IAHPERD Update
Ben Robison, President | February 2016
President's Welcome
The Iowa AHPERD Executive Board and Legislative Council has been working very hard to tackle some big tasks for our Organization. If, at any time, you should have any questions, comments, or feedback, please do not hesitate to pass those along to us (contact information is below). I wish you all a great end to your Winter!
Best,
Ben
Ben Robison, President: benrobison@ccaschools.org
Jennifer Peterson, Past President: petersonj@oskycsd.org
Jodi Larson, President-Elect: jodi.larson@ankenyschools.org
Executive Directors, Jan Grenko Lehman: grenko.jan@iowacityschools.org
& Jennifer Schnell: jschnell@cr.k12.ia.us
Upcoming Events
MARCH 1 & 2: Speak Out! Day, Washington D.C. (http://www.shapeamerica.org/events/speakoutday/)
APRIL 5-9: SHAPE America Convention, Minneapolis MN (http://www.shapeamerica.org/events/convention2016)
APRIL 17: IAHPERD Executive Board & Legislative Council Meetings, Tiffin
JUNE 21 & 22: IAHPERD Annual Convention, Indianola (Information Below)
IAHPERD Membership
Why Join?
Networking: IAHPERD is Iowa’s largest network of Health, Physical Education, and Adaptive Physical Education Professionals.
Professional Development: IAHPERD provides PD opportunities specifically for Iowa’s Health and Physical Education community.
Access to Grants: IAHPERD provides equipment grants annually for its members to boost their programs!
Travel Opportunities: As a new initiative, IAHPERD is awarding travel scholarships to members for Professional Development opportunities!
Convention: IAHPERD hosts an annual convention, Iowa’s largest event for Health and Physical Education Professionals!
Scholarships: IAHPERD awards scholarships annually for future Health and Physical Education Professionals.
Advocacy: IAHPERD serves as the voice of our Profession at the local, state, and national levels! A strong membership provides powerful advocacy!
Recognition: Among other awards give, IAHPERD honors outstanding professional members with Teacher of the Year Awards, given annually.
FIRST YEAR MEMBERSHIP IS FREE!
Spring 2016 IAHPERD Student Workshop
If you are interested in helping with Workshop, please contact Jennifer Peterson (petersonj@oskycsd.org) or Jodi Larson (jodi.larson@ankenyschools.org)
Notes from the Executive Directors
Currently, we are working with Deb Stephenson to revise and update the IAHPERD Operating Code. This 70-page document contains our Bylaws and job descriptions of the various duties within IAHPERD. We have met at least once a week for several months to revise each duty so that it aligns with a new proposed structure. We anticipate an increase in membership involvement with this new structure. There will be numerous standing committees, which each will have a specific focus to further our efforts in promoting the health and well-being of our state. We are currently in the editing process and expect to have a revised document by April for review and approval in June by our membership.
In addition to the Operating Code, we continue to correspond with individuals across the country to see what other states are doing and finding ways to keep pace with other states. Both of us plan to attend the SHAPE America National Convention in Minneapolis. We will attend meetings on behalf of IAHPERD that range from finance to legislative actions such as the new ESSA Act (Every Student Succeeds Act) and what that means for Iowa since PEP grants have been eliminated.
Jan Grenko Lehman and Jennifer Schnell
Joint Projects Update
Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) and Hoops For Heart (HFH) are national education and fundraising programs jointly sponsored by SHAPE America and the American Heart Association. They promote physical education and provide children with knowledge of heart disease and stroke while raising funds for cardiovascular disease research, stroke research, and health education.
Every JRFH or HFH coordinator that conducts an event receives educational materials and lesson plans that focus on heart disease and stroke related prevention such as heart attack and stroke warning signs, the importance of physical activity, and an anti-tobacco message. Beyond the educational materials, teachers also receive jump ropes to use in their classrooms and have the opportunity to earn US GAMES certificates to purchase new physical education equipment for their programs.
You too can make a difference – sign up to hold a JRFH or HFH event in your school: http://www.shapeamerica.org/jump/getInvolved/index.cfm
Please contact me Margaretbeuter@gmail.com and I can assist you with getting your students involved in being HEART HEALTHY!
Teaching PhysEd in China
Teaching Physical Education in China
Betsy Luck
IAHPERD Webmaster
Oskaloosa Middle School PE
From July 11 - 21 I had the opportunity to travel to China along with my husband, Kelly, and our 9 year old son Reid. This opportunity came through the relationship that the Oskaloosa School District has with Shijiazhuang School of Foreign Language. First a little background information. Every summer, the school holds this camp for their students to continue to improve their English speaking skills. In the past several years Oskaloosa CSD has sent several groups of students and teachers to Shijiazhuang School of Foreign Language to observe and participate in classes as well as Chinese students and teachers coming to our school to do the same. When a group of Oskaloosa students and teachers traveled to the school in the Spring of 2015 the discussion started about the upcoming Summer Camp. This years focus was Math and Physical Education for daily activity for the students. My name was then brought into the mix. I was approached as soon as the group returned from China about this opportunity for this summer. I could not pass up this opportunity.
Every morning for the week, my husband (who is a middle school Social Studies teacher and coach) and I team taught both Oral English classes and Physical Education classes to 7th graders. We had the privilege of meeting and teaching alongside seven teachers (three Physical Education teachers along with Math and Language Arts teachers) from the St. Mary’s Catholic School in Waterloo, Ontario. There were around 200 seventh grade students attending this summer camp. During the school year there are on average 1,200 students enrolled at the school per grade level. The goal of the Oral English classes are to help the students improve conversational English. Using various Lit PE activities we worked on these skills in a different way than these students have ever seen. As for the Physical Education classes we were able to create many new experiences that many of the students have never had before. Frisbee skills, Capture the Flag, team building games, Football skills, Dynamic warm-ups, 4x100 track relay and the biggest activity of all Line dancing!!! We taught 3 different classes several dances including: The Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide and The Wobble. These students had never danced ever at school before. It was the talk on their social media throughout the week. On the final day we were at the school we had all 200 students in the middle commons of the school all doing the line dances together.
What we learned from this wonderful opportunity. Middle school students are the same from Oskaloosa, Iowa to Shijiazhuang, China. They want to have new experiences, learn new things and enjoy being with their friends. I asked one student at the end of the week what their favorite activity was, her response was, “Capture!”, when I asked why she responded, “because it was fun and taught us how to work together to achieve a goal”. I couldn’t have asked for anything better after the week. The teachers from the school were fantastic and we look forward to going back in a few years to continue these friendships.2016 IAHPERD Convention
WE WANT YOU! We have 50 presentation slots available and we want to showcase the best teachers Iowa has! Please submit your session proposals at:tinyurl.com/IAHPERDProposal. Submissions will be accepted through March 1, 2016. Please help us spread the word, by inviting one of your colleagues to register AND submit a proposal!
Fuel Up to Play 60 Rewards Summit
The 2016 Fuel Up to Play 60 Rewards Summit will be held at University of Iowa on April, 26! Participants will get to have a once in a lifetime experience:
· Participating in Skills and Drills at Kinnick Stadium
· Interacting with University of Iowa Student-Athletes
· Touring the Locker Rooms and press box area
· Interacting with a dairy farmer from Iowa
· Having a visit from Herky
· And More!!!
To be eligible to be chosen for this experience, schools much reach Touchdown Status by March 1, 2016. Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council, Midwest Dairy Council and the NFL in collaboration with the USDA. This program encourages students to eat healthy and stay physically active in their schools and communities. It’s not too late to complete your six steps at www.FuelUptoPlay60.com! If you would like some helpful tips, please contact Jen Ransom at jransom@midwestdairy.com. We hope to see you in April!!!
Community Health Update
Connecting to the Community
Brian Pins, Waverly
As teachers we are constantly trying to connect abstract concepts and theories with real-life experiences for our students. One of the best things about physical education and health is that our students consistently able to experience what they are being taught. Not just learn about it, but actually get to feel and live the lessons.
In my time with IAHPERD, I have constantly tried promoting ways in which teachers can take advantage of community connections to enhance classroom learnings. This article is going to talk about a connection with the Iowa Department of Public Health1, specifically the Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control. I have outlined how teachers and school districts can utilize their local county community partnerships to provide valuable learnings for students.
County Community Partnerships (CP): Each county has a contact that works with the Iowa Department of Public health to implement best practices in tobacco use prevention and control within their county. Click here to find your local contact. CPs are charged with making connections and offering resources and assistance for programming at the county school districts.
Iowa Students for Tobacco Education and Prevention (ISTEP): Youth-led groups2 in schools throughout Iowa to promote a nicotine-free lifestyle to their peers and raise awareness in their community. This program provides countless experiences in health education, leadership, policy making and public speaking. Students who participate begin to find their voice, develop critical thinking skills and are allowed the opportunity to grow their individual beliefs as they are involved in something bigger than themselves. To find a chapter near you or to request further information, contact your local county partnership.
School District Considerations: Your local CP can analyze school district policies and make recommendations that reflect best practices3 and prevent loop holes with new nicotine products on the market.
With February being American Heart Month4 and tobacco use as a significant cause of heart disease5, don’t forget about participating in Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart. These are great programs that allow students the opportunity to raise funds to helps support others. Last year Iowa had 667 schools that participated in an American Heart Association event and raised $1,817,884.
Helping students find connections to their communities can seem daunting. Try focusing on connections that enhance what you are currently doing or fill a void within your curriculum. Helping students experience what they are learning will deepen their understanding and build lasting skills.
Resources:
4. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
5. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/heart_disease/
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The U.S. Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015, reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
This bipartisan legislation replaces No Child Left Behind as the federal education legislation that funds and provides the framework for elementary and secondary education in the United States.
ESSA Quick Facts
- School health and physical education are identified as part of a student's "well-rounded" education.
- School districts will be able to access funding from Title I, Title II and Title IV through their state department of education.
- Funding previously allocated to school districts through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program from the U.S. Department of Education will no longer exist. The funding available in the block grants through Title IV will replace the PEP grant funding.
- ESSA funding for Titles I, II and IV will begin to flow to states on July 1, 2016. The regulatory and implementation process for accessing funding will be developed throughout the first half of 2016 by the U.S. Department of Education and Congress. SHAPE America will keep members updated as this process progresses.
Be sure to check out SHAPE America's website for webinars and other resources regarding ESSA!