Jeffrey Elementary School Nationally Recognized By Special Olympics

MADISON, CT - The national honor is reserved for the select number of schools with an inclusive school climate, exuding a "sense of collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff."

Jeffrey Elementary School, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, received the national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities. And as a result of meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect.

“Jeffrey School is proud of its efforts to promote inclusion, kindness, and equity,” Jeffrey School
Principal Rebecca Frost said. “Go, Tigers!”

Last Friday, the award presentation included a performance by the Daniel Hand High School marching band and cheerleading team.

About Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is a strategy for schools Pre-K through university

that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and
without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three
interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports®, inclusive youth leadership, and
whole school engagement.

More than 8,000 schools across the country engaged in the program this past school year. Special
Olympics Unified Champion Schools aims to expand to 10,000 schools by the end of the 2023-
2024 school year.

A Special Olympics Unified Champion School has an inclusive school climate and exudes a sense of collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff.

A Unified Champion School receiving national banner recognition is one that has demonstrated
commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence. These standards were
developed by a national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community.

The primary activities within these standards include: Special Olympics Unified Sports® (where
students with and without disabilities train and compete as teammates), inclusive youth
leadership and whole-school engagement. National banner schools should also be able to demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.