Article submitted by the Fort Bend Education Foundation
FORT BEND ISD (March 11, 2026) - Thinking of creative, all-inclusive ways to engage students with special needs is often challenging, but Fort Bend ISD’s Adaptive P.E. teachers rose to the occasion by presenting the FLaSH Fitness Winter Olympics.
The two-day event, tailored for elementary level FLaSH (Functional Living and School Health) students, began with an Opening Ceremony Parade, followed by afternoon and morning sessions of Winter Olympic activities, and concluded with an Olympic Medal Ceremony. The events took place at Colony Bend Elementary School, which houses all the district’s nearly 27 elementary FLaSH students in five classrooms.
“This event has been an entire year in the making,” Student Support Services Program Manager Alexis Rosales said. “The Adaptive P.E. team started with the idea, then applied for individual teacher grants from the Fort Bend Education Foundation to purchase equipment. They also spent summer professional development days making adaptive curling equipment and working out glitches. The team worked tirelessly to make sure the sports were accessible, fun and unique for our FLaSH students.”
Given the teacher grants, the Adapted P.E. team was able to purchase everything they needed for the two-day event, including adaptive curling sets and hockey equipment, ceremony supplies and decorations, a snow machine and material to modify activities (ramps, level, and PVC pipes).
The team also received an FBEF Founder’s Grant that funded their “Innovation Station: Makerspace for Accessibility and Inclusion” project. With over $19,975 in funding, they purchased 3D printers, laser cutters and circuit cutting machines, and other supplies needed to create Makerspaces.
“For the Olympic event, we used the 3D printers to make items for the sensory station,” Rosales added. “We printed Olympic rings, snowboards, skis, ski boots and other items that would heighten students’ senses when touched.”
Contributing to the event’s set up were Colony Bend Elementary’s art teachers, students and parents (who created the poster designs and decorations), and the Assistive Technology staff (that set up all power-driven devices to ensure that equipment operated smoothly).
Other than an initial test run on the tabletop curling station, the FLaSH Fitness Winter Olympics was the first time the FLaSH students used the equipment.
“We feel this was a great way to provide an elevated P.E. experience for our most vulnerable and least mobile students,” FBISD Adaptive P.E. teacher Laura Rivers said. “The overall event provided a unified learning experience for both FLaSH and General Education students by stimulating them in ways beyond their typical patterns.”
Given the enthusiastic cheers and applause from event spectators as students completed each station, FBISD’s FLaSH students have proven that they are all champions!
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