Olympics events in the offing

By Sarah Lynch

A new collaboration between the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) and Special Olympics Quebec was established this year, led by the Centre of Excellence for the Physically, Intellectually and Multi-Challenged (CoE PIM), the EMSB’s department of Student Services and department of Educational Services.

CoE PIM coordinators, Claudia De Luca, Sarah Lynch and Sophia Orfanos, worked with EMSB Health and Physical Education Consultant Katherine Baker to organize an in-school training program for seven EMSB schools, which was held in October. This was followed by a smaller sporting event for participants led by leadership students at Lester B. Pearson High School in conjunction with Special Olympics Quebec. The participants also received a physiotherapy screening at McGill.

Another training session was set to be offered in March to new and interested schools, to be followed by two additional opportunities for students to participate in sporting activities hosted by the EMSB. These include an activity day at McGill in May and an Olympiade in June. In addition, approximately 50 participating students will receive a dental screening. 

As this is the first collaboration between the organizations, the objective was to increase the number of participating students and schools and continue to expand collaboration with other school boards.

Sarah Lynch is special education consultant for the English Montreal School Board and coordinator, Centre of Excellence for the Physically, Intellectually, and Multi-Challenged.