Unified Programs History
Sports
Special Olympics Colorado is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports connects people with intellectual disabilities (athletes) and without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners) together.
Timeline
2015: Loveland High School (LHS) Pilots 1st Unified Basketball Team
2018: LHS: Pilot Unified Flag Football
2019: 4 HS: Unified Basketball Teams
2022: Mountain View High School (MVHS) Pilots Unified Track & Field
2023:
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MVHS: host Unified District Track Meet
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4 TSD MS: Pilot Unified Basketball: BRMS, CBMS, LEMS and TMS
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3 paid stipends for high school (Flag Football, Basketball, Track & Field)
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MVHS: start Club Unified
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MVHS: Pilot Unified Co-Ed Cheer
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4 HS: Unified Flag Football
2024:
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1 paid stipend for middle school (Basketball)
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TVHS: Pilot Unified Co-Ed Cheer
Whole-school Engagement
Staff will encourage youth-centered, school-focused initiatives that use the Special Olympics sports and education program to activate all students, engage educators, involve the entire school, and promote campus cultures of acceptance and social inclusion where all young people are agents of change. Examples of Whole-School Engagement include, but are not limited to, volunteering at a Special Olympics events, hosting an awareness day, organizing a pep rally, hosting Inclusion Week events and other activities that encourage inclusion and respect.
Timeline
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Spring 2024: TSD create and fund a Unified Program Coordinator Extra duty position to coordinate and align the Unified Programming to Special Olympics requirements to be Unified Schools
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Fall 2024: Apply to be recognized as Unified Champion Schools Programs
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2024-2025: Adopt an Inclusion school-wide curriculum from Special Olympics for secondary schools
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2025-2026: Increase Peer Buddies reading in middle school
Youth Leadership
Schools will encourage the development of student leadership teams in each school. These student leadership teams will be responsible for planning and implementing the whole-school engagement activities and will explore other possible opportunities for Special Olympics based activities. Middle School and High School students may attend the Special Olympics Youth Leadership Summit.
Timeline
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2022: MVHS attend Special Olympics Youth Leadership Summit
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2023: MVHS and LHS attend Special Olympics Youth Leadership Summit
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2023: LHS Student member of Special Olympics Colorado’s Youth Activation Committee (YAC)
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2023-2024: MVHS start Club Unified
Inclusive Health
Schools will encourage the use of SOCO health and wellness resources including but not limited to: Healthy LEAP, SOCO Health and Wellness Challenges, Fit 5, Unified PE and other resources.
Timeline
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2024: Adapted PE at 23 schools across TSD (all schools with ILC programs)
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2024: Positive PE at 3 high schools
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2024: District Curriculum Department review the Positive and Adapted P.E. course descriptions; consider creation of Unified PE courses to include Peer Buddies