Inclusive Catholic Education

Our mission is to inspire schools to begin the process of becoming inclusive, to educate teachers, parents, principals and priests on what it takes to be an inclusive school and to provide the educational research and real life experiences that support it.

The FIRE Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 organization, makes it possible for partner Catholic schools to hire special educators and paraprofessionals and to acquire learning materials and technology that create successful learning experiences for all children. FIRE also provides professional development opportunities on a range of inclusive education topics for educators.

Pope Francis calls us to “build an educational relationship with each student, who must feel welcomed and loved for what he or she is, with all of their limitations and potential." Therefore, Catholic schools must do more to embrace their calling to serve all learners, including those who struggle with physical, learning, or behavioral challenges.

St. Michael Inclusive Learning Enhancement, better known as the SMILE Zone, is a unique special education program for students of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School. It follows Individual Service Plans (ISP) for each student along with implementing Missouri Show-Me Standards and appropriate goals and benchmarks. 

Bishop Burbidge said this work is inherent to us because “all of us are children of God. And so for Catholics, because of that reality, inclusion is not optional. We must make sure we welcome all people, all people without exception, because every human person needs to feel included and connected.”

Bishop O’Connell offers expanded services so that students with cognitive and intellectual disabilities can have access to a Catholic education in an inclusive high school environment. This environment allows the student with disability to grow academically, socially and spiritually with their peers.