Unified Champion Schools: How West Ada is Building Belonging

In the latest episode of the West Ada Podcast, we explore the powerful impact our special education teams and Unified Champion Schools programs are having across the district.

We’re joined by two outstanding leaders in West Ada special education. Jennifer Crowl has been instrumental in building the Unified Champion Schools program at Mountain View High School since its inception. The Mavericks have led the way in Unified programming for years and have been recognized by Special Olympics as one of the top Unified Champion Schools programs in the nation since 2018.

We also hear from Scott Deck, a special education teacher at Eagle High School. Eagle was recently honored by Special Olympics in Washington, D.C. as one of the nation’s recognized Unified Champion Schools—an incredible achievement for the program and our district.

This episode also features two Mountain View students involved in the Unified program. Calvin, a Special Olympics athlete, and Mitchel, his classmate and Unified partner, share their experiences and perspective on how the program brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together. What’s happening in these schools is building friendships, strengthening community, and creating a culture of belonging that is truly inspiring.

🎧 Learn more about Mountain View’s Unified Champion Schools program here:
https://youtu.be/_Am0N2YYo_E

🇺🇸 Watch the story of Eagle High School’s recent trip to Washington, D.C. here:
https://youtu.be/8xQcrvN-iIg

If you’re a middle school teacher interested in starting a Unified Champion Schools program, we’d love to connect with you. Please reach out to us at communicate@westada.org
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#WeAreWestAda #UnifiedChampionSchools #SpecialEducation #UnifiedSports #SpecialOlympics #StudentLeadership #WestAdaPodcast