeing students grow over the years at Wyche 鈥渂ecomes very sentimental.鈥� Some students don鈥檛 have great communication skills when they begin, she said, or can鈥檛 use the bathroom on their own.
鈥淭o see the progression from the three-year-old program all the way up to grade five is just amazing to us,鈥� she said.
The Winter Extravaganza isn鈥檛 the only mingling students from across programs do. Throughout the year, everyone participates in the honor roll and student of the month, for example.
鈥淲e're not saying, 鈥榶ou are going to be in a self-contained classroom because you can't do it鈥� 鈥� it's the opposite,鈥� Watkins said. 鈥淲e say that, 鈥榳e're going to push you to unlimited possibilities.鈥欌��
In addition to fostering independence, Gonzalez said acquainting students in the exceptional program with general education peers is key in preparing them for life beyond the classroom walls.
鈥溾�奧e want to make sure that before they go to middle school, they are exposed to the general education [students] because they want to be in the society where they can move along.鈥�
The event wrapped with each student receiving a gift as part of the school's toy drive.
