Inclusive Educator makes music accessible for all

Normandale Hills Elementary music teacher Jeff (Mr. Z) Zupfer is the recipient of an Inclusive Educator Award for his work to support the inclusion of unique learners. The award is given by Intermediate School District 917, which provides specialized programming to member districts including Bloomington Public Schools. 

Zupfer was nominated and recognized for fostering an inclusive learning environment for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. In addition to writing his own music, he incorporates American Sign Language and captions into his music videos. This allows students of all abilities to sing and participate in class and at school-wide rallies. By creating accessible sound-based activities, students are able to share learning experiences while also learning some sign language.

The Inclusive Educator award was created to coincide with Inclusive Schools Week, Dec. 2-6, to highlight and celebrate the progress schools make to create inclusive practices for an increasingly diverse student population.