Members of the Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education executive committee discussed collaboration with Special Olympics Connecticut on Unified Sports and related inclusive programming.

Tom Kosker and Susan Yankee reported on a recent meeting with Mike Mason, director of Special Olympics Connecticut. Committee members said the organization runs Unified Sports across grade levels as well as community-based programs for transition‑age youth and a Healthy Athletes initiative that provides hearing and vision screens and other health services. "What parents don't know is that only did they exist, but they the schools aren't always telling parents that this is a resource," Susan Yankee said, summarizing the group's concerns about awareness and communication.

Tom Kosker and others framed Unified Sports as an inclusion tool that could be connected to transition planning for students with disabilities. Members described a common obstacle: local implementation depends on school-level "champions" (teachers or staff willing to coordinate programs) and districts that are already stretched for staff and time often do not adopt new initiatives without clear, low‑burden entry points.

Committee members agreed to ask Special Olympics Connecticut for a concise one‑page summary that lists programs, Healthy Athletes contacts and local points of contact so state agencies and district transition coordinators can distribute it. Catherine Sum (Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind) said she would distribute materials through her agency networks. Tom Kosker said he would facilitate collection of a distribution list and arrange for the one‑pager; Susan Yankee said she would include Unified programming in her upcoming executive report.

No formal action or vote was taken; the group identified follow-up steps and contacts for outreach.