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Parent urges districtwide neurodiversity training, universal design and onsite specialist during public comment
Summary
A parent and member of the district DEI committee urged the board to require districtwide neurodiversity training, adopt Universal Design for Learning, hire an on-site neurodiversity specialist and create a parent resource center.
During the public-comment portion of the Waunakee Community School District Board meeting, Jackie Sacobiak (parent and DEI committee member) urged the board to adopt neurodiversity-affirming practices across the district.
Sacobiak said about 20 percent of the population is neurodivergent and that many district teachers are already adopting some inclusive practices but that the district still "misses the mark" in supporting neurodivergent students. She outlined a five-part request: mandatory training for all staff, efforts to dismantle ableist assumptions, adoption of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies, hiring an on-site neurodiversity specialist to coach staff and problem-solve classroom issues, and creation of a parent resource center to support family-school collaboration.
Sacobiak also criticized disciplinary approaches that focus on punishment rather than identifying causes of behavior and described neurodivergent students' strengths. She supplied handouts and references to the board during her three-minute comment.
Why it matters: The requests would change professional development, staffing and family supports if the board or administration chose to adopt them. Board members acknowledged her comments publicly but did not take any immediate formal action at the meeting; Sacobiak asked the board to treat neurodiversity as inclusion work rather than a checklist.
What was requested - Mandatory districtwide training for all staff on neurodiversity and inclusive classroom practices. - District adoption and spread of Universal Design for Learning practices. - Hiring an on-site neurodiversity specialist to provide training, modeling and problem-solving support to teachers. - Creating a parent resource center to facilitate collaboration between families and educators. - Replacing punitive disciplinary practices with assessments that view behavior as communication and seek root causes.
Board response: Board members thanked Sacobiak for her materials and public comment. No vote or formal follow-up was recorded at the meeting; administration and the DEI committee may consider the request through routine policy and staffing channels.
