The heart of all we do.

One Classroom’s four flagship programming areas – School Grants, Professional Development, Parents & Families, and Advocacy & Engagement – work in concert to ensure every child receives an education in their local Catholic school. Our four programming areas provide a holistic and multi-tiered approach that ensures success at all levels of a parish and school community.

School Grants

One Classroom’s school grants are the foundation of our 10+ year history serving Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Through this programming area, One Classroom provides annual monetary grants to fund the salaries of support staff who are essential for the inclusion of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Further, One Classroom’s programming staff provides additional support through coaching, onsite evaluation and ongoing training.

Professional Development

Since One Classroom’s founding, our organization has prioritized the vital role of continuing education and training. Each year, our programming staff provides workshops and training for local educators related to inclusive Catholic education. Our resources, like the One Classroom Manual, are used in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and beyond. Additionally, One Classroom partners with local and national experts and institutions of higher education to provide timely and impactful formation for our local teachers.

Parents & Families

Support for parents and families of children with IDD is at the heart of One Classroom’s mission. We walk in solidarity and shared faith with a national network of Catholic parents who navigate the unique challenges and blessings of having a child with IDD. Resources in our One Classroom Manual provide insights for those asking, “what’s next?” Locally, we strive to build community among parents in the Archdiocese of St. Louis seeking to foster lifelong connections and fellowship for themselves and their children. Further, engaging parents and families of neurotypical children is an important part of making inclusion a core value for the whole parish and school community.

Advocacy & Engagement

Finally, One Classroom’s work in the broader community – engaging the local church, advocating for federal and state funding, and partnering with local community organizations – is essential to successful inclusion. One Classroom aims to build a more inclusive parish and school community by ensuring priests, religious brothers and sisters, and the local curia are informed, passionate, and energized to proclaim the beautiful gifts reflected in our brothers and sisters with IDD. By engaging community organizations with aligned missions, we can expand our impact to ensure schools receive as many tools and resources as possible.