February 2008 Newsletter

February 2008 Newsletter

President’s Message
: Welcome to the year 2008. As a new year begins, I wish that all of your goals will be accomplished. Looking back at 2007, Physical Education is getting better and better as years pass by. Our biggest success came when our governor released an unprecedented amount of money for our content area. I know everyone is getting the equipment they need and will use it in combination with great lessons. We can say we are moving in the right direction in physical education.

Another event that occurred in the San Diego area was our annual CAHPERD workshop that took place December 15th at at Pacific Beach Middle School. We had a great time and many of our attendees came out of the workshop with great activities. We had presentations of multicultural dance, squash, poly spot adventures, and cardio activities. Thank you to all the colleagues that helped and made this conference a success.

Also, for the first time in many years we had our CAHPERD social gathering at Seau’s. Teachers from Sweetwater and San Diego Unified came and socialized with plenty of talk and fun. I have high hopes that lots more will attend our next social function.

Our next event is our annual Fun Run that will take place on February 23rd. This event is FREE for all participants and it takes place at Tecolote Shores (south of the Hilton). I urge you to bring students, invite parents and for you to participate in this wonderful event; it will lift your spirit and it will touch you in a way like never before. There is more information about the event in this newsletter.

Also a reminder, every year we have a banquet during May, that honors some of our colleagues that go beyond their normal duties to excel in our profession. This time we want you to come and celebrate with these professionals, you might even be surprise, as it could be you being honored.

I want to make a last request to all of you when you read this. Please pass along this great information unto other colleagues in our profession or tell them to check this website San Diego CHAPERD.net and if they want to get this e-mails tell them to sign-up at cahperd47_412@yahoo.com

If you would like to be involved as part of the CAHPERD board or you would like to have an article posted in our website please e-mail it to cahperd47_412@yahoo.com

Keep on doing the great job you do everyday. Do what you can with what you have TODAY.

Sincerely,
Karla Martinez
Unit President 47_412

Physical Educators as Role Models

: Since January 1st, I have been trying to lose weight. So far I've lost 13 pounds and my shorts that I wear to work are not feeling as tight as they used to. I'm feeling better, have more energy throughout the day and this all validates my efforts to this point. Iam determined to lose about 15 more pounds. I'm learning ,however, that I have to be patient. So why am I telling you this? Because I was getting to a point where I was feeling like I was not a positive role model as a physical educator.
Very few of my students are over weight....maybe half a dozen or so. I, on the other hand, was over weight and moving towards obesity.I did not feel energetic and more importantly, did not feel good about myself. Teaching and preaching about healthy food choices for them, and then secretly woofing down alot of the unhealthy stuff myself. Now I know this is a "touchy" issue for some folks out there but I feel it needs to be addressed. We have standards now that lend credibility to our discipline, we are making strides in assessment and accountability and I feel that increasing our visibility as positive role models will send the message that not only are we promoting active, healthy lifestyles, we are role models for the same.
Here are some ideas for showing your students that you "walk the walk." Let them catch you eating healthy snacks, reward them when you see them eating fresh fruits and vegetables, occaisionally jog a lap (or 2) with them, play a recess game with your students to let them know you're a "player" too, Now here is a BIG ONE !!
Take your kids to the Annual CAHPERD Fun Run and run with them. It will be held on February 23rd at DeAnza Cove at Mission Bay Park. . .and don't forget, leading exercises, wearing your pedometer, being your own demonstrator for the skills you are teaching (unless it's a back hand-spring) and please don't forget your personal appearance. I am continually amazed at how much power and influence I have with my students and feel I owe them the very best I can be. I hope you feel the same. This is just my take on the matter. If you would like to share your thoughts, criticisms, etc. with me, I can be reached at bajamac@cox.net. Thanks for reading this.

Geoffrey P. McCloud
Physical Educator
Silver Gate Elementary San Diego City Schools

Report Shows Physical Education Class Can Prevent Obesity

: As some schools dramatically reduce physical education requirements to save money, there's some new research showing just what students may be missing out on.

A new report in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine says teens reduce their risk of being overweight as young adults by 5% or more for every weekday they have physical education class in school. And students who have physical education class every day have a 28% reduced risk of being overweight as a young adult.

Minneapolis Roosevelt High School sophomore Anthony Ross, says phy ed not only keeps him fit, it also helps him do better in all his classes because he can get rid of extra energy. With a smile he says, "I can stay focused during my work? so I won't have to get up and run around the class."

Daheia Barr-Anderson, a University of Minnesota researcher, studies physical activity in adolescence and obesity prevention. She says phy ed provided physical, mental and academic benefits to students.

She says schools would be wise to keep phy ed on student's schedules. She says, "Some studies show there is a definite link between physical activity and? GPA improvement."

I would like to see physical education every day for every student 9 through 12 Roosevelt phy ed teacher Pam Schreurs says she's not surprised by the study. She says, "It's finally nice to get numbers to an idea and a perception that we've known all along."

Schreurs would like to see students in grades 9 through 12 have phy ed every day. She says without it, many students don't know how to prevent obesity. She says, "I think it's important for us to teach them what healthy is." Schreurs and her students says phy ed is an important part of a good education.

Currently, state standards require all Minnesota school districts to provide some type of physical education instruction to students every year in grades K through 8. But there are no requirements on how much time must be spent on the subject. In grades 9 through 12, students must get physical education instruction at least once during those 4 years.

L.A. Unified Physical Education Campaign

: There is a big campaign to back physical education in over 600 schools in Los Angeles. be sure to read the 3 step plan....a cap of 55 students per class....YIKES!

Anyway, it is a good read, (be sure to check out there physical fitness scores....double YIKES!), and you can check it out here:

UTLA City Project

Free International Folk Dance Classes
: Free International Folk Dance Classes The San Diego Folk Dance Center offers free folk dance classes on Monday evenings at:

Dancing Unlimited 4569 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92116.
Come join fellow CAHPERD members Karla Martinez, Kim Butler and Dennis Gildehaus from 6:30-8:00.

Music from the dances are available for you as well as DVD instructions on how to perform each dance. Contact Dennis Gildehaus for further details. Email Dennis Gildehaus

San Diego CAHPERD Social
: Come join us at Seau's Restaurant on April 28th for the next San Diego CAHPERD Social.

We will have a general meeting at 4:00 and commence with the social immediately afterwards

It is an excellent chance to mingle, network, and visit with friends old and new.

Affordable Physical Education Attire
: Are you looking for affordable physical education attire? If so, Marathon Sportwear may be the place for you.

Marathon Sportswear specializes in SPF 30 short sleeve and long sleeve shirts of all colors for $10 and $11 each.

They also have wide brim hats and neck flap hats for $14 and $9 respectively. I have used this site quite a few times and have not been dissapointed.

A Study of the Health Benefits of DDR

: Ace Fitness has released a study on the health benfits of Dance Dance Revolution.

You can read the online article here:

Ace Fitness

Maximum Middle School Physical Education
: 2003 National Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Mary Hirt has her first book coming out in March. It is titled "Maximum Middle School Physical Education".

I have had the pleasure of learning from Mary at the incredible California Middle School Physical Education Workshop over the last 4 summers at Cal State Fullerton.

I eagerly anticipate this book which should be available for sale in Riverside at our state CAHPERD conference on March 6th-9th.

If you cannot attend the conference, you can pre-order the book thorugh Human Kinetics here:

Maximum Middle School Physical Education