2012 Update
Jenna Thomas
and Thomas Notte, All Star Teachers 2009
Since our selection as All Star Teachers in
2009, the Bedminster Township Public School’s PFA program
has developed immensely as we have adopted and implemented the
core beliefs of Project Fit America: every student should have
the opportunity to be active, fit, and healthy. The lesson plans
and hands-on teaching strategies that we have received from PFA
has provided us with the means to raise the bar of the Physical
Education program at the Bedminster Township School.
The Physical Education staff has incorporated
and modified numerous cup activities to meet the needs of our K-8
students. For example, during October, our regional PFA Bedminster
Physical Education Conference, the Bedminster Physical Education
staff was apprised of various modifications to the activity, “The Tallest Tower.” Since this time,
we have altered and improved upon our instructional practice for
this exercise by replacing the “face off” dice rolling
with the following tasks:
• 1st & 2nd grade students
play rock paper scissors
• 5th- 8th grade students participate in stations from
10 dollar bone
In addition, during our Fitness Unit we have
replaced our relay timed races with the Shuttle Cup Run Challenge.
During the Shuttle Cup Run Challenge, the top 12 finalists and
the top three over all winners are recognized by having their names
displayed on the Physical Education bulletin boards. We feel that
this positive reinforcement both encourages students to perform
to their optimum potential while simultaneously encouraging healthy
competition. Furthermore, we believe that displaying our students’ achievements
in a public setting improves the morale of all involved.
The core values and philosophy of Project Fit
America extends beyond the classroom at Bedminster Township Public
School. For example, the Physical Education staff assist in facilitating
the district’s
extra-curricular athletic program by coaching and organizing a host
of physical fitness programs such as the Ski & Board Club. This
particular club is well subscribed and sought after by the student
body. Student participants enjoy skiing at the Shawnee Ski Resort
in Pennsylvania where they learn the necessary skills associated
with the sport of skiing and boarding. This club is supervised by
Bedminster Township School’s Physical Education/ National PFA
All Star instructors.
The district’s Physical Education staff serves in a dual role
as both classroom instructors and after-school coaches. Physical
Education teachers/coaches make every attempt to reinforce what is
taught on the “field” by integrating it into classroom
instruction. This is evident in how Physical Education students are
permitted to utilize the school’s soccer field, weather permitting,
to refine their soccer skills. In the event of inclement weather,
Physical Education teachers conduct indoor soccer battle ball competitions
in the gymnasium. This overlap of classroom instruction and after-school
organized sports is what truly makes the district’s Physical
Education program unique and innovative.
Bedminster Township School students are exposed
to a plethora of physical fitness programs associated with Project
Fit America, including but not limited to: American Heart Association
Jump Rope for Heart; the National Club, Girls on the Run, Shuttle
Cup Run Relays, “Beat
the Ball Covey Style”, Progressive Aerobic Bowling, and Bedminster
Township school’s very own $10 Mr. Potato Head. The Physical
Education staff is also presently exploring the idea of implementing
an Indoor Battle Soccer Ball after-school club, modeled after the
program currently offered at the Jefferson Elementary School in North
Carolina.
For the 2011-2012 school year, the Bedminster
Township School’s
Physical Education staff also implemented the “Work Out Wednesday” program
for all middle school students. This consists of four different physical
fitness activities that students are required to participate in on
a weekly/monthly basis. We have committed to dedicating one week
of every month to our PFA program by utilizing the following PFA
instructional programs and strategies: $10 bone, tallest tower, shuttle
run cup challenge.
As educators, we are persistent in our efforts
to instill and promote cardiovascular activities into our students’ daily lives. This
educational vision derived from our original Professional Learning
Community goal of using student data to track and monitor progress.
One example of how we utilized student performance data to make informed
decisions is how we analyze and record our students’ pre- and
post-trial performance on the mile run. After gathering this data,
we were able to evaluate our students increase/decrease in cardiovascular
endurance. Once we presented our students with the data gleaned,
they were tremendously motivated to beat their personal performance
time(s) from the previous year. We have also applied this same practice
to students’ performance on Work Out Wednesday. As a result,
we have noticed that the students are making great efforts to improve
their personal times.
In closing, the Physical Education Department at the Bedminster
Township School takes great pride in persistently seeking ways to
improve our craft by working collaboratively with other school districts
and organizations that share our common belief. It would be a pleasure
and a privilege to have Master Teacher Steve Cox visit our school
for an advanced session to support our vision and goals for program
development. As educators we are continually learning and growing
and are open- minded to new suggestions and ideas. That is the beauty
of our profession as it is constantly evolving. If selected by Mr.
Cox, we would greatly appreciate his assistance and expertise in
further developing our physical fitness program.
We thank you for your time and consideration and look forward to
hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Jenna Thomas & Thomas Notte
