MANSFIELD —Superintendent Teresa Murphy is pleased to announce that Mansfield High School has received National Banner Recognition from Special Olympics North America.
National Banner Recognition is presented to a Special Olympics Unified Champion School that has demonstrated commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect.
Mansfield High School is one of only 22 schools in Massachusetts and among 205 schools nationwide to have applied and been awarded this status in the 2022-23 school year. To view a full list of the Class of 2023 National Banner Unified Champion Schools, click here.
Superintendent Murphy would like to thank Mansfield High School special education teacher Melanie Anderson, Mansfield High School paraprofessional Chris Fong, Mansfield High School special education teacher Chris Hall, Qualters Middle School paraprofessional Kerri McCluskey and Mansfield High School special education teacher David Rosa for serving as Unified coaches during the 2022-2023 school year.
“Our Special Olympics programs have played a pivotal role in the lives of our student-athletes, their families, their peers and staff,” said Christine Riley, MHS Special Education Teacher, Best Buddies Co-Advisor, and Special Olympics Organizer. “We are looking forward to another great year providing Unified Sports.”
Primary activities to achieve national standards of excellence include Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership and whole-school engagement. Banner Unified Champion Schools also demonstrate that they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.
The Unified Sports program in Massachusetts, run by Special Olympics Massachusetts in partnership with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, allows students with disabilities the opportunity to play high school sports alongside their peers in a fun and supportive environment.
“On behalf of the entire athletic department, I would like to thank Special Olympics North America for this recognition,” said Athletic Director Tim Selmon. “Our Unified Sports programs have added a great deal to our school community and made a positive impact in the lives of our student participants and the entire school community.”
According to Special Olympics North America, schools are expected to continuously meet the 10 standards year after year. To ensure this sustainability, schools reapply for banner status every four years.
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