On a recent afternoon at Weddle Elementary School, students with disabilities joined other students in a PE class.

The grade schoolers playing “Bombs Away” launched soft balls across the gym, trying to knock down bowling pins. Supported by an assigned partner, the students with disabilities worked together with their fellow students to win the game.

Such inclusion efforts have put Weddle in the spotlight as it was recognized in January as a National Banner Unified Champion School. 

Weddle students and staff celebrated with an assembly, complete with activities and posters. 

McNary High School also received the recognition for 2025.

To earn the title, schools must complete requirements to promote inclusion of students with disabilities in sports, leadership and other school engagement.

School educators say those efforts have boosted confidence among all students and taught students to be compassionate towards others.

A key is blending in students who have disabilities. 

“They just want that sense of belonging and that people want them here, and people look forward to seeing them here, no matter who they are,” said Andrea Pfau, a PE teacher who helped lead the work to become a unified school. “It’s changed our culture to be more accepting of others.” 

Led by Pfau and teachers Amy Morris, Heidi Sanchez and Christy Rausch, Pfau said the school started with small efforts with the unified PE class around 2021. Then, she said, they worked with colleagues in other area schools to develop  inclusive programs to grow “one little thing at a time.”

Auburn Elementary School in Salem became a National Banner Unified School in 2024, which Pfau said helped inspire Weddle to work towards that goal.

Weddle is one of several Salem-Keizer schools to earn the national recognition and is one of two elementary schools to do so for 2025. The other is Sumpter Elementary School.

In addition to the PE class, students who have disabilities now participate in unified sporting events and join peers at recess, lunch and breakfast. The school began a unified music class this year. 

Weddle is raising money to build a paved track that is accessible to all students, including those using wheelchairs, replacing one made from barkchips. Lund said donations can be made online or by calling the school at 503-399-3604. 

Weddle educators say their students are excited by inclusion efforts, and approximately 50 fourth and fifth grade students volunteered to support disabled peers in classes this year. Another 50 second and third grade students volunteered to join their peers who have disabilities during breakfast.

The idea for an inclusive breakfast came from students, Principal Stacey Lund said.

“I think the thing that’s been so powerful for me is to see the impact, not just on the students that are in our self-contained classroom but on our students that have been partners” with students who have disabilities, Lund said.

She said that quieter students have grown into leadership roles when supporting students with disabilities. 

To demonstrate the culture shift, Rausch, who teaches students with developmental disabilities, shared the example of a first grade student who approached another student at recess and began the conversation with “Hi, do you talk?” 

The first grader was asking if the other student was nonverbal.

“Even if the kid is nonverbal, they still just find other ways to communicate and play with them,” Rausch said. “It’s just kind of helped break down some barriers.” 

Raush said inclusivity efforts have helped her students with disabilities better engage in school activities, and feel included when other students are excited to see them in the hallways. 

“They’re able to participate in more complex or challenging activities, and it’s really nice to be able to have peers help them with that, rather than adults,” Rausch said.

The educators agreed that such inclusivity benefits parents and siblings of students with disabilities, who may worry about the experience they will have in school. 

Pfau said she and Morris have sisters who are disabled, which made them “100% on board” with boosting inclusivity at Weddle.

“Having a sister who is disabled, who wasn’t included, who didn’t have friends, who didn’t have that experience. I didn’t want anybody else to go through that.” Pfau said. “It’s not only hard for the parents, but it’s hard for the siblings to see their siblings go through that.” 

Lund said that it is “exciting” to consider the long-term impact of exposing students to peers with different abilities throughout their education.

“If we do that in K-12, then we have people going out into the community as young adults that then have this view of how to treat each other,” Lund said. 

NEWS TIP? Contact reporter Krista Kroiss at [email protected].

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