Student Opportunities

Students in Johnston’s Special Education program have multiple opportunities for educational development, skill-building, physical activity, social interactions and more! Read more about them below.

Johnston Launch ProgramIMG 6023 scaled

The Johnston Launch Program, formerly known as Johnston High School’s 4+ program, is an integrated program designed for students who receive special education services from the age of 18-21. Students attending this program will work on living, learning and working through their Individual Education Plan (IEP). Students will learn what it is like to take care of an apartment, stay clean, do laundry,  cook basic meals and more. This program will be housed in the northwest wing the District Office through Door 4. This is the former entrance to Wallace Elementary. The renovation will also include two additional classrooms to accommodate students as they work on living, learning and working.

Johnston Therapeutic Program

The Johnston Therapeutic Program for students in grades K-8 has an emphasis on social, emotional, behavioral and mental health (SEBMH) support and skills, in addition to academic instruction at students’ grade level. Renovations in the southeast wing of the District Office finished in August 2024. The newly remodeled space can accommodate four classrooms with a maximum of six students in each classroom to support individual needs. Each classroom has a teacher and an associate, along with a behavior interventionist and mental health specialist. A sensory room was also added, giving students a safe space to take a break and reset during the school day

Special Olympics

Special Olympics is a global sports moment to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. Our students love participating in various Special Olympics competitions!

Best Buddies

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For individuals with this community, Best Buddies helps them form meaningful friendships with their peers, provides social mentoring and offers leadership development opportunities while improving the quality of life of its participants.

Here are a few fun Best Buddies events:
  • Glow Dance
  • Tie Dye & Chalk
  • Best Buddies Friendship Walk
  • Blank Park Zoo Event and MORE

Unified Sports

Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program integrating students of all abilities. Since its beginning in 1989, Special Olympics’ Unified Sports has joined people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same sports team, promoting social inclusion through shared training and competition experiences. Johnston’s Unified Sports team began in 2025.
Sports with unified sports team at Johnston are:
  • Basketball
  • Track & Field

Check out this news coverage!

Dragon Games

The Johnston Community School District hosts a one-of-a-kind field day for special needs students each year for the past nine years. In the process, the event has gone on to even inspire traditional students, who help with the event, to pursue careers in special education. In 2026, Johnston will celebrate ten years of Dragon Games!
Thanks to AKC Marketing for putting together this great video highlighting the fun!

Best Buddies

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For individuals with this community, Best Buddies helps them form meaningful friendships with their peers, provides social mentoring and offers leadership development opportunities while improving the quality of life of its participants.

Here are a few fun Best Buddies events:
  • Glow Dance
  • Tie Dye & Chalk
  • Best Buddies Friendship Walk
  • Blank Park Zoo Event and MORE

Peer Art & Peer PE (Physical Education)

Peer art and Peer PE in special education is a way for students with disabilities to create art snd participate in physical activity with their peers. This class helps students within a general education classroom gain empathy and understand a variety of peoples needs and helps our special education students reach their social skill goals.

Dragon Cart

489549753 1205242384934792 2357197946707960277 nDragon Cart is a collaboration with the Johnston Middle School Special Education Department, Best Buddies and Culinary 1. Teachers can place an order weekly for a refreshment and sweet treat. Several culinary students bake the sweet treat, while special education students organize the carts and get the drinks ready for delivery, and Best Buddies help with deliveries.

Sparkle Cheer

Sparkle Cheer is an inclusive cheerleading team for students who receive special education services at Johnston. They perform at home football and basketball games. The past two years, Sparkle Cheer has had the opportunity to perform at the Iowa Girls Basketball State Tournament. Each member of the Sparkle Cheer squad is paired up with a varsity cheerleader. The varsity cheerleaders perform by their sides all while making sure they feel comfortable and are having fun.