Davenport district spotlights Unified Champions program and plans to expand unified PE

Davenport Community School District board members on June 11 heard presentations honoring students in the district’s Unified Champions program and spring sports and were given plans to expand unified physical‑education offerings beyond West High.

The presentations underscored efforts to use athletics and peer partnerships to increase inclusion and opportunities for students with and without disabilities. Athletic Director Dave Shevlin told the board that the district is pursuing broader unified PE offerings and celebrating growth in middle‑school participation.

“We work hard to produce or provide opportunities for all our students to use sports as a way of bettering themselves and bettering the whole community,” Athletic Director Dave Shevlin said during his introduction of the segment. Stephanie Reagan, a school counselor at Davenport West High School, said the West program involves both athletes and peer partners and highlighted this year’s unified golf and bowling teams.

“I’m Stephanie Reagan. I’m a school counselor at Davenport West High School,” Reagan said. She told trustees that West fielded about 40 students in unified activities this year and that unified offerings at West included golf and bowling. She also said West High is a “national banner unified champion school,” a recognition the presentation attributed to meeting the program’s participation and inclusion benchmarks.

Another presenter, who described district plans for curriculum and scheduling, told the board: “the plan is to have all of the high schools have a unified PE class,” noting barriers such as program size, scheduling and staffing. That speaker said the district had historically run district‑wide Special Olympics programming and hopes to restore similar cross‑site coordination.

Shevlin told the board the district’s middle‑school track program grew by roughly 60 students this year, creating both opportunity and transportation challenges for away meets. “This year, we’re up 60 kids in our track program,” he said, calling that a “great problem” that will require extra buses and planning.

West and North high schools and their coaches also introduced state‑qualifying athletes and team accomplishments, and the board applauded coaches and administrators for outreach that helped increase student participation.

Board members and presenters framed the emphasis on unified sports as both social inclusion and student development. The board did not take formal votes on program changes during the presentation; several speakers asked staff to return with details about expanding unified PE to North and Central and about how to staff classes and coordinate schedules.

Trustees and staff said they expect to continue the work next school year and invited participating students and families to remain involved as programming expands.