The stars were shining bright in California State University, Northridge’s Campus Theater on Saturday, May 17, as acclaimed actresses Amy Brenneman and Kate Walsh joined musicians Gloria Loring, Chris Stills and American Idol finalist Brooke White in celebrating the CHIME Institute, which is housed at CSUN and is considered a national leader in the development and implementation of inclusive education.
Brenneman served as host of the annual CHIMEapalooza, which featured an evening filled with humor and music, including a reworking of the song “Facts of Life,” the song Loring and her husband, Alan Thicke, wrote for the popular 1980s television show of the same name, to celebrate the inclusive nature of CHIME.
The evening’s theme, “All ALOUD ALLOWED,” spotlighted the performers’ belief that “every child has a right to an education.”
Established in 1990, the CHIME Institute is a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education — where children who develop typically, children with special needs and children who are gifted learn side by side. The institute’s research and training center is housed in CSUN’s Michael D. Eisner College of Education.
Highlights from the show included readings of funny and often poignant stories from CHIME parents, children and teachers about their experiences at the institute by actors Walsh, Paul Bartholomew, San Griffiths, Michael Linstroth, Oscar Nuñez, Justine Reiss, Carmella Riley and others. The stories covered such topics as waiting to hear if a child’s name was called in the lottery for CHIME’s charter school to friendships formed between typical learning and special needs children.
The institute began with an early childhood education program based on the CSUN campus. The success of that program, coupled with needs of the community and sound research, prompted a group of parents and CSUN faculty to develop a public charter elementary school in 2001 and a public charter middle school in 2003. The two schools merged into a K-8 school located in Woodland Hills in 2010.
Inclusive education at CHIME means that children who reflect the demographics of the surrounding regions learn side by side. CHIME’s model allows for the individual needs of each child to be addressed in a manner that enhances each child’s strength, while also providing educational progress.
CHIME also serves as a model for educators through its partnerships with the Eisner College and the Los Angeles Unified School District. It facilitates research opportunities and regularly hosts visitors from around the United States and the world who are interested in replicating its successes in their own schools. The institute has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a model for full inclusion of students with disabilities and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.
Proceeds from Saturday night’s festivities will go toward supporting inclusive practices in the institute’s educational programs and school. For more information about the CHIME Institute, call (818) 677-4979 or (818) 346-5200 or visit its website www.chimeinstitute.org.