Spearheaded by the school's Unified Sports Program, Bayfield Middle School's Inclusion Week was tied to the national Spread the Word campaign, aiming to foster inclusivity and eliminate the use derogatory language — particularly the “R” word — at school.
Unified Sports is an offshoot of Special Olympics that promotes social inclusion through shared sports training and competition by partnering people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. Amber Main-Munda, the Lifeskills teacher at BMS and the district’s Special Olympics Coordinator, expressed her enthusiasm for the program.
“I feel really fortunate to be part of something so positive here at BMS and in the Bayfield community. Since starting the Unified program in 2023, I’ve watched it truly blossom—and it’s been amazing to see other schools starting to jump on board, too,” she said.
Inclusion Week kicked off with engaging activities designed to encourage participation from both students and staff. Themed dress-up days played a major role in the celebration, with daily themes such as “Pajama Day” to recognize everyday heroes of inclusion, “Dress Different/Wacky Day” to symbolize diversity, and “Favorite Color Day” to show solidarity for inclusion efforts.
Incentives such as a lunch drawing for participating staff members and a special prize for the Unified student who encouraged the most peers to dress up helped drive participation. To build excitement, announcements about the event began three weeks prior, and students participated in a variety of social media promotions.
A major highlight of the week was the series of student-led presentations in advisory classes. Eighth-grade students, including Levi Vaughn, Carter Percell, Lucy Hubbert, Rose Baxter, Ariee Hurlbut, and Kenna Schneider, took on leadership roles by presenting educational PowerPoints on the importance of inclusion and the harmful impact of exclusionary language. These sessions sparked thoughtful discussions and reflections among their peers.
The celebration culminated in a school-wide Inclusion Celebration on March 28. Students were released from class in the afternoon to participate in various inclusive activities, including karaoke, art, basketball, volleyball, bingo, and a movie session. The Unified students contributed by curating a music playlist for the gym, ensuring a lively and welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, concessions were available, with proceeds benefiting the Unified and Life Skills programs.
“What’s so special about Unified is that it benefits everyone,” Main-Munda said. “Of course, it supports our athletes and students with disabilities, but it also has a huge impact on their peers without disabilities. They’re learning how to be inclusive, how to lead with kindness, and how to create a future that embraces and celebrates everyone for who they are.”
She also credited her dedicated colleagues for making the event possible, and lending their efforts to its success.
“I couldn’t do any of this without my incredible team. Amber Cartwright, Amber Ramirez, and Cammy Lirot are absolutely essential. I might be steering the ship, but it takes the whole crew to keep it sailing,” Main-Munda noted.
Through Inclusion Week, Bayfield Middle School reinforced its commitment to creating an environment where all students feel valued and accepted. With the ongoing success of the Unified program, the school continues to set an inspiring example of inclusion for others to follow.
