We're committed to creating accessibility to challenging curricula, ensuring all learners can engage meaningfully.”

St. Andrew’s School Assistant Head of School for Academics Alexandra McMullen

St. Andrew’s School recently hosted the “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges Conference” for educators, consultants and professionals to enhance their educational experiences and curriculum for neurodiverse learners. 

The conference was held on St. Andrew’s campus and featured keynote speaker Dianne Blackburn, MA Ed. Leadership, who shared her expertise in transforming education by breaking down barriers through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Participants came from all across New England and Florida, from various independent, public, and charter schools and non-profit organizations.

“I’m thrilled that we hosted a professional development opportunity like this featuring the expertise of educational leaders like Dianne Blackburn and St. Andrew’s faculty,” said St. Andrew’s School Head of School David Tinagero. “This is the first conference our school has hosted and we couldn’t be better positioned to share our knowledge and experience about supporting diverse, complex learners in an ever-changing educational world.” 

The two-day conference allowed attendees to collaborate with educators to explore innovative teaching tools and strategies that promote accessibility and inclusivity and develop strategies for integrating differentiated instruction practices to bridge an ambitious curriculum with accessibility. Participants networked and collaborated about learning support, co-teaching, Universal Design for Learning practices, demystifying AI, empowering teachings through feedback, and practicing civil discourse as an underpinning for community, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Interactive breakout and roundtable sessions were led by Dianne Blackburn and eight St. Andrew’s faculty members: Betsy Aulisio, Ray Cross ‘04, Joanne Fayan, Annie Hughes, Courtney Pierce, Derek Pierce, Kelsey Shea, and Ashley Taber ‘02. St. Andrew’s students and faculty also led engaging Q&A panel discussions.

"This conference highlights St. Andrew's leadership in serving a neurodiverse population and advancing educational excellence,” said St. Andrew’s School Assistant Head of School for Academics Alexandra McMullen. “We're committed to creating accessibility to challenging curricula, ensuring all learners can engage meaningfully. This event reflects our mission and the importance of sharing critical expertise with the broader community.” 

Alexandra McMullen spearheaded the Conference Planning Committee alongside St. Andrew’s faculty members Leela Ballah ‘08, Danilo Henriquez, Annie Hughes, Samantha Medeiros, and Laurie Schirber.