Nov 13 2024 34 mins
In August of 2023, De Smet Jesuit became the first Catholic high school in St. Louis to launch an inclusive education program for young men with intellectual disabilities within a typical setting. This program – the first of its kind that we’re aware of within the Jesuit Schools Network – prepares students for future jobs and independent living as adults.
Students in the inclusive education program at De Smet will graduate with a modified diploma that mirrors the course requirements of their fellow De Smet brothers, with the addition of a yearly life skills curriculum to prepare them for adult life. De Smet Jesuit students play a significant role in achieving this mission, serving as peer mentors for inclusion program students.
In this conversation, we welcome Kevin Poelker, Principal of De Smet Jesuit and Sarah Patton, Director of Inclusive Education at De Smet to talk about this remarkable, mission-centered program.