A milestone: Zumbro School District hosts activity day for special education students
Published on Friday, May 10, 2024 at 5:12 p.m.
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HAYFIELD — Hayfield Elementary School student David Jorgenson couldn't hide the smile on his face as he finished his race.
With joy in his eyes, he looked up at Samantha Thurman, Hayfield's special education coordinator, and said, “This is my first medal!”
A day full of smiles and support filled Hayfield Friday morning when the Zumbro School District held an activity day for special education and at-risk students in kindergarten through grade 6 at the Hayfield Track. Jorgenson and many other students proudly wore their medals.
“The important thing is to give these kids an opportunity to get out in front of their peers and be celebrated,” Thurman said. “It's a great experience for them to be able to compete.”
Students competed with and in front of their peers as Hayfield Elementary students watched on from the stands cheering them on. After the race, students moved from station to station and competed in a variety of activities, including the popular bounce house, parachute game, and throwing challenge.
Stacey Magnus, special education coordinator for Blooming Prairie schools, said activity days are one of the highlights of the year for students and staff alike.
“Today is a very special day for children with special needs. They have the opportunity to compete against their peers who have the same needs and challenges as them, and they can be cheered on. “It's a great day and our staff, students and administrators look forward to it every year,” Magnus said. “Research shows that anytime you can combine movement and learning, learning is promoted. It's an opportunity for them to learn, and they also learn that they may or may not win that race.” But that's okay, because sportsmanship is important. Everybody's excited for everyone here, but there's always a lot of people saying they're tired after this.”
Patrick Gordon, executive director of ZED, has been in his role for seven years and said Activity Day's history goes back 33 years. This event took him a year to plan and, beyond competition, allows students to interact with students from other districts.
“It's a big deal because all the kids circle this day on their calendars in the fall,” Gordon said. “It's like a track meet that you can't go to in your local district. It's really sensory-friendly and there are people cheering you on.”
Gordon said:Heyfield acted as a fantastic host site, with both students and staff contributing to a memorable day for everyone involved.
“They put everything into it. We had Hayfield seniors here, student council members, band and school board members,” he said. “This is a truly special event that has taken a long time to plan. It's amazing to see all six member districts working together.”
In addition to BP and Hayfield, ZED also serves Triton, Stewartville, Casson-Manterville, and Byron.