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Dec. 4, 2019
Rethinking Class Time to Increase Students’ Time in Physical Activity
The research is clear. Time that children spend in aerobic activity has many positive impacts on academic performance, mental health, and physical wellbeing. With that said, some of the practices of traditional physical education may limit students’ time in physical activity. Everyday occurrences like sitting on roll call numbers, waiting in lines, transitions, shortage of equipment/facilities, locker room time, and class management strategies can reduce the amount of time that students could be moving in class.

Simple shifts in how teachers use class time can make a huge impact in students’ physical activity in class. For two to three weeks, teachers participating in the 2019-20 Physical Education Leadership Academy studied their practice and identified multiple shifts that teachers may want to consider to more consistently keep students in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 50% of physical education class time. Here are some of their suggestions:

Engage students in routines that can instantly engage them in activity
  • Color-code cones, pinnies, and stations so groups can easily identify where to go.
  • Reuse activities that students have learned previously to limit instruction time.
  • Utilize strategic grouping so students know exactly who their team members are.
  • Turn up the music! Students like to move to music.

Be purposeful/strategic in planning instruction
  • Share the daily student learning outcome (what students are expected to know or be able to do by the end of the period) so students can self-regulate movement and learning.
  • “Warm-up” is highly active and specifically designed to prepare students for achieving the daily student learning outcome. Review from the previous day, engaging in critical concepts that they will apply in the lesson.
  • Increase student-centered learning opportunities.
  • Hold students accountable for movement and the daily student learning outcome.
  • Avoid transitions whenever possible.

Encourage student buy-in
  • Be purposeful in creating a positive class culture that encourages movement.
  • Cultivate student leaders to help motivate students.
  • Empower students by giving them more ownership in their activity/learning.
  • Give them the opportunity to use technology to encourage movement (QR codes, video, Google Classroom, etc.).

Secondary Considerations
  • Engage students in ongoing assessment with clear success criteria (rubrics) to keep students focused on content and moving (peer, self and teacher).
  • Limit time in locker rooms (timers, music, daily reminders, etc.).

Elementary Considerations
  • Focus on developing student competency in fundamental movement skills. When students are competent, they are more likely to become confident and eager to move. Make movement fun!
Health and Physical Education Coordinator
San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE)
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 so that SDCOE can provide you with what you need to support all students.

  • Health and Physical Education Inquiry, Innovation, and Implementation (I3): Spring (Jan. 14, Feb. 12, March 3)
  • Three-Day Physical Literacy Institutes: Spring (Jan. 22, Feb. 13, March 11)
  • Exemplary Elementary Physical Education site visits: March 19
  • Exemplary Secondary Physical Education site visits: March 18
  • California Health Framework 101: April 7
  • The California Healthy Youth Act Program Design and Curriculum Selection: Jan. 23
  • Sexual Health Educator Training: Feb. 26
  • California Health Framework 101: April 7
  • Physical Education Advisory Meeting: April 29

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.

Don’t Miss the Physical Literacy Institute! Updated to Include 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. The institute will be offered this spring. View specific dates and other details for the event.

Three Opportunities to Support District/Site Compliance with the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA)
  • CHYA: Program Planning and Selecting Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Training Curriculum Training — SDCOE, in partnership with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, is offering a CHYA: Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum Selection and Program Design training to help schools and districts design programs that meet the requirements for CHYA and provide guidance in selecting appropriate curriculum on Jan. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the San Diego County Office of Education’s Linda Vista location. Click here for more information and to register. Please contact Paige Metz at 858-569-5349 or pmetz@sdcoe.net for more information.
  • Sexual Health Educator (SHE) training opportunity Feb. 26. SHE training summarizes the California Healthy Youth Act requirements for comprehensive sexual health education and builds comfort and capacity for teaching sexual health education. Contact Corrine McCarthy at 858-292-3694 or corinne.mccarthy@sdcoe.net if you have questions.
  • San Diego Youth Services has received grant funding to support school and site compliance with the CHYA. Services available include training teachers to teach the Positive Prevention Plus curriculum, providing instruction, and modeling instructional best practices, and can be tailored to meet the needs of each community. For more information and to determine if the program is a good fit for your district/site, contact Jessica Chapman at jchapman@sdyouthservices.org. 
  • CAHPERD Opens Registration for Feb. 20-22 “In Focus” State Conference — The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) has opened registration for its 2020 state conference taking place Feb. 20-22 in Garden Grove. This year’s conference theme will focus on SEL, growth mindset, and physical literacy. Don’t miss keynote speakers Jessica Lawrence and Catherine Sanderson as well as the opportunity to sign up to attend Self-Defense Certification for physical educators by Play-It-Safe Self Defense. Why attend? Check out the Conference Flyer. Please visit CAHPERD.org for more information.  
The Power of Student Choice
Most of the California Physical Education Content Standards don’t require that students show competency of grade level standards in a competitive, traditional sports setting. In fact, in most instances, it is best for students to build understanding and skills by building competence incrementally. Rather than defining those increments for students, consider giving them the power to choose the increments that will be most beneficial to their needs. Consider letting students choose:
  • The level of competition/participation that best meets their needs
  • Equipment they will use to focus on the intended outcome (small/large, hard/soft, net height, racquet size, etc.)
  • Size and specifications of goals/targets
  • Number of people involved
  • Speed of play
  • Rules
  • Combination of skills

When students participate at a level that is appropriate for them as an individual, they are more likely to increase engagement and achieve intended student learning outcomes/goals. Give them a choice… and empower them to take more control of their learning.
Follow Me
Give students the opportunity to select an activity that they can do nonstop for at least a minute. The activity has to increase their heart rate and be something that will increase their overall fitness. Once they do their own activity for a minute, have them find a partner. In partners, have them take turns doing each of their “Minute to Win It” activities. Partners vote on their favorite. Then they combine with another set of partners and take turns doing each of their favorite “Minute to Win It” activities. At the end, they vote on their favorite and find another group of four. This activity can keep going until the class has an “Ultimate Minute to Win It” winner, or until you run out of time.
Connected PE
Connected PE is a free app that allows physical education teachers to engage in hundreds of hours of on-demand video professional development specific to physical education. Teachers can earn certificates and badges for completing a variety of courses that cover a large span of topics. It also includes an activity database of over 300 games, fitness tests, and more. Modules can be used for individual teacher learning or to guide conversation in department meetings.
Winter Social Media Challenge
Prior to leaving for winter break, challenge your students to continue to move forward toward their goals by participating in a winter social media challenge. Every time they work out over break, encourage them to post a pic on social media and tag you or your class. Encourage students to find fun activities in their communities and to include friends and family in the post. At the end of the break, select one or two students from each class based on how well their activity correlates with their goals, the creativity/fun factor of each activity, and the number of people included in each post for recognition as a media exercise mogul.
Walk and Talk
Giving students the opportunity to process content is critical. However, that often means students are sitting. Instead, consider engaging students in a walk and talk. Once a question is posed, have students find a partner to walk and talk through the prompt. This can be done as a transition from one area to another or even just around the learning space. Provide sentence frames for students who might need them and encourage each person to discuss the prompt for a specific amount of time (or distance). When partners return, give students the opportunity to share their conversation with the class.
SEL tip of the month heart icon
SEL Word of the Week/Day
At the start of each week/lesson, consider posting a Word of the Day or Word of the Week that is associated with one of the five SEL Competencies:
  • Self-awareness
  • Self-management
  • Social awareness
  • Relationship skills 
  • Responsible decision-making
Have students process what the word means and have them identify how they can implement that word of the day/week in class. Encourage and reinforce students’ focus on the word/concept throughout the learning sequence. At the end of the week/lesson have students share their success stories with the class.  
CAHPERD Announces Three New Fundraisers
CAHPERD recognizes the financial challenges schools face when attempting to meet student needs and school priorities. Many schools solve financial shortages by conducting fundraisers. With the federal mandate for Local School Wellness Policy Implementation and a focus on nutrition and physical activity, schools are conducting more healthy fundraisers, which also contribute to a positive school climate. In an attempt to assist schools with fundraising, CAHPERD has identified three different programs or opportunities that are fun for students and easy for staff to complete: 
All three programs reduce school staff time needed to conduct the event, use an online pledge platform, and provide for a large percentage of funds raised to be returned to the school site. Follow these links for more details and a comparison chart that will assist in determining the best program to fit your needs. Keep in mind that you can participate in one, two, or all three events to boost your total fundraising efforts.

San Diego County Physical Education Leaders Provide Support, Expertise
For the past four years, passionate health and physical education teachers have honed their skills and shared 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, how to work 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
Clarification About FITNESSGRAM 
On Oct. 17, the California Department of Education (CDE) sent communication to districts and schools that may have created confusion. The message from CDE indicated that local education agencies (LEAs) would not have to report scores this year as Education Code requires that scores be submitted to the state every two years. Please note, this does not mean that LEAs do not need to administer FITNESSGRAM this year. It just means that scores will not be reported to CDE this spring. Education Code requirements for physical fitness testing (PFT) have not changed. Each LEA is still required to administer the PFT to all students in grades 5, 7, and 9. Schools are required to provide students with their individualized reports. Schools are also required to continue to include PFT scores in the annual school accountability report card that is posted on websites although they are only required to report scores once every two years to CDE. Clarification will be communicated shortly. Please contact Paige Metz at pmetz@sdcoe.net with questions. 

Students Can Enjoy Free College Women's Basketball Games this Season
Expose your students to collegiate women's sports with these free events at the University of San Diego (USD) and San Diego State University (SDSU). 

Game tickets are free for K-8 students and their teachers, chaperones, and/or parents. High school students are welcome but cannot receive free tickets, per NCAA recruiting rules. 

USD Toreros Kids Day Out
Join the USD women's basketball team for Kids Day Out on Jan. 23. Students and teachers from participating K-8 schools will receive free tickets to the noon game against Santa Clara University.

Campus tours of educational or athletic areas, free lunch for students, and funding for transportation are available while space remains. Students can also bring their own lunch or purchase items from USD concessions.

For more information and to reserve a spot, contact Donté Carty at DCarty@sandiego.edu.

SDSU Aztecs Field Trip Day
Through a partnership between SDSU Athletics and SDCOE, free tickets are available for students, teachers, and chaperones to the Jan. 29 women's basketball game versus New Mexico.  

Doors open at 10 a.m. for educational activities before the 11 a.m. game. Students can bring their own lunch (no hard containers allowed). Groups are responsible for their own transportation to the event.

Download an event flyer. Fill out this form to request tickets.
 
SDSU Girls and Women in Sports Day
Students get autographs, take pictures, and receive playing and training tips from Aztec women athletes and coaches on this one-day, all-sports clinic taking place Feb. 8.

The event starts at 11:30 a.m. with opportunities for students to interact with SDSU women student-athletes. Immediately following, the Aztecs play the Air Force, with tip-off at 1 p.m. The game is followed by an autograph session with the team. Email communications@sdcoe.net to request tickets.

San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative Releases Data Report
The San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative recently released The State of Childhood Obesity In San Diego County: Supplemental Data Report 2019. The new report indicates that 34% of children in San Diego County are considered overweight or obese. It also indicates that disparities exist among diverse racial, ethnic, and economic groups. These results show a slight decrease from 36% in 2005 but illustrate that there is still more work to be done. Educators are encouraged to take a look at the data for your school and determine actions that can be done systematically that may include physical education, health education, food service, wellness policies and implementation, opportunities for physical activity, healthy fundraising/incentives, and more. For more information, visit www.sdcoi.org.
New Field at Gage Elementary Dedicated to Cindi Elrod
On Nov. 14, officials from San Diego Unified School District and the City of San Diego dedicated the new field at Gage Elementary School in honor of an amazing physical educator: Cindi Elrod. Throughout Cindi’s impressive career, she used heart, creativity, and a positive attitude to inspire thousands of students and hundreds of physical educators. Now, her name and legacy will live on at the school where she made a difference in the lives of so many. 
Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.