Jan. 5, 2018
Physical Education Leadership Academy Identifies High Leverage Strategies to Meet the Needs of Each and Every Learner
When class sizes are large, meeting the needs of all students when it comes to physical education can be difficult. Classrooms comprise all types of learners, including students with special needs, those in gifted and talented programs, children who are English learners, students who identify as LGBTQIA, those who are experiencing poverty or trauma, and children who may be reluctant learners or stru ggling with obesity. 

For three weeks, participants in the SDCOE Physical Education Leadership Academy (PELA) collected data, conducted inquiries, and implemented strategies in an effort to make physical education content accessible for each and every student. Below are some of the high-leverage strategies that worked for PELA participants and their students.


Paige Metz
Health and Physical Education Coordinator
San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE)

3-Day Physical Literacy Institute (Jan. 17, Feb. 8, March 7)
The goal of our work has changed. No longer are physical educators tasked with teaching sports. The focus of physical education is now to develop students' physical literacy -- the knowledge, skills, fitness, values, and motivation to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Physical literacy doesn't happen on accident. It requires a systematic approach to pedagogy that challenges many traditional practices. Join us as we identify learning outcomes, create assessment tools, and plan instruction to empower students with the confidence, competence, and passion for a lifetime of physical activity.

Join us for the 3-Day Physical Literacy Institute  as we collaborate to:
  • Better understand the concept of physical literacy
  • Use the California Physical Education Model Content Standards in tandem with the California State Standards
  • Integrate shifts in pedagogy to develop students' skills, knowledge, and desire to attain and maintain a physically active lifestyle
  • Use formative and summative assessment to collect evidence of student learning and
     
    to inform instruction
  • Create unit and lesson plans to systematically develop students' physical literacy
The 3-Day Physical Literacy Institute is one of the accepted pre-requisites for the Physical Education Leadership Academy.

kNOw MORE! Human Trafficking Community Forum (Jan. 18)
In conjunction with Point Loma Nazarene University's Center for Justice and Reconciliation, Patrick Henry High School will host a kNOw MORE Human Trafficking Community forum on Jan. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the cafeteria at 6702 Wandermere Dr. in San Diego .

Recent research on sex trafficking in San Diego shows:
  • Sex trafficking is a central part of an $810 million underground sex economy in San Diego, second in value only to the illicit trade in drugs.
  • There are 110 named white, black, and Hispanic gangs involved in sex trafficking.
  • Traffickers on average control four to five girls and make more than $600,000.
  • There are an estimated 3,000 to 8,000 victims of sex trafficking a year in San Diego County.
  • There is evidence of recruitment among all racial/ethnic groups and in neighborhoods of all economic backgrounds.
  • While all youth are at risk, youth of color and from low-income neighborhoods are most vulnerable.
  • Runaways, homeless teens, and foster youth are particularly at risk.
  • Recruitment starts as young as 8- to 10-years-old, but the average age of recruitment is 16.
  • While boys can be victims of trafficking, middle school and early high school aged girls are the primary targets.
  • There was evidence of recruitment happening in all 20 schools where focus groups took place, including schools in North County, East County, Central San Diego and in the South Bay.
Join us to learn more about sex trafficking in San Diego and to familiarize yourself with available resources.

Assessing Wellness Policy Implementation: the Who, the Why, and the How (Feb. 9)
SDCOE is collaborating with the California Department of Education, the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, and the Dairy Council of California to host Assessing Wellness Policy Implementation: the Who, the Why, and the How training from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 9.

District and site wellness leads, wellness committee members, district and site nutrition leads, parent teacher organization representatives, and anyone else interested in supporting healthy school environments is invited to attend. The event will include:
  • Two evidence-based implementation assessment tools
  • Local best practices
  • How assessment data can be used to meet other district objectives
Click to register and for more information.

Don't Miss the 2018 CAHPERD Conference in Oakland! (Feb. 22 to 24)
You won't want to miss the 2018 California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation, and Dance (CAHPERD) Conference from Feb. 22 to 24 at the Oakland Marriott and Convention Center. The conference program provides for three days of conference sessions and activities beginning at 8 a.m. Feb. 22 and concluding at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24. Online registration
 is available on the CAHPERD website, or you can download and print a  fillable form (PDF) to send by fax, mail, or email. Your registration fee includes all conference activities throughout the three-day event. The self-defense certification, kayaking, and rock climbing require additional fees. University students are invited to apply to be a volunteer at the conference and get a free conference registration.

Positive Prevention Plus Comprehensive Sexual Health Training (April 3 and 4)
The San Diego County Office of Education will offer another round of  Positive Prevention Plus Comprehensive Sexual Health Education training on April 3 and 4. This training will provide critical information about AB 329, the California Healthy Youth Act, and give teachers the curriculum and resources needed to meet the new Ed Code requirements. Please  register early! We must secure at least 20 attendees by Feb. 20 to offer the training.

2017-18 Professional Learning Opportunities
Visit the  SDCOE Health and Physical Education webpage or the  Fit 2 Learn, Fit 4 Life website to view upcoming professional learning opportunities including conferences, site visits, and more!

Most Valuable Person, Practi ce or Program: County Group Shines in Childhood Obesity Prevention.

The   Schools and After-School Domain   of the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative (COI) is a group of public health professionals, school staff, nurses, physical activity experts, before- and after-school providers, and other community members who are committed to the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity. This group collaborates to support health and wellness efforts, including local school wellness policies, in San Diego County schools. They also actively promote the 5-2-1-0 campaign (five or more servings of fruit and vegetables, two hours or less of recreative screen time, one hour or more of physical activity, and zero sugar-sweetened beverages). COI provides training and resources to site and district wellness leads and wellness councils and maintains a policy clearinghouse that provides copies of local school wellness policies and highlights best practices. On Feb. 9, the COI, in conjunction with the California Department of Education, the Dairy Council of California, and SDCOE, will host  Assessing Wellness Policy Implementation: the WHO, the WHY and the HOW . School representatives are also invited to attend Schools and After-School Domain meetings on the third Tuesday of each month. Visit the domain calendar for meeting times and locations.

Health and PE App of the Month
App of the Month: Spice Up Classes with Ran dom Selections App
C lassroom Roulette is an app that for $1.99 lets 
you gener ate  random selections of students, questions, activities, and more. Use it to call on students, educational purposes, or to make decisions. It is fun and fair! Appropriate for use with primary students through high school. The app can be programed to keep track of previous selections of who's been picked, and it allows you to duplicate and edit lists, apply sound effects, Tweet, or post selections to Facebook and more!

Mid-Term FITNESSGRAM Evaluations
The start of a new year is a great time for students to revisi t their fitness levels and goals. Give students the opportunity to go through the FITNESSGRAM battery of tests again and then compare their current scores to their results from the start of the school year. Have them determine:
  • Where am I seeing progress? Why?
  • Have I moved in or out of any of the Healthy Fitness Zones? Why?
  • Am I on track to meet the fitness goals I set for the term or year? Do I need to adjust my goals?
  • How do I need to adjust my training to be more effective in reaching my goals?

ESPN Recap Aids Learning
At the end of a lesson or instructional sequence, have students find a partner and take turns using their thumb as a microphone and their best sports announcer voice to provide a "recap" of what happened in class. Their commentary should include a summary of what they were supposed to learn/do, a description of how well they (or the class) achieved the learning goal, and a list of things that they (or the class) should do differently next time. Students end the piece by encouraging their partner to stay tuned for their prediction of what is next to come!

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Options Challenge Students
Health and PE Activity of the Month
Students benefit from having the opportunity to challenge themselves whether  they are  completing a warm-up, participating in a circuit, or  engaging with a skill. Let students choose a level of participation that best meets their learning needs. Consider using Gold-, Silver-, and Bronze-level challenges.
  • Bronze: Challenges engage students with the activity at an entry level.
  • Silver : Challenges engage students at a level that is consistent with grade-level expectations and will put them on pace to achieve grade-level standards.
  • Gold : Challenges encourage students to go above and beyond grade-level expectations.
Don't Miss: Professional Articles Worth Your Attention
The PE Geek Releases 100 Ways to Use Technology in Physical Education
The PE Geek released its 100 Ways to Use Technology in Physical Education list. Whether you are looking for fun fitness activities, using video in class, assessments, Google opportunities, active gaming, virtual reality, or useful tools, there is something worth implementing in the list.

Data Shows STDs on the Rise in San Diego County
Data from the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency shows that the number of reported sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in San Diego County are on the rise. The 2016 data show significant increases in cases of chlamydia, primary and secondary syphilis, and gonorrhea. It is critical that we share this information with students so that we can empower them to make educated decisions! To view the 2016 data PowerPoint, including maps by zip code, click here. Longitudinal data, including monthly reports, can be found here.

SHAPE America Looking for Teachers to Field Test Physical Education Assessments
SHAPE America has partnered with the American Institutes for Research to provide schools with online National Assessments for Health and Physical Education to measure students' achievement of the national standards in physical education and health education. This pilot testing of assessments will be conducted in March and you're invited to participate in this tremendous opportunity.  
 
Fast facts about the assessments:
  • Can be completed any time in March
  • For students in grades K-12
  • Take approximately 30 minutes to complete for each content area (or one hour for both health education and physical education assessments)
  • A tablet or computer is needed to complete the assessment
  • Participating schools receive a report of their results comparing performance against national standards
  • Free to participate
 
Schools and districts interested in participating in the field test should learn more and register before the Feb. 16 deadline.
 
Share Your Thoughts on the New Health Education Framework
At the final meeting of the Health Education Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee (HE CFCC) on Jan. 25 and 26, the committee will discuss all draft chapters of the Health Education Framework.

Take a few minutes to view the most recent drafts of the framework. Click on the folder for the January 2018 CFCC meeting to view or download the current draft chapters. If you would like to provide comments, please provide the name of the chapter and the page and line numbers you are commenting on and provide specific language that you would like to see included. Email questions and comments to  healtheducationframework@cde.ca.gov .

San Diego State Bringing Back Physical Education Credential Program in Fall 2018
Beginning in fall 2018, the San Diego State University College of Education will again offer the Single Subject Physical Education Preliminary Credential Program. The program typically takes one academic year to complete and is a full-time commitment with in-person student teaching and coursework. Student teaching locations in the SDSU program are assigned by SDSU and must take place in a public classroom.

The current admission cycle opened on Oct. 1, 2017 and will close March 1. Applications received in this window will be reviewed for fall 2018 admission. There are a variety of requirements necessary for admission including completion of the CBEST and CSET exams, Early Field Experience hours, and some prerequisite coursework. Interested applicants are encouraged to review admission requirements. College of Education staff is also always happy to talk with prospective students and help them through the application process! Contact an advisor during walk-in hours or reach out at 619-594-6320 or coeadvis@mail.sdsu.edu
If you have any questions or comments about Health and Physical Education Monthly Update, please contact Paige Metz.

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