Around 600 students and their families participated in the virtual 2021 Special Athletes’ Track Meet . Held annually for more than three decades, the event is a celebration of, and opportunity for, athletes with special needs from across the Halton District School Board to display their athletic abilities, effort and perseverance.
This year the track meet was held online from June 14-18. Students with special needs from in-person classes and virtual classes, JK-Grade 8 self-contained and regular classes, and secondary students in the Community Pathways Program competed in a variety of athletic events organized at their school or at home. Activities were recorded and shared directly with classes daily through a video.
Each morning, students tuned in to see the video of the day which started with O Canada, the Land Acknowledgement and the Athlete’s Oath delivered by students in Life Skills, Community Pathways Program and Communication Program classes. A number of special guests also took part virtually throughout the week including former Canadian athletes, Paralympians, Special Olympics staff and HDSB Director of Education Stuart Miller.
Parents were very appreciative of the virtual SATM.
“I think the weeklong SATM was meaningful and much more than sport as it connected kids while supporting and sharing with each other,” says parent Yan Wu.
“The event was inspiring, participation was incredible and feedback was overwhelmingly positive from staff, students and parents in our community,” says Penny Stevens, HDSB Instructional Program Leader-Elementary and event co-organizer. “Students participated in a wide variety of activities, with each school, class or parent putting their own spin on how to organize the activities, responding to individual strengths and needs. The event itself was fluid and flexible and allowed teachers to be creative and look at the best options for their students. This was truly a board-wide event.”
Says Claire Sheffield, HDSB Instructional Program Leader-Elementary and event co-organizer: “The Special Athletes’ Track Meet is a yearly celebratory milestone for students and staff, and our goal was to continue to provide this opportunity to all of our students. Teachers said students in virtual classrooms enjoyed seeing their peers who have been learning in-person. In an environment where students are in cohorts and unable to come together as a large group, and where students are learning from their own homes, the virtual format allowed us to celebrate together.”
