Albuquerque Public Schools
Three APS Schools Honored for Inclusion Efforts
Dennis Chavez Elementary, Desert Ridge Middle School, and La Cueva named Banner Schools.
Special Olympics New Mexico is honoring three APS schools for their inclusion efforts.
Dennis Chavez Elementary, Desert Ridge Middle School, and La Cueva High are being named Banner Schools through the Unified Champion Schools Program. La Cueva has been honored every year since 2017.
“These schools compete in multiple unified sports every school year, demonstrate student leadership, and practice whole school engagement to create more inclusive school environments,” Special Olympics New Mexico said in a news release.
“Unified sports consist of students with and without disabilities playing together as equals. Schools that participate in the Unified Champion School Program have shown a decrease in bullying, and an increase in inclusion, acceptance, and disability awareness.”
Nine New Mexico schools are being honored this year.
Dennis Chavez Elementary will be doing a pep rally in the school gym on Oct. 18 with a banner unveiling to celebrate the achievement. Neither Desert Ridge nor La Cueva have scheduled their banner unveiling event.