Perrin Woods Elementary School celebrates kindness

Springfield district school recognizes Autism Awareness Month in April.

Springfield City School District students and staff celebrated their friends and coworkers with autism during Autism Awareness Month.

Every student who attends Perrin Woods Elementary School was given a “Kindness” shirt this month, in which the word, “kindness” is formed by various puzzle pieces, according to a press release from the school district.

Each student and staff member also decorated their own puzzle pieces, which will be combined to perfectly form Perrin Woods’ building puzzle to show how each student and staff member contribute to their school community, the district said.

The puzzle piece has traditionally been associated with autism awareness for two reasons: the complexity of the way that people with autism view the world and interact, but also because the cure for autism is considered the missing piece of the “puzzle.”

According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by age 8 – a nearly 10% increase compared to past studies.

“One of our greatest strengths in Springfield is our commitment to serving our students’ diverse needs,” said SCSD Superintendent Dr. Bob Hill. “Our District, guided by the Student Services Department, works incredibly hard to make sure every student is celebrated and supported – no matter what obstacles they encounter. We are here to provide the resources necessary to guide all students to a successful future.”

Students at Perrin Woods also watched a series of age-specific videos about kindness.

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