District News

The work of students and staff to create an inclusive environment at Lancaster High School was celebrated as the school earned National Banner Unified Champions School status.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate Lancaster High School being named a National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics New York. This recognition reflects the dedication of our teachers, aides, coaches, administrators and students who work every day to make inclusion more than just a word,” said Erin Gannon, the Lancaster Central School District’s Director of Special Education. “It is part of who we are and helps create a school community where every student is valued, included and belongs.”

Lancaster High School earned the recognition by meeting 10 standards of excellence developed by a panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community nationally. The primary activities within these standards include Special Olympics Unified Sports, Inclusive Youth Leadership, and Whole-School Engagement. In addition to meeting the standards, schools earning this recognition must show their efforts are self-sustainable or that there is a plan in place to continue these activities in the future.

At Lancaster High School, inclusion is fostered through opportunities such as unified sports, the Best Buddies program, and fundraising events such as the Dancing with the Faculty competition and the newly instituted Unity Stand concessions area at freshman and modified football games. 

“When students of all abilities are given opportunities to learn, compete, lead, and build friendships together, they discover that our differences don’t separate us — they make our school community stronger,” said Melissa Kosmoski, a special education teacher who has coached and advised multiple unified teams and the Best Buddies program. “This recognition truly represents the caring and inclusive culture our students and staff have worked so hard to create.”

Lancaster High School was one of 14 schools announced to have earned this status in September 2026, bringing New York’s statewide total to 57. 

“Earning National Banner Unified Champion School status is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the work that began when Unified Sports first came to Lancaster High School,” said Michael Candella, Lancaster High School Principal. “Our students and staff, past and present, deserve recognition for the time, effort, and commitment they have put into building this program and setting the standard for inclusion. This is something our entire school community should be proud of, and a legacy that our students and staff will continue to build on.”

The Unified Champion Schools model is supported by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. This model has been proven, through research, to be an effective and replicable means to provide students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate.

“Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools have set new standards for acceptance and inclusion in hundreds of schools throughout New York, and the schools we honor today are the best of the best,” said Stacey Hengsterman, Special Olympics New York President & CEO. “At the heart of each school’s success are the students with and without intellectual differences who have come together as teammates, friends, and leaders. Thank you, Unified Generation!”

Dr. Robert Zayas, New York State Public High School Athletic Association Executive Director, congratulated the newest schools to earn the recognition. 

“Throughout our state and country, Unified Champions Schools, and especially Banner Schools like these, are changing the way we think about both sports and athletes with disabilities,” he said.