PE Advocacy - Get Parents Involved!

Parents are a key group for you to engage as you promote your physical education program. It is important that parents understand the issues that surround childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles, but also that your PE program plays a role in combatting these issues.

Keep in mind that many parents' only experience with PE while growing up may have been negative. It is important that we let them know how far PE has come, and that your PE program is helping to build a foundation of health and fitness that their child will take with them for a lifetime.

Phil Lawler always used to say, "There is nothing more powerful than a group of passionate moms!" It is time to get these "moms" on your side!

John Baker, Physical Education teacher from Hanawalt Elementary School in the Des Moines Public School District, shares examples of advocacy tactics that have been successful in his program.

In this video clip, Mr. Baker discusses how he advocates to parents. He says it is important to engage parents in an on-going basis to ensure that PE is always on the front burner in discussions.



Tips:

Create a partnership with parents and let them know you are there to support whatever endeavor they are working on. You can begin doing this by joining the PTA.

Invite parents in to participate and volunteer in the physical education classroom, especially during fitness testing so they are aware of the crisis at hand.

Host regular family activities that parents and children can participate in together.

Engage parents on an on-going basis to ensure PE is always on the front burner in discussions.

Mr. Baker’s PE Program has been selected as a PE4life Model Site in Iowa. Mr. Baker was the IAHPERD President 1998-2001, IAHPERD PE Teacher of the Year in 2005 and IAHPERD Honor Recipient in 2004.

Watch for additional video clips coming soon that highlight Mr. Baker’s physical education advocacy efforts with administrators , policy makers and state-level decision makers.

NOTE: The KidStriders program that Mr. Baker discusses is a great program for schools. You can learn more about it here: www.iowakidstrong.com

Funding Opp that can Jumpstart your PE Program!

PE4life is excited to partner with the Churchill Family Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide a one-time partial scholarship to an Introductory Workshop at the PE4life Academy Training Center in Titusville, PA.

In 2006, a school from Tonganoxie, Kansas registered to attend a PE4life Academy Training in Titusville. They chose to attend Titusville because it was similar to their community in terms of size and school demographics. We were pleased to receive this update on their progress.

Hi Tim,

It’s been awhile since we have communicated and I thought it was about time we give you a P.E. update. Since we returned from visiting you in 2006, we have made great strides in unifying our physical education department. We presented to the board about our experience in Titusville and started envisioning what a future physical education program in Tonganoxie should look like. Tim, we are almost there!!!

We continued to discuss improvements and grant possibilities with our administrators. We were able to get help with a district-hired grant writer who had never even heard of the PEP grant. We gave her all kinds of information and we came up with a plan to collect data the following school year. Hopefully, you noticed that we were awarded the PEP grant in 2009. We named our PEP grant "Kansas Adventures" and focused on activities families could do in Kansas. Kids could learn about those activities then encourage their family to get involved. We concentrated on hiking, walking, and CPR/First Aid (high school) the first year, climbing and high adventure (high school) and bicycling the third year.

We now have a fitness room in each building, climbing walls in every gym with a high adventure course in the high school. We have added one full time P.E. teacher in each building giving us a total of 3 teachers per building which allowed us to add classes at the high school and help to address the overcrowded classes at the middle and elementary school. The third teacher at the elementary school has also been able to add a health curriculum for all students and is able to meet twice a month with each class for a standardized health lesson.

We have implemented Wel-Pro, a web-based tracking system for fitness tests so we can keep student information continuous through their years at Tonganoxie schools. We have written a guide for giving fitness tests in our district so that all of us use the same equipment in the same way and all of the testing can have accurate annual comparisons.

We are currently planning our bicycling strategy for year 3 and our district is hoping to pass a bond issue in April for a second elementary school. With administrator approval, there is a fitness room included in the plans as well as a gym that was enlarged to have 3 teaching spaces (3 cross-courts).

As I looked at the new building plans, I couldn't help but think it all started with a trip to Titusville, and the support of our administration believing in us. Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to see your program and know that you still continue to have an impact on our physical education program.

Together in physical education, sincerely,

Ursula Kissinger
Tonganoxie Elementary School
Tonganoxie, KS

Congratulations Tonganoxie School District! Keep up the great work!

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Churchill Family Fund PE4life Introductory Workshop Scholarship
Deadline to Apply: Friday, February 25, 2011
How to Apply: Fill out and submit this application following the directions on the form.

The Titusville Area School District (Titusville, PA) has been recognized as a PE4life Academy. PE4life Academies are exemplary physical education programs that open their doors to others in efforts to inspire and paint a picture of quality programming. If representatives from your school are interested in attending an Introductory Workshop at a PE4life Academy, contact Rachelle Gardner at rgardner@pe4life.org or 816-472-7345.

Learn more about PE4life Academies and our Support Services here.

Time for a shout out!

We’re fortunate enough to have a number of ROCK STAR physical education professionals on the PE4life team. Combined, they have well over a century of PE experience. Their programs have been recognized in media outlets, big and small. Their programs are innovative, fitness-based and let’s not forget – FUN! We’ll just say it; our Academy Directors are pretty stinkin’ cool. We think it’s time we introduce them to you, one by one, starting with PE4life Academy Training Center at Grundy Center’s very own, Rick Schupbach.

If you geek out on PE the way us PE4lifers do, you’ve probably seen Grundy Center in the news lately. It hosted the 2010 Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy, where the Executive Director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports said about Grundy’s PE program, "this is what every physical education class should be like and look like.” So, what makes Grundy Center’s PE program “perhaps the best in the world” as the article states?  Well there are a number of things, but we’ll only mention three here (for all of them, check out our Core Principles).

First, support from your administration and community is critical. We have to give another huge shout out to Grundy Center School District's Superintendent, John Stevens. John has been a driving force in Grundy Center's program development. Cass Murra, will be taking over as Superintendent next year. She, too, is extremely supportive of the PE program and will play a crucial role in its future.   

Secondly, the use of technology tools to assess students’ fitness levels and progress made. Rick’s program is top of the line in terms of technology and its use of heart rate monitors and assessment equipment.  Partnering with Polar and the University of Northern Iowa, Grundy Center Community Schools is home to the Polar Scholars Graduate Program – students from UNI who come to learn the best practices and methods of incorporating technology into physical education.  

Rick recently said this about the use of technology in PE. "We are a gadget society. We have to tap into a new way of doing business. The medical field does not perform the way it used to. Teachers in other areas are not teaching the way they used to. It is up to us to use technology to bring science into exercise. We can't afford to be guessing on student activity any longer."  (Check out Rick’s 12 Questions for Assessing a PE Program handout from a presentation at a past PE4life Resource Conference presentation for more on assessment.) This leads us to the last criteria – one heck of a PE teacher.
 

We would have liked to interview Rick on his innermost feelings about his passion for PE, but Rick is a very busy man this week (you know, determining the future of PE with the head of the President’s Council and all. Hey, it ain’t easy bein’ that good!). So, we’ll tell you what we know about Rick Schupbach.
 

Rick has twenty-six years of teaching experience in Iowa, 21 years in Grundy Center as an elementary Physical Education instructor. In 1993 he was honored as the Iowa Elementary PE teacher of the year. During his tenure at Grundy Center he has presented at numerous conferences and workshops in the Midwest and nationally. These presentations are highlighted by his featured lesson at National PE Day in Washington D.C., and his presentations at the National PE conference in 2005 and 2007. In 2003 Rick’s program at Grundy Center Elementary School was recognized as the 1st Elementary PE4life Academy Training Center in the nation.
 

Rick pushes for change in the physical education world. He recognizes the need for open-mindedness and innovation and has said this during a presentation “if we continue doing what we have done in the past we will continue to get what we have gotten in the past, to the point of being eliminated from the educational landscape.”

Rick doesn’t just talk the talk. Several years ago, Rick was training for a marathon when he was diagnosed with cancer.  His oncologist said that living his profession literally saved his life.  If he wasn’t in such good physical condition going into his cancer treatments, the result may not have been so good.
 

What more can we say? We're so grateful to have you on board the PE4life train! Congratulations on your program's well-deserved success, Rick! 

Last year, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, toured Grundy Center Elementary School to witness their stellar program in action.

Read about the PE4life Academy Training Center at Grundy Center in the news:
PE plans for the future

SMALL-TOWN SOLUTION: Delegates from 29 countries find inspiration in Grundy Center The school district's P.E. program is among the best in the world.

Fitness council's Pfohl wants to reshape physical education in schools

Leader of President’s Council on Physical Fitness to visit Grundy Center

Grundy Center forum will shape future of PE

Phil Lawler: A Legend and a Friend

February 18, 1950 – April 23, 2010

“It’s about enabling each student to maintain a physically-active lifestyle forever. It means emphasizing fitness and wellbeing, not athleticism. It eliminates practices that humiliate students. And it assesses students on their progress in reaching personal physical activity and fitness goals. A [quality] program exposes kids to the fun and long-term benefits of movement – it’s really that simple.”  -- Phil Lawler

Phil Lawler is and will forever remain a legend in the Physical Education world. Recognized as the leader and voice in the quest for quality Physical Education, Phil believed that every child regardless of athletic ability should be given a chance to find an activity that they can embrace and enjoy for a lifetime.  His vision was the catalyst for the creation of PE4life. His passion was unmatched.  To live a life as Phil did–so devoted to the cause you whole-heartedly believe in–is admirable.

After building his innovative Physical Education program at Madison Jr. High in Naperville, IL, Phil went on to train hundreds of Physical Educators and school officials from across the US and from ten countries worldwide.  Phil’s passion and vision has been shared with countless number of Physical Educators, creating accountability and respect for the profession, changing the way it had been perceived for so long.  His favorite quip, saying he is known as the Rodney Dangerfield of PE “I get no respect.”  Creating a loyal following, Phil’s legacy will live on through the many lives he touched.

PE4life founder, Jim Baugh, recalls being inspired by Phil so many years ago. “When I was President of Wilson Sporting Goods and had the vision for PE4life, I did some research into the ‘state of PE’. Thank goodness I worked in the Chicago area and there was a man and school district where Phil Lawler worked. I spent hours with Phil learning about the “New PE” he envisioned. We quickly hit it off. I knew he knew where PE4life should be focused. Phil was a pioneer, leader, and fighter. He not only had a philosophy and approach, he lived it every day. Phil helped me shape PE4life and also re-shaped PE forever. In many ways, he re-shaped America. He will never be forgotten.”

Phil’s vision went beyond teaching methods and was highly sought after from those in the Fitness, Medical, Research and Sporting Equipment Industries.  Phil was often a consultant to numerous equipment companies in development of cutting-edge products that could be used in PE class.  Phil believed that we should embrace video games and today’s technology rather than blame them for sedentary lifestyles.  Additionally, he helped lead the movement of Learning Readiness PE (LRPE) using exercise to help the learning process.  Working closely with Dr. John Ratey, Harvard Brain Researcher, Phil’s work was highlighted in the book SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

Phil advocated for quality physical education on Capitol Hill numerous times, including helping to write the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Grant, which has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for schools, and presenting in front of a House Sub-Committee in 2007.  Phil was featured on the Academy Award nominated documentary “Super Size Me” and in numerous media outlets including USA Today, the Washington Post, the Today Show, Good Morning America and others.

In addition to his work in Physical Education, Phil was an accomplished and renowned baseball coach at Naperville Central High School.  His many honors include winning the 2006 Illinois State Championship, was the first assistant high school baseball coach inducted into the Illinois High School Coaches Hall of Fame, and most recently had his number (29) retired at Naperville Central’s Varsity Field.

More than just a catalyst for change in the Physical Education world and an inspiration for how to live a fulfilled life, Phil was a friend. We’ll forever be indebted to him for the impact he had on our country’s children and forever grateful for the unwavering friendship he has shown us over the years.

 You will be missed, Phil.

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Visitation for Philip Lawler will be on Thursday, April 29, 2010 from 3:00pm – 8:00pm (Rosary at 7:00pm) at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 2220 Lisson Road, Naperville, IL 60565. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 30, 2010 at 10:00am at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, Naperville, IL.  Interment will follow at Naperville Cemetery, Naperville, IL.

Memorial contributions will be directed to a very special project as defined by Phil and the Lawler family.  Contributions can be made to the “Phil Lawler Fund” and send to: PE4life, 127 West 10th Street, Suite 101, Kansas City, MO 64105.

Contact:
Carrie Gibson, PE4life
127 West 10th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-472-7345
cgibson@pe4life.org

PE4life Academy Training Center highlighted in NPR story

Check out an excerpt from this great NPR story highlighting Woodland Elementary School, a PE4life Academy Training Center.

How Revving Up Your Heart Rate, Even A Bit, Pays Off
NPR 2/1/2010

Benefits Beyond The Heart
Nowadays, much of the focus on fitness is about how to exercise to prevent obesity. One school started measuring target heart rate zones as part of an in-school exercise program. And they found it helped more than just the students' physical health.

"[Exercise] should be fun," says principal Craig Rupert of Woodland Elementary School in Kansas, Mo., as he shows off his school's gym, which has been converted into an exercise arcade.

With the help of the national nonprofit group PE4Life, he's pushing to expand physical education. Rupert says by sixth grade, the majority of students do not participate in organized, competitive athletics; their level of activity starts to drop off. The PE4Life model encourages exercise as a form of play.

"It's really about getting the kids to exercise every day," Rupert says.

On a rainy, cold Wednesday afternoon, Rupert shows how his eighth-graders are getting their heart rates up. Student Juan Reynoso cycles through a video racing game called Off-Road.

"The bike is connected to a remote control," Juan explains. "And when I pedal, it makes the car go."

As physical education instructor Bernie Fitzpatrick makes the rounds, she takes a look at Juan's heart rate monitor. Juan and his classmate Kevin Thompson have hit their target zones at about 140 beats per minute. "Keep it up," she says.

"I feel great," says Kevin, as he moves from cycling to a dance game. "And energetic."

Fitzpatrick says the point of wearing the heart-rate monitors is to teach the kids what it feels like to be exercising at the proper pace — about 60 percent of their maximum.

"If you're in the target heart rate zone, you're burning more of the fat you have stored." When people exercise beyond 80 percent of max, the body starts to burn more sugar. "So by keeping them in that, we get them to be more lean and to use up some of that body fat rather than just the candy bar they ate a little while ago."

And, Fitzpatrick says, at Woodland, the students exercise far more frequently than the 50 minutes a week of physical education typical at many schools.

No one has tested the kids at Woodland Elementary to see if the daily exercise has led to specific improvements in academic success, but PE4Life has begun to document academic gains.

The big surprise for administrators at Woodland Elementary: They've noted a significant decrease in aggressive behavior. In-school suspensions have gone down about 60 percent since the program began.

"I've seen that go down quite a bit, because they can expend that energy on the exercise equipment," says Mark Dickerson, who oversees discipline referrals.

"I've always exercised to blow off steam," Dickerson says. But the transformation at the school has surprised him. "I didn't make the connection ... that it can happen to kids, as well."

Read or listen to story in its entirety.