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Meads Mill becomes Unified Champion School; Special Olympics grant funds inclusion activities
Summary
Meads Mill described early-stage work to become a Special Olympics Unified Champion School: visits from high-school Unified teams, $1,200 grant spending on PBIS materials and equipment, and plans to grow youth leadership and unified sports participation next year.
Meads Mill Middle School staff told the Northville Public Schools Board of Education they have begun the process of becoming a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, a program that promotes social inclusion by bringing students with and without intellectual disabilities together through activities, youth leadership and unified sports.
Danielle Anderson, who leads inclusion efforts at the school, said Meads Mill partnered with the Special Olympics of Michigan and received a $1,200 grant to support the three components of the Unified Champion Schools model: whole-school engagement, inclusive youth leadership and unified sports. Anderson said most of the grant money was used to purchase materials for PBIS celebrations and recreational equipment — two new ping-pong tables, a folding game and a giant Connect Four — that will be used in school activities.
The school hosted the high-school Unified Stings three times during the year to engage middle school students during lunch in inclusive activities such as trivia, games, coloring and bracelet-making. Four Meads Mill students participated with Hillside High School’s Unified basketball team during Inclusion Week, Anderson said.
Anderson told the board the school’s next steps include building a student leadership team dedicated to a unified club and expanding unified sports opportunities, either by fielding Meads Mill teams or collaborating more with Hillside teams. She described the initiative as complementary to existing inclusion and PBIS work at the building and said the program fosters “respect, dignity and advocacy.”
No formal board action was requested. Board members applauded the early progress and encouraged continued district support and coordination across buildings.
