Today, Sen. Lisa Wellman, chair of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, toured the UW Haring Center for Inclusive Education with Senate Democratic Caucus staff members, Heather Lewis-Lachner and Michael Althauser, and her legislative assistant, Noah Burgher. The Haring Center’s Principal Chris Matsumoto and Director Kathleen Artman Meeker led the tour, offering valuable insights into the Center’s work.
Since its founding in 1964, the Haring Center has been committed to creating inclusive communities through early childhood education, professional development, and research. They currently serve nearly 180 children at their physical location, providing early support, preschool, and kindergarten classes where children with and without disabilities learn together in an inclusive, world-class environment.
The group had the opportunity to observe classrooms in action, as well as visit one classroom while the children were out at recess. They also toured various play and learning areas within the facility.
In addition to its educational programs, the Haring Center is at the forefront of research aimed at advancing inclusive learning. The Center develops best practices in inclusive education and shares this knowledge with communities and public schools throughout the state, helping to improve educational outcomes for children with and without disabilities.
The Haring Center also trains current and future educators. Undergraduate and graduate students in fields like education, social work, and occupational and speech therapy gain hands-on experience in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, the Center provides professional development services to over 15,000 education professionals annually.
During the tour, the attendees had the opportunity to meet a current educator, as well as Ariane Gauvreau, the senior director of the Professional Development and Training Team, to learn more about the Center’s work in training and in-service development.
Thank you to Sen. Wellman, Heather, Michael, and Noah for taking the time to visit the Haring Center and learn about the impactful work being done to foster inclusivity in education.