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Aug. 22, 2019
Get Beyond Student Goal Setting to Create Goals That Will Define YOUR Impact
Many of you will start the year by challenging your students to write goals for the year ahead. Fitness goals. Academic goals. Personal goals. But have you drafted your professional goals for the year?

With the start of a new year comes a blank slate and new possibilities. To help make this the best year yet, consider writing some goals for yourself. What do you want to accomplish this year? What do you want to learn? What shifts in your practice do you want to implement? How do you want to impact student learning? What do you want students to learn or achieve as a result of your class? What impact do you want to have on students’ lives?

Once you have set your goals, take a few moments to draft a work plan. Writing a work plan helps turn your goal into reality by creating a systemic way to accomplish it.

A work plan includes:
  • A SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goal that describes exactly what you want to accomplish, how you will measure your accomplishment, and the date it will be completed
  • A list of action items or steps that need to be completed for you to accomplish your goal; set a due date for each of these items and then put these items on your calendar so you are more likely to complete or accomplish them
  • Determine how and when you will measure your progress; if things aren’t going well, this is your opportunity to make changes to your work plan
  • Identify resources and supports such as people, books, or websites you can use for help along the way
  • Figure out how you are going to celebrate once you have accomplished your goal; as we know, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth celebrating

Setting goals and creating an action plan to help guide your impact can build students’ competence and confidence. What impact do you want to have this year? Now it is your turn to set a goal to make it happen!

Health and Physical Education Coordinator
San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE)
Register now for 2019-20 SDCOE Health and Physical Education Professional Learning
Join colleagues from throughout San Diego County to participate in professional learning opportunities for health and physical education educators. Many of these offerings have been updated to include Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and social-emotional learning (SEL) in health and physical education. Click on the links below to learn more about each event and to find the online registration link. 

Don’t see what you are looking for? Please email suggestions for additional offerings to pmetz@sdcoe.net in order for SDCOE to provide what you need to support all students.

  • Physical Education Advisory Meetings: Sept. 25 and May 5
  • Three-Day Physical Literacy Institutes: Fall (Oct. 9, Nov. 12, Dec. 5) or spring (Jan. 22, Feb. 13, March 11)
  • Physical Education Leadership Academy: Oct. 8, Oct. 30, Nov. 21, Dec. 17, Jan. 15, Feb. 4, March 4, March 25
  • Health and Physical Education Inquiry, Innovation, and Implementation (I3): Fall (Oct. 29, Nov. 20, Dec. 4) or spring (Jan. 14, Feb. 12, March 3)
  • Health Education Materials Fair: Feb. 6
  • Exemplary Elementary Physical Education Site Visits: Nov. 5 or March 19
  • Exemplary Secondary Physical Education Site Visits: Nov. 6 or March 18
  • California Health Framework 101: April 7
  • The California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA): Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum Selection and Program Design: Oct. 8

Keep an eye out for details and information in upcoming Monthly Updates! Also remember, on-site professional learning, consultation, walk-throughs, and coaching are encouraged and available. Contact Paige Metz for more information.

Calling All Health and Physical Education Leaders: SDCOE Health and Physical Education Advisory Kicks off Next Month
Don’t miss the opportunity to represent your district or site at the SDCOE Health and Physical Education Advisory meeting on Sept. 25. Make sure you have a voice in the room as we discuss current trends and issues, legislation, funding, leadership, SDCOE programming and support, the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework, UDL, SEL, equity, innovation, and more. As always, there is no fee to attend, but registration is required. Contact your administrator who oversees curriculum and instruction to see if they will support the cost of your sub for you to attend.

Three-Day Physical Literacy Institute Now Includes UDL and SEL
This year’s Three-Day Physical Literacy Institute has been updated to include strategies to address equity, access, and “first best instruction” through the use of UDL and strategies to support SEL. Institutes will be offered in both the fall and spring. Click the links to view specific dates and other details for the sessions.

2019-20 Physical Education Leadership Academy: Now Is Your Time to Step Up!
The Physical Education Leadership Academy is designed to support teachers’ implementation of first best instruction utilizing UDL and strategies for SEL to develop teacher leaders who have the ability to impact colleagues at their site, in their district, and throughout San Diego County. During our time together, we will focus our work to increase students’ physical literacy through these topical sessions:
  • Rethinking the Use of Class Time (Oct. 16 and Oct. 30)
  • Meeting the Needs of Each and Every Student (Nov. 21 and Dec. 17)
  • Perfecting Performance-Based Assessment (Jan. 15 and Feb. 4)
  • Increasing Student-Centered Learning (March 4 and March 25)

The academy also include coaching. Participants who meet specific targets will be recognized as a San Diego County Physical Education Leader.  Click here for more information or to register. Attendees must have previously attended the SDCOE Three-Day Physical Literacy Institute, Three-Day Common Core in Physical Education, or receive approval from Lynn Barnes-Wallace or Paige Metz. Please contact Paige Metz if you have any questions.

Two Comprehensive Sexual Health Trainings Offered…One for Curriculum/Programming and One for Instruction!
SDCOE, in partnership with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, will offer two trainings this fall to support district and site implementation of the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA). Please join us for one of the following:
Promising Practice: Produce Your Own Promotional Videos
Often, when parents think of health and physical education, they see visions of the programs they experienced decades ago. But in reality, many programs look very different. Health and physical education programs across the county have evolved to focus on developing students’ physical literacy, their social-emotional development, and the skills, knowledge, and motivation they need to live a healthy lifestyle.

It’s up to health and physical education educators to inform stakeholders, such as parents and administrators, about the changes. At Hilltop High School in the Sweetwater Union High School District, educator Kim Butler put together snapshots of student learning throughout the year and created a back-to-school video to describe the learning in her class.

Creating a video that describes your program and sharing it online, through social media, and at back-to-school night is a fun and impactful practice. An easy way to start is by having students help you by creating their own videos or photos that show their growth and progress throughout the year. Nothing advocates for your program like your students’ smiles!

Ultimate Handshake Challenge
Starting the school year when summer temps are at their peak means that physical education teachers need to get creative when it comes to engaging students in aerobic activity. As a transition (in-between games or as students are changing activities or partners), give students two minutes to find a partner and create a fitness handshake or high five. A fitness handshake is one that incorporates an element of fitness such as push-ups, curl up, plank, or burpee. Encourage them to be creative and share your favorites with the rest of the class.
Incorporate Student Assessment Through Easy Rubric
Easy Rubric is a free app that allows you to build or import class lists, build or import your own rubrics, assess individual students against relevant assessment criteria, and generate reports that can be edited, exported, printed, and archived.
Baseline Predictions Help Students Reflect
Before students participate in baseline fitness testing, have them make a prediction about what they think they will score on each test. Next to their prediction, ask them to write why they think that will be the outcome. Having students make predictions accomplishes two tasks:
  1. It gives students the opportunity to reflect on their current physical fitness and determine how their recent habits have impacted their bodies.
  2. Their explanations for their predictions provide teachers with critical information regarding each students’ habits, feelings, strengths, and weaknesses when it comes to each aspect of fitness.
Don’t Just Assign the Task, Teach Them How to Do It!
We often take for granted that students will know how to execute a task such as writing a goal, drafting a letter, listening to another student, providing feedback to a peer, or participating in a group. Unfortunately, each of those tasks involve skill sets that may still need to be developed. In addition to giving students an assignment, make sure you also give them the instruction, success criteria (assessment rubric), feedback, and support to develop these important skill sets. The more you explicitly teach these skills to students at the start of the year, the more they will be empowered to use those skills in your class throughout the school year.
SEL tip of the month heart icon
The Power of YET!
Developing new skill sets in our students includes helping them have the mindset to tackle new challenges. Consider implementing the “Power of Yet” into your classes. When a student is introduced to a skill, they can’t do it “yet.” When they are working toward a skill, they can’t do it “yet.” Celebrate the “yet!” Be explicit with “yet!” Because “yet” means that the door is still open for students to refine their learning and turn their “yet” in an empowering new skill.
San Diego County Physical Education Leaders Provide Support, Expertise
For the past four years, passionate health and physical education teachers have honed their work and investigated best practices through the SDCOE Physical Education Leadership Academy. These educators each spent a year focused on professional learning and rethinking and revamping their work to support all students.

The San Diego County Physical Education Leaders are highly qualified candidates to support you, your site, or district with peer coaching, induction programs, working with student teachers, engaging in professional dialogue, networking, and more. Click here to view the list of San Diego Physical Education Leaders. You’re encouraged to reach out to these leaders with specific questions or to pick their brains. You will be glad you did!

If you’re looking for a specific expertise, contact Paige Metz for help finding a leader.

Professional Articles, Videos, and Websites Worth Your Attention
Chargers Champions Grant Application is Open
For 20 years, the Chargers Champions Program has been providing grants to students, educators, and schools, awarding more than $6 million in grants and funding since its inception. In the 2019-20 school year, the Chargers Champions School Grant Program will again be providing funds to schools in San Diego and Imperial counties for physical fitness, nutrition, and athletic programs. High schools can apply for grants of up to $70,000, middle schools up to $40,000, and elementary schools up to $30,000. The grant application is live on Chargers.com. The deadline to apply is Oct. 4. Don’t miss this great opportunity!
2019 Health Education Framework Approved by the State Board of Education
The State Board of Education adopted on May 8 the 2019 Health Education Curriculum Framework for California Public Schools. The framework is based on California’s 2008 health standards and also addresses changes in Ed. Code and legislation. The document is designed to help guide districts and sites as they develop health education curriculum and instruction. A draft of the new framework is available at the CDE website. SDCOE will begin rolling out professional learning opportunities related to the new framework this spring. Look for updated information in future Health and Physical Education Monthly Update newsletters!

Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Part of Federal Program Monitoring Reviews
CDE announced it will be monitoring implementation of comprehensive sexual health education programs. The monitoring will assure compliance with the California Healthy Youth Act and will be part of the CDE’s Federal Program Monitoring. As the monitoring tool and details are released, they will be communicated in future newsletters.

Extra Yard for Teachers Football Game
As part of the College Football Playoff Foundation's national Extra Yard for Teachers promotion, San Diego State University (SDSU) invites all teachers to the Sept. 21 Aztecs home football game vs. Utah State at 7:30 p.m. San Diego County teachers can purchase a discounted ticket for $20 through the Aztecs ticketing website by using the promo code “TEACH”. All teachers who purchase a ticket will also receive one free T-shirt per teacher. Shirts can be picked up at Aztec Village in lots C1/D1 in SDCCU Stadium before the game. View the event flyer. The San Diego County 2020 Teachers of the Year will also be recognized at this game. Come cheer on the Aztecs as they celebrate all teachers!

SDSU Women’s Basketball Announces Events for 2019-20!
SDSU has announced the following events for students and school groups. 
  • Nov. 14 — Field Trip Day, Aztecs vs. Alabama A&M at 11 a.m.
  • Jan. 29 — Field Trip Day, Aztecs vs. New Mexico at 11 a.m.
  • Feb. 8 — Girls and Women in Sports Day, Aztecs vs. Air Force at 1 p.m.

Through a partnership between SDSU Athletics and the SDCOE, free tickets will be available for students, teachers, and chaperones to attend these games. More information about requesting tickets for specific dates will be available next month. Schools are responsible for their own transportation. Game tickets are free for K-8 students and their teachers and chaperones. High school students are welcome but cannot receive free tickets, as per NCAA recruiting rules. 
Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.