Physical Education Info from PE Central

Fit Kids Bill Update

2007-10-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

To review the descriptions and summaries of the House and Senate Fit Kid bill go to the American Heart Association website.

Exergaming is here!

2007-10-25T09:58:00.000-04:00

Check out this article about exergaming in physical education classes in the Rochester, NY Democrat and Chronicle.

Kids get fit as gym classes pump up video games

Come teach PE in Alaska!

2007-10-18T09:32:00.000-04:00

Come and teach in Alaska! The Anchorage School District will be adding an additional thirty minutes per week of physical education to it’s elementary P.E. Program in 2008-2009. ASD will be hiring approximately 30 new teachers! If you are interested, now is the time to begin surfing their website http://www.asdk12.org/ and checking the requirements. The starting salary for a B.Ed. Degree is $41,266. Starting salary for a Masters Degree is $46,068. If you will be graduating at semester or are available now, we are in desperate need of qualified Physical Education substitutes. (We even have an unfilled elementary position right now.) The best way to get a full-time contract in our school district is to first be a substitute and network with teachers and principals. Substitute teachers are paid $120/day. If you substitute for 20 continuous days, your pay increases retroactively to $140/day. I am a 22-year veteran with the district and want to see quality teaching continue. You can contact me (Kim Rampmeyer) for general questions about Anchorage or the district at "rampmeyer_kim@asdk12.org". If you have specific hiring questions you may want to contact our Physical Education supervisor at "vaissiere_sharon@asdk12.org" or the Human Resources Department at the website mentioned above.

DASH to Release SHPPS Study on Friday, October 19, 2007

2007-10-18T08:53:00.001-04:00

The Division of Adolescent School Health (DASH) of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention is releasing results from the 2006 School
Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) on Friday, October 19. That
morning DASH's SHPPS website (www.cdc.gov/SHPPS) will be updated to
include the following: a link to the Journal of School Health articles,
fact sheets, a state-level summary document, questionnaires, analytic
data files and technical documentation, and archives of previous SHPPS
studies.

New $12,000 Grants for Physical Education Announced

2007-10-13T03:23:00.000-04:00

Energy Now!, an alliance comprised of leading authorities in the physical education, nutrition and fitness technology fields, including NASPE/AAHPERD, recently announced the availability of physical education grants valued at more than $12,000 to help middle schools in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York combat childhood obesity through aresults-based program. The pilot program will award 10 grants in December 2007. The deadline is November 12, 2007. To apply for the Energy Now! grant, visit www.energynow.com. The $12,000 grant package includes:

* $2,500 in cash to purchase physical education equipment to meet the
needs of your school's physical education program

* Quality Physical Education Package (National Standards for Physical
Education, Opportunity to Learn Standards, Appropriate Practices for
Physical Education, Standards-Based Assessment of Student Learning,
Creating Rubrics for Physical Education, Assessing Heart Rate in Physical Education, National Standards for Physical Education Poster, and Positive Physical Education Poster)

* Physical Education Assessment Tools (10 Polar E600 Heart Rate
Monitors, 1 Polar Infrared Interface, 1 Polar Companion Pocket PC, 1
Polar TriFIT assessment CD, 1 Polar PE Manager Software CD, 1 Polar
Classroom Management System, 20-30 pedometers)

* Bridges to Wellness: Connecting School Meals and Classroom Learning, a
set of interactive, nutrition education lessons for students in grades 5-10 (the grade 9-10 lessons are also appropriate for grades 11-12; lessons for grades P-4 are not yet available)

* NASPE/AAHPERD Institutional Membership for one year (school membership for up to four physical education teachers in the same school)

* EnergyNow! Professional Development Workshop - 3 days in New York City area (Lake Success, NY); please note that your school must agree to send the physical education teacher who is the lead on the EnergyNow! grant and pay for all travel-related costs associated with the workshop (e.g., mileage, lodging, meals except lunch); your school is encouraged to send up to three individuals (e.g., school technology coordinator, additional physical education teachers)

* Professional development and evaluation support for physical education
and technical support for use of pedometers from NASPE during the grant
period via periodic conference calls and web seminars; professional
consultation via phone; and consultant participation on the EnergyNow!
Network blog

* Professional consultation via phone on nutrition education and Bridges
to Wellness lessons from SNA during the grant period

* Polar to provide technical support for Polar hardware and software
during and following the grant period via phone and "Live Chat" online
customer service

Eligibility requirements include state certification requirements for
physical education teachers, a standards-based curriculum, and an
agreement to participate in various grant activities and professional
development trainings throughout the grant period.

The EnergyNow! alliance includes NASPE, the School Nutrition Foundation,
and Polar.

Visit www.energynow.com to apply for the special grants program before November 12, 2007!

New Nutrition and PE Bill Introduced in Senate

2007-10-05T10:28:00.000-04:00

Sen. Barack Obama has introduced a bill regarding school nutrition standards and physical education in schools (called: Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007). This bill helps to highlight the importance of healthier school nutrition environments and stronger physical education programs.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:1:./temp/~c110RZI5PX::

Recess Rules Report

2007-10-05T10:26:00.000-04:00

The Recess Rules Report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is now available.

http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=20591&catid=15&typeid=136

At the bottom of the web page, you can download the PDF

Lego Group -- Lego Children's Fund

2007-10-03T08:29:00.000-04:00

The Lego Group is accepting applications for its Lego Children's Fund grant program. The purpose of the program is to support projects that improve learning, sport, and athletic opportunities for underserved youth. Award amounts are $500-$5,000. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organizations.

Deadline: November 1, 2007 (4th Quarter)

Contact the Lego Group grant program directly for complete program information and application guidelines:

http://www.legochildrensfund.org/Guidelines.html

Kmart is hosting a photo/video contest kids for keeping fit

2007-10-03T06:27:00.000-04:00

Kmart is hosting a photo and video contest and rewarding kids for keeping fit! Encourage the parents of your students to enter- deadline is October 20th!

Steps to Stardom:

1. Show how your kid(s) keeps fit.
2. Send Kmart a photo or video of your kid(s) playing soccer, dancing, hula hooping- the sky's the limit!
3. Invite friends and family to vote online.
4. Your kid could be in a Kmart commercial!

Visit http://newdaykidsway.com/ for more information and to enter the contest!

Federal Measure Would Amend No Child Left Behind Act to Prioritize PE, Prevent Obesity

2007-09-24T14:27:00.000-04:00

In an effort to reduce childhood obesity by strengthening schools’ physical education requirements, federal legislators recently proposed an amendment to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the Chattanoogan reports. The Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), would require the government to measure schools’ progress toward meeting PE targets established by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specifically, the amendment would promote 150 minutes of PE per week for elementary school students and 225 minutes of PE per week for middle and high school students...

Continue here...

State of Ohio to Have State PE Standards!

2007-09-11T10:56:00.000-04:00

Ohio is about to become the 49th state to have state standards for physical education (Iowa is the only remaining state without PE standards).

At the state board's monthly meeting in Columbus yesterday, Department of Education officials suggested that the board meet the Dec. 31 deadline by adopting standards recommended by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. In addition, department officials said a panel including physical-education teachers should be assembled to develop detailed guidelines for the board's consideration next year. The board is expected to go along with that plan later this year.

S&S Worldwide Launches New PE Superstore Web Site

2007-08-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

S&S Worldwide launched its newest Internet site http://pe.ssww.com to support Physical Education Professionals in their goal to reduce childhood obesity. Joining forces with PE Central, the premier Web site for Physical Education Professionals, S&S has combined appropriate lessons and physical education equipment on the new site (http://pe.ssww.com).

Mark Manross, Executive Director of PE Central, “Our Web site contains well over a thousand lesson ideas to assist K-12 physical educators providing quality learning experiences for their students. From http://pe.ssww.com you can link directly to the PE Central Web site. We are extremely pleased to work with S&S as our primary sponsor.”

Hy Schwartz, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “S&S is proud to sponsor PE Central. We are excited to provide an Internet platform to enable physical educators to expand their knowledge base and support them with the products they need to expand their programs and implement a wide variety of developmentally appropriate lessons and innovative programs. At S&S, improving the social fabric within our communities is our mission statement. The pe.ssww.com web site is another example of S&S responding to the needs of our partners in the education profession. Now, S&S is pleased to link the excellent resources on PE Central, especially the developmentally appropriate lessons and programs, and the innovative products necessary to implement those programs.”

S&S, a worldwide distributor of physical education equipment, launched pe.ssww.com on August 1, 2007.

PE Everyday in Florida not Funded!

2007-08-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

Elementary school students in Florida will have a mandated 30 minutes of physical education every day when they return to class in a few weeks. Gov. Charlie Crist signed the school fitness legislation into law in May. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that state legislators did not allocate money to schools for the new requirement, but the state's Department of Education does offer more information about the legislation online.

Under the new law, the structured time must develop skills related to strength, agility, flexibility, nutrition and teamwork, the Sun-Sentinel reported. Dance is one of the activities approved to fulfill Florida‚s requirement. Free play at recess does not qualify, according to the newspaper.

We might have modern or folk dance and bring in a guest dance teacher to show me and the kids how to do it, Ulrich Vernachio, a teacher at South Olive Elementary, told the newspaper. The law allows a variety of instructors, including guidance counselors, school psychologists, substitutes, librarians and media specialists. Teachers do not need to be certified in physical education!!

Besides dancing, students at South Olive also will bowl, play tennis and run. The Palm Beach County School District plans to help meet the new requirement by broadcasting a fitness program DVD through the district‚s cable station, The Education Network, the newspaper reported.

Harry Potter PE lesson idea on PE Central Article

2007-08-08T12:39:00.000-04:00

Nice article in Athletic Business has recently appeared about the Harry Potter lesson idea published on PE Central.

Harry Potter and the Fifth-Hour Gym Class
http://athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=1578&zoneid=35

Access to the actual lesson idea on PE Central:
Quidditch (Harry Potter Style!)

2007-07-30T11:33:00.000-04:00

As of July 25, 2007, the website of the Center on Educational Policy provides the report of their just completed study of the impact of NCLB on the distribution of Instructional Time. The sample is large and the data are stratified in some interesting and useful ways. Some of the results will not be surprising (the big hits go to social studies, science, art & music, recess, lunch, and physical education). Some of the detail, however, may be much more interesting -- not least of which is their concluding recommendation to increase time for art and music, but not physical education.

Click on the NCLB link on left side and then find the report called: "Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era".

Going the Extra Mile: Nice Success Store

2007-07-24T06:47:00.000-04:00

It is always nice to see and hear about success stories in the physical education classroom. Below is such a story sent to us by a physical educator in Miami, FL. Thanks for sharing and congrats!

"Michelle, an elementary student at my school in Miami, Florida, showed no interest in physical education class. She was withdrawn and lacked any concept of teamwork and camaraderie. Once her friends joined the Mileage Club, however, she began to wonder what she was missing. She prodded me daily to let her join, but first she had to promise me that she would adhere to the program requirements. She jumped up and down with an ear-to-ear grin, which was the most enthusiasm I had ever seen from her.

I was honestly surprised that Michelle kept her commitment—arriving an hour before school starts, completing the mile walk/run, and participating in the post-run exercise three times a week. What surprised me even more was the change in her demeanor at school. Her self-esteem improved immediately, which naturally drew other students toward her. She went from an outcast to an outgoing, fun-loving person with a more mature outlook on life. Her mother thanked me after witnessing the change in her daughter’s exercise habits and overall happiness.

Michelle is one of more than 100 members of the Mileage Club at my school each year. There are dozens of stories as rewarding as hers. Structure and consistency are essential components of this national program, but a few simple enhancements help its success go the extra mile.

The post-run exercise, for example, targets different areas of the body and gives students an even greater sense of accomplishment than running the mile alone. I also conduct an annual track-and-field event at the school so students can apply what they’ve practiced in a competitive scenario. I enter them into a cross-country meet at a local middle school to broaden their experience with other runners. I encourage them to participate in regional 5K running events, many of which benefit charitable causes, which imparts a strong sense of community and philanthropy. Many parents participate in Mileage Club and 5K running events, which strengthens family bonds and reinforces the students’ newfound commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

With childhood obesity a well-known epidemic, programs like the Mileage Club stress the importance of overall fitness, which leads to overall wellbeing. Beyond slimmer waistlines and improved health, the benefits in terms of self-esteem, motivation, responsibility, and many other areas of personal growth are tremendous. If your school does not presently have a Mileage Club, I strongly encourage you to take the initiative and run with it!"

Erika Winston
Elementary PE Teacher, Miami, FL

NASPE's Online PE Guidelines Now Available!

2007-07-15T10:46:00.001-04:00

The NASPE Initial Guidelines for Online Physical Education is available on the NASPE website under the Publications pull-down and then under Position Statements (it’s the first one listed under PE). This is an excellent document that will help anyone teaching or planning on participating in any online PE course.

http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm?template=position-papers.html

2007 PEP Grant Recipient List

2007-06-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2007 PEP Grant Awards!

Click here to see the full list of winners!

PEP Bill Funding for 2008 News

2007-06-18T08:43:00.000-04:00

The House subcommittee marked up their bill yesterday and included level funding for the PEP program in FY 2008. This is great news coming from the House.

Florida Mandated to Get More PE!

2007-05-21T15:03:00.000-04:00

Good news!

Elementary school students must have at least a half-hour of physical education each day under a bill signed Thursday by health-conscious Gov. Charlie Crist.

Crist and state lawmakers say the requirement, which takes effect with the new school year in August, can help prevent childhood obesity and related health problems. A state task force found in 2003 that millions of schoolchildren were at risk for Type 2 diabetes and other ailments because of poor exercise and nutrition habits.

Read more here...

Another article here...

More Kudos about the Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge!

2007-05-13T11:17:00.000-04:00

The Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge came to an end last week. We are receiving rave reviews about the program. Thanks to our friends at the Coleman Company for making this happen. We look forward to working with them in the future. Here are some more positive comments about the program. Remember you can still track Mike's progress as he actually will attempt to summit Everest soon.

"Thank you!! It was a great experience for many of my students. ...not as many has I had hoped for, but I did all I could to encourage them to exercise, learn about Mount Everest, and track the progress of Mike. I love all you do for Physical Education.....your web site PE Central, the PEC Challenge and the Everest Challenge. My school is doing an Olympic theme, next year, so I will look forward to your activities that will encourage the kids to set goals, be fit, and do their personal best."

"Thanks to all of you at Coleman for this innovative lesson. It was a good experience for the students and teachers. It helped to motivated students to being more active on a daily basis. Good Job!!!"

"This was a great idea and I applaud the Coleman Co. for their efforts to motivate kids to healthy activities. I did not hear of the program until 48 hours before the registration cut-off, so my school's participation was rather limited. If you have another program next year, and I hope you will, put me on your list to be notified at the beginning."

"It was a great challenge and my 6th graders really got into it. I hope you can do another challenge next year."

Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge Kudos

2007-05-01T08:31:00.000-04:00

We are receiving a lot of great comments from teachers about the 2007 Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge. Here are a few of those comments:

"Hello to you at PE Central. I just wanted you to know how much are school is enjoying the Mt. Everest Challenge. All my 4th and 5th graders have logged in and are recording their activities. The 4th grade teachers have even taken it to another level. The are using it to reinforce their science curriculum and to raise money for a community service project. This project will help bring water into homes in a small community. There is a large mountain that provides water to the area, but the people do not have easy access to it. A wonderful teacher here, she is from the US, started bringing basics (blankets) to these people two years ago. The support has grown, but this 4th grade project in conjunction with the Mt. Everest Challenge will benefit the men, women and children even more. Thank you for the Challenge. It has motivated our students both physically, mentally and consciously."

"I am delighted to inform you that my class loves logging on each day and adding the minutes of activity they participate in. They can view a map with their own actual progress up the mountain."

"Our students are enjoying the virtual experience with Mike. This was a great motivator. As we continue with our virtual climb, please send our best wishes to Mike, Casey and any others who are climbing."

"I teach 2nd grade. My class is so enjoying the website, the adventure, and the communications. You asked if people had bulletin boards set up, etc. We have a chart with Everest information and facts, pictures, etc. Also, I have a chart so kids can track their progress on the chart as well as the internet. The whole project was a big hit at Open House."

To keep in touch with Mike's progress up Mount Everest go here:

www.colemaneverest.com

Thanks,

Mark Manross
PE Central

Tragedy at Virginia Tech Campus

2007-04-18T21:11:00.000-04:00

Some unthinkable events took place at the Virginia Tech Campus here in Blacksburg, VA this week resulting in the loss of 33 people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who tragically and senselessly lost their lives.

We thank all of the folks who have contacted us to make sure everyone at PE Central is OK. We will hopefully get back to updating the site on a more regular basis soon. Thanks for your patience.

Mark Manross, Executive Director, and the entire PE Central Family

Last day to register for the Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge

2007-04-18T21:07:00.000-04:00

We wanted to remind everyone that all registrations (teachers and students) will close for the Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge on Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 8PM Eastern USA standard time. If you are a registered teacher and you want your students to be able to log their physical activity and virtually climb to the Everest Summit you must get your students to register by that time. You will not be able to register any student after that time, not even through your teacher UN and PW.

colemaneverest.pecentral.org

thanks

Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge Web site Finished

2007-04-10T08:48:00.000-04:00

As you know we have been working hard on finishing the Coleman Everest 5.5 Challenge. Well, we have finished the site and we are very proud of it and we are excited to let you know that your students can now log their steps and/or minutes. You and your students can register now up until April 19, 2007. This is a 30-day virtual hike where students (upper elementary, middle, and high school) virtually climb to the summit of Mount Everest by being physically active. They must be active 20 of the 30 days for at least 60 minutes or 10,000 steps or a combination of both. There is a very cool map that shows their progress up the mountain and they can take the an Everest Question of the Day which will allow them to learn about the region. They can also follow the journey of Mike Haugen, an 8th grade science teacher as he actually climbs the mountain. Registration for kids and teachers for this 30-day hike ends on April 19, 2007. The hike is completely over on May 11, 2007.

http://colemaneverst.pecentral.org

You can follow Mike Haugen's actual journey here:

http://www.colemaneverest.com

This is really fun. I really am enjoying following Mikes progress myself. Hope you can join us.

Mark Manross
Exec. Director, PEC