Lowell Elementary is a diverse urban school in Seattle where students from all over the world with varying strengths and challenges come together to learn and grow academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. As part of Seattle Public School's inclusionary project, Lowell Elementary was selected as an "Early Adopter" school. Together, our team at Novak Education, led by Pam Tupy, collaborated with a joint goal of creating an inclusive learning environment for all students and educators through the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and Restorative Practices.
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We began with a mindset shift towards the idea of collective efficacy and the belief that we can do more when we all put our brains together, and that our students belong to all of us.
While Lowell Elementary values inclusion as a core principle, implementing consistent practices across diverse student populations presented ongoing challenges for staff.
Lowell's student population includes students on track to meet/exceed standards, students with mild to significant disabilities, multilingual learners speaking over 30 different languages, and students experiencing housing insecurity - requiring coordinated support systems.
District staff and leadership teams lacked consistent, ongoing professional development to support the state's initiatives in improving inclusion rates.
Data-based decision making was difficult as there was an untapped opportunity to leverage staff and student voice to gathering information and implement measurable outcomes.
Spring 2023 - Fall 2024
In partnership with Lowell’s brilliant principal and Tier 1 leadership team, we conducted a comprehensive audit of existing systems—reviewing key documents, leading instructional walkthroughs, and facilitating focus groups with staff and students.
Insights from this audit drove a targeted capacity-building plan in which principal-led leadership and Trailblazer coaches immersed themselves in UDL and MTSS frameworks.
This work forged a shared vision and language for inclusive practice across the school.
Fall 2024 - Ongoing
Guided by Lowell’s principal and Tier 1 leadership team, cross-functional groups focused on three high-leverage UDL areas:
Fall 2024 - Ongoing
The collaborative efforts of Novak Education, the Lowell Elementary staff, administration, and community partners have helped to create a successful start towards driving significant improvements in inclusive education:
Inclusive Access for All: UDL-aligned objectives and flexible methods ensured every learner—regardless of IEP status—received the right support at the right time.
Collective Educator Efficacy: Cross-role teams met regularly to co-review data and refine instruction, fostering shared ownership and consistent practice.
Sustainable Sytems Change: By anchoring our work in live progress-monitoring tools and structured leadership support, Lowell now has a replicable model for continuous improvement.
Lowell Elementary worked closely with Novak Educational Consulting to develop and implement a structured, data-driven approach to advancing inclusive education. The initiative focuses on three key areas:
The school created clear goals for student outcomes in learning environments and 3rd grade reading proficiency, with specific metrics and timelines for achievement.
Staff engage in regular data review cycles at least every six weeks to examine student progress, adjust interventions, and ensure accountability to common assessments and material use.
Through staff development focusing on inclusive practices, restorative practices, and co-teaching frameworks, Lowell Elementary is building capacity for long-term success and systemic change.
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