NEA Today
They learn more, and stress less, says Cara Grant, president-elect of SHAPE America and PreK-12 curriculum supervisor for health, PE, and adapted PE for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.
“As young as early elementary school, students discover how physical activity helps them feel better,” Grant says.
One of SHAPE’s sample lessons for elementary PE includes an emotional check in where students select an emoji that represents how they feel at the beginning of class and at the end. More often than not, kids who first selected a sad or tired emoji chose a happier and more excited one at the end of class.
K-12 Dive
“The goal of dressing in physical education has to do with [how] to facilitate movement,” said Cara Grant, a director on the board at SHAPE America, which represents health and physical education professionals. “Reduced restriction based on clothing, this just doesn’t work well when you’re trying to move your body.”
American School Board Journal
SHAPE America recently held a series of roundtables focused on increasing diversity in the field. “We know how much research shows that kids learn better when they have access to a teacher or a staff person in school that looks like them, that they can identify with,” says Carly Wright. “Our national board of directors has really made a strong recommitment to EDI.” Wright is SHAPE America’s vice president of advocacy and equity, diversity and inclusion.
NIU Today
Wright, the EC Lane and MN Zimmerman Endowed Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, will lead the organization’s efforts during the next year to encourage and promote research activity.
Sports Business Journal
The Jr. NBA is also partnering with SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) -- a professional association serving more than 200,000 health and physical education pros nationwide -- to assist 40 Title I schools, which receive financial assistance because of a high concentration of low-income students. Schools will receive Jr. NBA programming and resources at no cost. RCX Sports, a Jr. NBA partner since 2018, is the official operating partner of the program.
Washington Post
“When money gets tight, P.E. is one of the first to go,” said Terri Drain, past president of SHAPE America, which supports professionals in P.E., health, recreation and dance. The organization provides guidance and research and leads lobbying on health issues in Congress.
Southwest News Media
Jessica Matheson, of Chanhassen, has many roles at Rockford High School. From health and physical education teacher to district equity coordinator to assistant girls varsity basketball coach.
Now she can add SHAPE America 2022 National Teacher of the Year to her list of titles.
Education Week
Terri Drain, the president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators, who taught for 34 years and coached high school field hockey, said these setbacks are a “lingering effect” of the pandemic.
SweetwaterNOW
At least 292 K-6 students in School District No. 1 learned how to get active and move around on Thursday at Western Wyoming Community College.
Health Moves Minds was run by local PE teachers Annette Ice, Gina Comstock, Matthew Gardner, Katie Searle, Eric Urlacher, Kim Fouts, Kim Buston, Deb Stephenson. Twenty-five Western college athletes also volunteered throughout the day.
The stations focused on sport skills, movement, mental health and plenty of other informative and fun activities.
WORLD Digital
“A lot of the impacts of COVID aren’t visible,” said Terri Drain, president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators, or SHAPE America, a professional organization providing national standards for health and physical education. She noted concerns like obesity are more apparent than mental needs: “All this has been going on for so long. COVID’s just accelerated things.”
The Hechinger Report
“Terri Drain, the president of SHAPE [America], argued that schools fail students when they treat physical learning loss as less serious than its academic counterpart.”
K-12 Dive
"Education is all about building relationships," Brett Fuller, curriculum specialist for health and physical education at Milwaukee Public Schools and president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators, told K-12 Dive. "If you build relationships with your students and those students know you're sincere and you're consistent with them, and at the end they trust what you're doing, you're going to have a much better chance of getting the purchase rate in your activities."
Washington Post
“We’re disguising fitness,” said Brett Fuller, the president of SHAPE [America’s] national
board of directors and a curriculum specialist for health and physical education in Milwaukee Public
Schools.
Newsday
SHAPE America member and Active Start co-author Steve Virgilio has dedicated his life to
his passion in physical activity and physical education. As he prepares for retirement from Adelphi
University, the longtime professor looks to continue practicing what he preaches.
Education Dive
Carly Wright, vice president for advocacy and equity, diversity and inclusion at SHAPE,
said P.E. instructors are being creative in their efforts to continue instruction during the pandemic.
“Students still need to be able to receive high-quality, standards-based physical education. We wanted to
see that continue no matter what type of learning is taking place,” she said.
Media Planet / USA Today
The COVID-19 crisis has affected young people of all ages, with many experiencing a level
of trauma that can’t be ignored. As we enter a new school year, it’s vital that we consider students’
physical, mental, and social-emotional health above all else.
CNN
"We hope that through this horrible situation that we can raise the value and role that
health and PE teachers play in the school," said Michelle Carter, director of educational content and
programs at the Society of Health and Physical Educators America. "There's a connection between the mind and
the body. Now more than ever, that connection is something we must celebrate."
Missouri State
Sean Nevills, physical education and sports management alumnus, is ready to help schools
across America work around COVID-19.
At the start of August, he was appointed project director for the Society of Health and Physical Educators
(SHAPE) America‘s COVID-19 project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control.
In his role, a year-long cooperative agreement, Nevills will lead efforts to create
resources focused on distance learning, trauma-informed practice, teacher self-care and cultural sensitivity
in physical education.
hottytoddy.com
Seungho Ryu, a University of Mississippi doctoral student in health and kinesiology, has
been named the 2020 Measurement and Evaluation Graduate Student of the Year by the Society of Health and
Physical Educators, known as SHAPE America.
Pleasanton Weekly
A Pleasanton teacher won a top national title in physical fitness instruction as the 2020
SHAPE America National Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year this week.
Chicago Tribune
Across the U.S., there are roughly 200,000 physical education and health teachers in
kindergarten to 12th grade schools, according to the Maryland-based Society of Health and Physical
Educators, and many of them are now teaching virtually.
Senior Program Manager Michelle Carter said that in addition to wide disparities in
students’ access to digital resources, the ability to lead a successful online PE class also varies
dramatically, and often hinges on a teacher’s level of expertise and confidence with using the technology.
Washington Post
SHAPE America has instructions for an arts and crafts project (you have to create your own
deck of fitness cards) that can provide kids with the option of several screen-free games for one to five
players. Some games are suitable for young kids and others for middle-schoolers and older. For the youngest
kids, this project requires older-sibling or parent involvement.
OregonLive
Oregon Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE): Has downloadable Health Move and
Mind fitness calendars with suggestions in English and Spanish.
Khan Academy