BHM a leader in Unified programming

In the years since the first Unified class was offered at Buffalo High School in 2018, local educators have become state and national leaders in a movement to build connections and community among students with and without disabilities.

The most recent evidence to support that claim is two-fold. 

First, BHS Choir Director Zack Carlson-Giving announced last week that the BHS Unified Music ensemble has been invited to perform at the annual Minnesota American Choral Directors Association conference this coming November. 

That prestigious honor will mark the first time, to Carlson-Giving’s knowledge, that a high school Unified group has performed at an ACDA-MN event. Last year just three public school choirs were included among 11 performing groups at the conference. The other ensembles were community or semi-professional choirs.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to perform at this conference and I am so excited to share our version of Unified Music with choir directors on a state level,” Carlson-Giving said.

Second, adapted physical education teacher Jen Heebink, who was the SHAPE America National Adapted PE Teacher of the Year in 2022 and who first introduced Unified programming to BHS, was a headline speaker at the Society of Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) Summer Institute national conference in Minneapolis in July. Her presentation focused in part on implementing new physical education standards using Unified PE, which creates world changers in school culture, community and careers. 

That July event was just the latest opportunity for Heebink to speak at the national level. She has previously addressed peer educator groups in Seattle, New York and California.

“When I speak at national events I tell people that Buffalo is leading the nation in these things because we recognize the need for inclusion,” Heebink said. “It feels good to be included, and the root of inclusion is noticing others. So what these classes do is teach people to notice others and care for others.”

What are Unified classes?
Unified classes typically pair a student with disabilities and a partner student who may or may not have disabilities. 

The first Unified BHS class, Unified PE, started in 2018. (A Unified PE class also started at Buffalo Community Middle School a short time later.) Unified Home Living/Cooking and Unified Music began at BHS in 2021, Unified Work-Based Learning started in 2022, and Unified Agriculture joined the lineup of class offerings in 2023.

The scope of subjects covered sets Buffalo High School apart from other schools that may have one form of Unified classes or another, but the local approach is also significantly more focused and intentional. 

“A lot of schools do have a Unified-ish program, but it’s not how we do it here in Buffalo,” said Carlson-Giving, whose highly sought-after music class typically includes 16 pairs of students for a total class size of 32, with additional students on a waitlist. 

He explained that while some other schools do offer a combined music class, it is almost always separate from the school’s general music programs and performances. Those classes may not even be taught by a music instructor, are open to all students, and often take place in regular classrooms rather than the school’s music facilities.

“That’s not the kind of atmosphere we need,” said Carlson-Giving, adding that Unified Music students who do not receive special education services are required to have current or prior music ensemble experience at BHS, and that the Unified group performs along with other ensembles in BHS choir concerts. In most cases, only seniors are admitted as partner students. “We vet them, essentially, so we know they will be good members of the community, that they know how to run efficiently in an ensemble setting with large numbers of people, and that they’re the right people for the role.”

That said, students without disabilities are not considered one-way mentors to their peers.

“This has been a really fruitful venture, I think, for everyone involved,” said Carlson-Giving. “Everyone is learning from everyone. It’s not a mentor-mentee relationship. It’s more, ‘We are actual partners in the entire learning process.’ No matter what the unit is, they stay with that partner for the whole term.”

Memorable and meaningful
That focus on relationships and effective learning has led to some memorable experiences that transcend the typical class period or school day. 

Heebink recalled teaching a floor hockey unit in a Unified PE class that included a captain from the girls hockey team. That student invited her Unified partner and friend to one of her games. Later, in return, the entire girls hockey team attended one of the adapted floor hockey team’s games.

“That’s the part where it goes beyond the classroom and it’s super special,” Heebink said. “When you have community like that, it makes life altogether better.”

Carlson-Giving agreed that the Unified Music experience has been uniquely meaningful.

“It has been the most well-filling experience I have had as a teacher, and I teach choir, which is a pretty well-filling experience in itself,” he said.

Music ensemble honor
The BHS Unified Music ensemble has already made a name for itself by performing the national anthem at the Minnesota State Capitol and at a variety of events, including the State Unified Basketball Tournament.

Members sing or play percussion instruments for performances, depending on their level of comfort, their ability and what they most enjoy.

“They are all music makers who are contributing to the music in a meaningful way even if they aren’t singing or aren’t playing an instrument,” said Carlson-Giving.

Students have the opportunity to experiment with different instruments like xylophones, glockenspiels, “boomwhackers” and more during rehearsals, and narrow down their focus for performances.

While the ensemble already has some high-profile appearances in its portfolio, the upcoming ACDA conference brings an additional element of prestige, as performances take place before an audience of music professionals.

“It’s a really good thing,” said Carlson-Giving. “It’s going to put a spotlight on Buffalo and our Unified programming, and continue to underscore the great things that are already happening here and that will continue to happen.”

The performance venue, St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, is also a highlight.

“It’s a gorgeous place. If people haven’t been there, it’s one of the top places for singing in the state,” said Carlson-Giving.

Additional information about the performance will be shared later this fall.

Whole staff support
Heebink and Carlson-Giving, who has also become a regular speaker at state and regional professional development events, noted that their efforts to promote Unified programs would not be possible without the support of administrators at BHS, BCMS and the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District.

“Many administrators don’t understand the impacts that Unified can have, and they miss out on opportunities. I think in Buffalo we really get it,” said Heebink. “Our administrators have seen what Unified can do and they’ve been so supportive of it.”

Heebink and Carlson-Giving also thanked their peers who teach and assist in the other Unified classes.

“They all understand the value as well. It’s a team effort,” said Heebink.