If Zach Fowler’s coworkers were to give the instructional assistant a grade, he’d likely get an A.
“He’s our shining light,” said Elizabeth Kappes, school nurse at St. Leo the Great School in Fairfax. “Zach brightens everyone’s day,” said David DiPippa, principal. “Every time he comes with a smile and he does this work very nicely,” said Shervin Rahai, instructional assistant. “I’m so glad he’s here.”
For several years, Catholic schools in the Arlington diocese worked to welcome and include students with special needs in the classroom. Now, many are hiring people with special needs, too. Zach, a 23-year-old with Down syndrome, is one of those new employees. “It makes sense that if we’re offering inclusive education in elementary and high school, then the next step would be the employment piece,” said DiPippa.
A collaboration between the Mason LIFE Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Porto Charities, a local nonprofit that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and diocesan Catholic schools led to a pilot internship program for LIFE students during the 2019-20 school year, said Christine Fowler, Zach’s mom and a director at Porto Charities.
Now, several diocesan schools employ people with special needs including Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, St. Veronica School in Chantilly, St. Joseph School in Herndon, St. Mary of Sorrows Preschool in Fairfax, Holy Spirit School in Annandale, Our Lady of Hope School in Potomac Falls, Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington and St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge was very supportive of the project, said Christine. “It would not have been possible without his support. He definitely lit a fire and it’s growing because people are starting to understand the capacity for work that our young adults with disabilities have,” she said. “There’s a certain joy that I think is evident when we’re all working together, (when) people with different abilities and different gifts and perspectives work in the same environment for a common purpose.”
Megan Battle, Fowler’s inclusion success coach who accompanies him at school, sees the way he inspires those around him, especially students with special needs. “Zach is a leader, and someone to look up to for younger people with disabilities,” she said. “(They see) that he doesn’t just have a job, but he has a great job where he’s able to grow and learn.”
Zach, a graduate of the Options program at Paul VI, first started at St. Leo as an intern. His hard work during his internship convinced the school to hire him, and he’s accepted a contract for next year. “It’s been really a pleasure to have worked with Zach,” said DiPippa.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Zach brings mail to the front office, monitors recess, reads to the kindergarteners, and assists the students in art, technology and physical education classes. During lunch, he hands out milk cartons and ice cream, and wipes down the lunch tables.
Helping teacher Scott Allen manage P.E. classes is one of his favorite tasks. “He’s my favorite coach,” said Zach. As a huge basketball fan, Zach is dribbling a ball whenever possible, said Allen, who also coaches the girls varsity basketball team at Paul VI.
“Zach makes you more energized because he’s so excited to get here to be a part of every class. He knows the rules of the class, he knows what we’re playing, he can tell the students what to do, he gets the equipment out, he explains the game, he manages the game, works with the students — he’s basically like having my own P.E. assistant, which I haven’t had in 20 years of being here. It’s definitely a great help. He’s a true blessing.”
On a recent Monday morning, Zach and Battle also helped the St. Leo technology coordinator fill in for the technology teacher. After Zach led the prayer, he walked around the room helping kindergarteners log into the website and start their assignment. When they were frustrated and confused, Zach helped them calm down and solve the problem. But soon enough he had to go. He gently told the one student he was helping, and left her with some encouraging words: “I love you. God bless you.”
