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Unified Physical Education

The SMUHSD Unified PE Program, established in the 2024-25 School Year, is designed to promote inclusivity and provide opportunities for general and special education students to engage in physical education activities together. Unified Physical Education includes students with all ability levels and serves to develop awareness, empathy, wellness, and relationships to promote success and self-confidence in the PE setting. All students participate in activities that follow the state standards for various team and individual activities, weight training, outdoor and adventure activities, dance, yoga, and aquatics. 

The class includes involvement in Special Olympics and other related activities/field trips. Students work towards achieving lifelong personal wellness habits through fitness training and learning positive health skills as a part of this course. Additionally, the class supports the development of leadership skills for all students, and the empowerment of ALL students (coaches and athletes) to foster an inclusive class and school-wide environment.

Learn more about Unified PE.

Unified Special Olympics - March 27, 2026

The image shows a group of people, some wearing sports uniforms, engaged in what appears to be a basketball game or practice session on a basketball court with a red and white color scheme.
The image contains several photographs depicting various individuals, including a group of people in a gym setting, a person in an orange outfit, and two people posing together. The background of the images appears to be a gym or fitness facility.
A group of people, some in wheelchairs, participating in various activities in a gymnasium with a %22Special Olympics 2026%22 banner displayed.
A group of people in colorful athletic wear are walking on a basketball court, with large smiley face icons visible in the foreground.
Two people are playing basketball on a red-colored indoor court, with a %22Sprit%22 sign visible in the background.
The image shows a collage of various scenes, including a group of young women in red uniforms, a person holding a sign, and other individuals in a school or sports facility setting.
The image shows a group of people, both adults and children, engaged in various activities in a basketball court setting. The background features red walls and basketball hoops, indicating the location is a sports facility or gymnasium.
The image shows a group of people, both adults and children, gathered in what appears to be a gymnasium or sports facility. They are wearing various colored shirts and seem to be engaged in some kind of activity or event. The background includes basketball hoops and other sports equipment, suggesting this is a recreational or athletic setting.
The image shows a group of people, some wearing red and orange shirts, gathered in what appears to be a gymnasium or sports facility, with various sports equipment and signage visible in the background.
The image shows a basketball court with people practicing and playing the sport, surrounded by banners and signage indicating it is a Unified Champion Schools basketball event.

More than 50 students from the San Mateo Union High School District’s (SMUHSD) Adult Transition Programs (ATP), Bay University and Bay Quest, participated in the Unified Special Olympics Basketball Event held at Burlingame High School on Friday, March 27. 

Students were able to participate in several basketball related drills and full-court games throughout the event. There was also a stretching station and an arts and crafts station for students when they needed to take a break. 

“I saw so many smiles on the Unified athletes’ faces from the ATP programs at Burlingame High, Capuchino High and the College of San Mateo and the gen-ed Leadership students from BHS - a big thank you to all of them and their teacher Erik Bennett too. The inclusive spirit at your events makes them so fun to be a part of…Thank You for sharing them with Joanne and me…We love it!,” said Paul O’Brien, Special Olympics of Northern California’s Senior Manager of School Partnership Programs.  

“Watching students cheer, volunteer, and engage with the athletes was truly inspiring, and it reflects the strong spirit of community that Bay University fosters. We are incredibly grateful for your partnership and support,” said Jeff Torres, one of the District’s Special Olympics Coordinators. 

Special thanks to the District’s Special Olympics Coordinators Jeff Torres and Tara Ciardella and the BHS Leadership Students and their advisor, BHS Activities Director Erik Bennett, who helped to organize the event.

Unified Special Olympics - November 12, 2025

A group of people standing on colorful mats in an outdoor area with a building in the background.
A group of five people, three women and two men, are standing together on a sports field with a fenced-in area and buildings visible in the background.
Two people, a man and a woman, are engaged in conversation on a sports field surrounded by fencing and buildings in the background.
A group of people, including an individual in a wheelchair, are gathered on a sports field, engaged in various activities.
The image shows a man and a woman standing together outdoors, with a gray building and other structures visible in the background.
The image shows three people embracing each other in a warm hug, with a colorful background of buildings and people in the distance.
A group of young people, some wearing casual clothing and others in more formal attire, are gathered on a grassy field with a large building in the background.
The image shows two people, a young person wearing a gray %22Champion%22 shirt and an older person with a beard wearing a red jacket and a baseball cap, standing together outdoors in what appears to be a sports or event venue with buildings and other people visible in the background.
A group of young people, some wearing striped shirts, are gathered together in an outdoor setting with buildings and structures visible in the background.
A person in a striped jersey is petting a dog on a grassy field, surrounded by other people.
The image shows a young woman sitting on the ground, interacting with a young man who is kneeling in front of her. In the background, there appears to be a sports field or outdoor area with fencing and other structures.
A group of people, some standing and some seated, are gathered on a sports field with a soccer ball in the foreground.
A group of people, some standing and some seated, are gathered on a fenced-in soccer field, with a large soccer ball in the foreground.
Two people, a woman and a man, are engaged in a conversation on a sports field surrounded by other people.
The image shows a group of people gathered on a soccer field, with a soccer ball in the foreground and a small building in the background surrounded by trees.
A group of people, including someone in a wheelchair, gathered on a grassy field with a soccer ball, surrounded by trees and buildings in the background.
A group of people, some in casual attire and others in formal wear, are gathered on a soccer field, with a soccer ball in the foreground.
A group of people, including a woman with long brown hair, are standing on a sports field surrounded by a chain-link fence and trees in the background.
The image shows a group of people playing soccer on a synthetic turf field, with a woman in the foreground wearing a white jacket and gray pants.
The image shows two people standing on a sports field, with a crowd of people visible in the background and a banner in the distance.
A man is playing soccer on a grassy field, with several parked cars visible in the background.
The image shows two individuals wearing sports jerseys, one in a light blue jersey with the name %22Creeman%22 and the other in a black hoodie, standing on a sports field with various other people and structures visible in the background.
A group of five young people, dressed in casual attire, standing together on a grassy field with a building in the background.
Two smiling women standing together on a sports field, with trees and buildings visible in the background.
A group of young people, some wearing casual clothing and others in more stylized outfits, stand together in an outdoor setting with a building in the background.
A smiling man wearing a blue t-shirt and a woman wearing a jacket stand together in front of a fenced outdoor area with buildings in the background.
A group of young students are engaged in an art activity, sitting around a table and using various art supplies to create drawings and paintings.
Two men wearing baseball caps and casual clothing are standing together in an outdoor setting with buildings visible in the background.
A group of four people, two women and two men, are standing together in front of a fenced industrial area.
Two men in black coats are embracing each other on a sports field, with a group of people visible in the background.
A person in a red jacket stands on a soccer field, holding a soccer ball.
The image shows a group of people playing soccer on a soccer field, with a woman in the foreground wearing a white outfit and another person in an orange outfit kicking a soccer ball.
A person is pushing a stroller with a child inside, walking on a grassy field near a building with trees in the background.
A group of people, including both adults and children, are gathered on a sports field, with a soccer ball and sports equipment visible in the foreground. The background features a fenced-in area and buildings, suggesting an urban setting.
A group of people are gathered on a grassy area, practicing yoga or other physical activities, with a large building and cloudy sky visible in the background.
The image shows several people standing on a sports field, with one person in the foreground wearing a red shirt and black shorts, and others in the background wearing different colored clothing.
The image shows a group of people sitting on yoga mats on a grassy field, with some wearing casual clothing and others in athletic wear.
Two individuals, a man wearing a navy blue shirt and a baseball cap, and a man wearing a brightly colored tie-dye shirt, are standing on a soccer field with mountains in the background.
A group of people wearing colorful tie-dye shirts are standing on a grassy field, with a covered seating area and trees visible in the background.
The image shows a person wearing a striped jersey with the number 13 on the back, standing on a soccer field with other players in the background.
A group of people, likely students, standing on a sports field with a building and parked cars visible in the background.
A group of young people, dressed casually, standing together on a grassy field with trees and buildings visible in the background.
The image shows a group of people playing soccer on a fenced-in artificial turf field, with some individuals in the foreground engaged in conversation.
A group of people, some wearing sports jerseys, are standing on a sports field with a fence and trees visible in the background.
The image shows three men standing together on a sports field, with buildings and structures visible in the background.
A group of young people, including two women and three men, are standing together in an outdoor setting with a chain-link fence and buildings in the background.
Two young women with long hair are standing together on a grassy field, surrounded by colorful shapes on the ground. They appear to be in a casual outdoor setting.
Two people, a woman wearing a colorful patterned dress and a man wearing a bright yellow and red tie-dye shirt, are standing together and smiling in an outdoor setting with various buildings and people in the background.
A group of people, some wearing sports attire, are gathered on a fenced-in sports field, with a large soccer ball and a sign that says %22HOLD%22 in the foreground.

On November 12, Hillsdale High School hosted a Unified Special Olympics Kickball event welcoming students from Mills, Burlingame, Terra Nova and Jefferson High Schools! This event brought together more than 100 students of all ability levels and members of the community for a day of fun. 

SMUHSD Adapted PE Specialists Jeff Torres and Tara Ciardella, and JUHSD Adapted PE Specialist Natalia Hawthorne were on hand to oversee the event, which was mostly run by HHS leadership students Neko Javaheri and Kamille Bautista-Leung, as well as the HHS peer buddies program known as “Best Buddies.” Together they organized four simultaneous Kickball games, an arts and crafts table and a yoga station. 

Special thanks to San Mateo Police Department Officers Carlos Basurto and Alison Adle along with Rookie, who were all on hand to engage with the students and participate in the games. 

The District partners with Special Olympics of Northern California on various events throughout the year. Their School Partnership Program Senior Manager Paul O’Brien and Area Manager Joanne Bianchi were on hand for the day. The mission of Special Olympics of Northern California is to create an inclusive community where people with and without intellectual disabilities can make connections, develop healthy lifestyles, achieve success, and experience the joy of sports.