Kayla McGee Named MAHPERD High School Health Education Teacher of the Year

Kayla McGee, a High School Health Education Teacher at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris has been named the the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) 2021 High School Health Education Teacher of the Year Award.

Kayla provides learning opportunities that are authentic, appropriate, and relevant to her students. She has been transitioning to an emphasis on teaching skills vs. content that is directly correlated to the MLR and National Standards. She connects often with teacher coaches, teachers working with multilingual students, special educators, school counselors, and school nurses to make sure all students can access materials.

Teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed Kayla to create more innovative learning experiences and use a variety of teaching methodologies that she may not have otherwise. She creates learning opportunities that are real life experiences as well as fun and engaging. Kayla uses multiple learning platforms, communication tools, and assessments that meet the needs of all students regardless of their abilities, skills, or experiences in order to be successful in the health curriculum.

Kayla connects with her students by serving as a positive role model, sharing her love of physical activity and healthy eating, as well as acknowledging her own personal and family challenges. This has built trusting relationships with students, allowing them to share their own thoughts and journeys.

Kayla promotes an emphasis on seeking help and support through therapy, mindfulness, and general coping skills, and she is passionate about breaking down the stigma around mental health and substance use disorders.

She has served on the Maine AHPERD Board in a variety of positions since 2015. While at Lewiston, she presented social emotional learning activities to district staff and also worked closely with the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey coordinator to ensure that students and staff understood the importance of the data collected. Kayla believes that a comprehensive approach to health education is a crucial part of students’ educational learning.

Perhaps the highest praise of all comes from students, and one of Kayla’s shared the following: “Mrs. McGee is one of the greatest health teachers I’ve had. She found a way to educate students on topics like drugs, mental health and different methods of birth control, without ever making it awkward for students. Mrs. McGee is a personable, passionate and fun teacher who takes the time to get to know each of her students, while still educating them.”

Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Honor Awards are presented to MAHPERD members in recognition of their excellence to their profession by demonstrating outstanding dedication to their students and profession. To learn more about MAHPERD visit maineahperd.org.

Heather Geoghan Named MAHPERD High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Heather Geoghan, a High School Physical Education Teacher at Greely High School in Cumberland, has been named the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) 2021 High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year.

Heather works to ensure that students are learning all aspects of the program, and hopefully much more than movement skills, game strategy, and fitness concepts. She covers the SHAPE America learning standards in each class, teaching a wide variety of motor skills and movement patterns as well as allowing students ample opportunity to practice these skills.

Heather has updated the physical education program to allow students to choose from a wide variety of offerings, allowing them to try something new or expand on current knowledge in a specific area of interest to them. Students consistently share with Heather how surprised they are that they were able to make significant gains during the semester.

One of her main goals is for students to leave the semester with adequate knowledge and a toolbox of minimal or no-equipment workouts that they can create and continue on their own after class ends. One of Heather’s general class expectations focuses on student’s attitude, effort, and inclusion of all. She works hard to ensure that the gym, field, track, pool, and court are a places that all students feel comfortable and welcome. She firmly believes that classroom management and the environment comes from the tone set from the teacher.

In response to the pandemic, Heather created an entire curriculum through Google Classroom, in which students were able to successfully complete assignments at home and demonstrate their work through data, photos, videos, and fitness log completion for each assignment. She collected over 20 GPS fitness trackers and watches from friends and community members who were willing to donate their devices so that students could track work at home.

Heather has demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect with young people, a keen and unique ability to develop and teach physical education curriculum, and an organized and detailed approach to schoolwide matters. She is an energetic and passionate teacher of physical education with a demonstrated focus on meeting students where they are, getting to know them, and setting expectations for them in collaboration with their interest, ability, and motivation.

Stacey Turkington Named MAHPERD Richard H. Bartlett Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Stacey Turkington, Adapted Physical Education at RSU 14 serving the Sebago Lakes communities of Windham and Raymond has received the the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) 2021 Richard H. Bartlett Adapted Physical Education (APE) Award.

Stacey has been providing adapted physical education for students for 17 of her 22 years with RSU 14. In these years she has thoughtfully prepared appropriate modification of traditional physical education (PE) activities and equipment adjustments for those with a disability so they can partake in the traditional PE classroom. Stacey has provided these services with genuine care and concern, all the while putting the student first.

Her nurturing approach was recently recognized when she was nominated anonymously for the annual Dr. Richard H. Bartlett Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. Between the anonymous recommendation and a letter of endorsement by Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoades of Windham Primary School, Stacey was chosen as this year’s winner.

“Countless learners from our district have benefitted from Stacey’s hard work and gentle touch,” Dr. Rhoades said in his letter. “When observing her with children, you know they want to work with her because of how she presents herself. Learners feel this confidence and grow from the safe feeling created.”

Stacey believes that being physically active is imperative to a student’s overall health and it is for this reason she puts heart and soul into her work – and into the students she works alongside.

To develop quality programs for her students, Stacey starts with observing a student ideally in their regular Physical Education class, at recess, with PT/OT therapists, and/or in their classroom. After reflection on the data collected, she shares her results with the student’s IEP team to determine the best program for each student. Stacey continually checks in to ensure the program developed is meeting the student’s needs and completes an assessment at the end of the year. While Stacey’s focus is quality APE programming, she doesn’t take credit for all her learners’ success because in her words “in the long run, it is actually a team approach.” Working with learners with disabilities involves so much more than just teaching. It involves a lot of human development research and medical advancements. Stacey is constantly learning new techniques and adding more and more tools to her toolbox.

“Running from school to school can take its toll and I must admit that there are challenging days,” says Stacey. “But it is the passion that keeps me going – that and the love for the kids. What I love the most about my job is that I have the pleasure of working with students from primary school to post-graduation. I get to work with most students from the age of 5 and watch them grow until the age of 21 when they age out of the program. It is an honor to work with these students and it is the most rewarding job EVER!”

Becki Belmore Receives MAHPERD Distinguished Leadership Award

Becki Belmore is this year’s recipient of the MAHPERD Distinguished Leadership Award. Becki teaches Physical Education and Adapted Physical Education at Greely Middle School in MSAD 51, serving students in Cumberland and North Yarmouth. Nominated by a peer, the Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes a person’s excellence in their profession and commitment to the MAHPERD association.

Her administration speaks very highly of Becki and says that she is student focused and a fierce advocate for our students with special needs and their programming. She has an extensive understanding of the continuum of motor skill development and successfully engages with families and community partners.

Becki has been awarded two MAHPERD Teacher of the Year awards in the past, Elementary Physical Education and Adapted Physical Education and she is a National Board Certified Teacher, one of a very small cohort in Maine.

Here are just a few of her many accomplishments:

She is an active member of the Maine APE Task Force serving as the liaison to the MAHPERD board.
Highly involved in APE advocacy – working with the Maine Parent Federation, and directly with Maine’s Director of Special Education, National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID)
Collaborator on the Adapted Physical Education information document
Collaborator on the State of Maine DOE Q & A document for APE
MAHPERD conference presentations
- APE sessions
- Physical education sessions
- Member of the Steering Committee for Update of Maine’s Physical Education Standards

Free Virtual Workshop Series: Building an Active and Engaging Recess & School Culture

This workshop series is sponsored by MCD Public Health’s Healthy Kids Healthy Future Program in partnership with Maine CDC, Maine DOE, and Let’s Go!

Playworks is excited to offer a free virtual workshop series, Building an Active and Engaging Recess & School Culture, starting November 18th to Maine schools.

We all know it’s more essential than ever that students feel safe within their school community, are supported by adult role models, and have access to positive outlets for physical activity and social emotional development.

In each of these critical areas, Playworks brings validated best practices developed over 25 years to Maine educators.

Join with a team of educators from your community for interactive virtual workshops and access to 50+ online learning modules to help build an active and engaging recess all through PlayworksU!

The Playworks Workshop Series will be held virtually November 18th and December 2nd from 3:30 – 5:30pm.

Registration is limited! Sign your team up here.

For more information and resources, visit the eventbrite page or contact Dawn Lavallee, Playworks New England Partnership Director, at dawn.lavallee@playworks.org or contact jean.zimmerman@maine.gov for more information.

FREE Active Play Programs for Classrooms from Team Long Run

It has been well proven that physical activity throughout the school day helps students with learning, and improves their overall mental and physical health. As an example, Team Long Run has partnered with some new Title 1 elementary schools in Western Maine and the Lakes Region to create some great active play programs for classrooms and curriculum. Check them out here:

Sizzle & Pop – a “by the desk” activity for kids
Recess run club – Twenty minutes of physical activity during a day works magic.

For further information or questions, contact Team Long Run.

Middle School Student Resources on Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability

The Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council has provided a new “Fuel Up to Play 60 Learning Plan” which offers classroom lessons to help middle school students discover more about staying active and healthy, being mindful, and pitching in to the make the planet greener.

Each set includes lessons, educator resources, and different student activities/assignments, and will:

Focus on agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Emphasize STEM learning, including Health, Science, Agriculture and SEL (social emotional learning) topics.
Align with national standards for grades 6-8 in science, social emotional learning, and health education.
Incorporate a high degree of individual goal-setting, responsible decision-making, and mindfulness.

These particular lessons, Farmers Fuel The World, discuss agricultural-related careers, environmental stewardship and sustainable food systems.

For more information, please contact: Catherine Hoffman, School Programs Manager, Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council / Maine Dairy Promotion Board, catherine@drinkmainemilk.org or 207-287-3621

WinterKids Winter Games 2022 – Applications Open Until October 31

The 5th annual WinterKids Winter Games are happening January 17-February 11, 2022 and they are going to be BIGGER than ever!

This 4-week competition is open to all PreK-8 schools in Maine. WinterKids will select one school per county (a total of 16 schools will compete for cash prizes) based on each school’s online application. Schools will compete in physical activity and nutrition challenges, working to accrue points to win GOLD! The theme this year is the Winter Games—our version of Olympic competition.

Early in December, each selected school will receive a comprehensive toolkit filled with PLAYBooks and weekly incentives for every student. Teacher packets will include the scoring rubric, community resource list, and supplies and materials necessary to complete the challenges.

Don’t worry, if your school is not selected, because EVERYONE will be able to play along at home or at school in our Play-Along Track for chances to win weekly prizes!

Week 1 schools will engage in physical activity challenges.
Week 2 is all about nutrition.
Week 3 the rest of the family gets involved because family engagement is the focus.
Week 4 the competition wraps up with an all-school winter carnival!

The winning school will earn a gold medal cash prize of $10,000. Silver earns $7,500 and the bronze medal school will receive a check for $5000. WinterKids is offering cash prizes to all 16 schools!

To learn more about the Winter Games (we have a Play-Along Track for individual classrooms or homeschool families) or to apply to compete, go to https://winterkids.org/winter-games/

Don’t Delay! The application is open until October 31.

For more information, contact WinterKids at 207.871.5700.

Notice of Concussion Workgroup (LD 104)

As directed by L.D. 104, An Act to Protect the Health of Student Athletes by Requiring the Department of Education to Report on the Incidence of Concussions which was signed into law by Governor Mills on March 17, 2021, the Department of Education’s Concussion Workgroup is expanding its work. The law requires that the Department work with the Maine Principals’ Association to use existing or new collection methods in order to report on the incidence of concussion in Maine schools. The Department, together with the Maine Principals’ Association is pleased to continue working with the Maine Association of School Nurses and Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI) as the Concussion Workgroup. The recent directive from the Maine Legislature instructs the Department to report to the Education and Cultural Affairs Legislative Committee annually, beginning in January 2022, on any available data on the incidence of concussions sustained by student athletes in the state using existing or new data collection systems. The report must include recommendations on best practices for the collection of such data.

The Head Injury Tracker (HIT) was developed by MCMI 2013 with the goal of providing schools with an ability to identify high-risk activities for brain injuries by tracking patterns of concussions within their school systems. The HIT platform, available at no cost, provides schools with an easy, confidential, and secure method of collecting concussion data for their students. The HIT website serves many purposes including protecting the propriety and confidentiality of the data collected, providing a platform for reporting concussion data to the State, and potentially a tool for schools to compare their risk analysis with other schools throughout the state.

The HIT website was developed with the importance of concussion reporting in mind and can be easily implemented and utilized at all institutions throughout the state. The website allows for multiple individuals, not just the athletic trainer or school nurse, at a school to enter the data allowing for easy tracking and communication surrounding a student’s recovery. Additionally, the data collected from the HIT website can be used to detail the impact a head injury has on a student’s academic, athletic, and personal experiences. In order for us to identify the impact of concussion on students, we must collect data. As we learn more, we will work together in this ongoing effort to improve academic and social emotional outcomes for all students with head injuries.

The Concussion Workgroup looks forward to working together on this initiative with the understanding that this is a long-term effort to improve outcomes for students who experience head injury. Over the next several months you can expect to see more educational opportunities for school personnel on recognizing a head injury, documentation, and tracking with the Head Injury Tracker (HIT). We are working to develop a cadre of 25 schools that will work toward implementation in the fall of 2021, knowing that the larger goal is for all schools to participate.

For more information on concussion management in Maine schools please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/healthed/concussion

If you have questions about these efforts, please contact Emily.Poland@maine.gov .

MEDIA RELEASE: Three Maine Schools Win a Brand New $100K DON’T QUIT!® Fitness Center

Today, Governor Janet Mills and fitness icon Jake (Body by Jake) Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC), announced three Maine schools have won a state-of-the-art $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. The multi-million dollar DON’T QUIT! Campaign has selected Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School in Deer Isle, Gorham Middle School in Gorham and SeDoMoCha School in Dover-Foxcroft for new fitness centers in recognition of their commitment to the health of their students.

“The last year has proven just how important investing in the health of our students is to keeping our state strong,” said Governor Mills. “I congratulate these deserving schools on being selected to receive a state of the art fitness center and I thank them for their commitment to the health and well-being of Maine children. These centers would not be possible without the generosity of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils and Mr. Steinfeld and I thank them for their investment in the children of Maine.”

“We had an overwhelming response from elementary and middle schools throughout the great state of Maine. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of Governor Mills, who helped make this campaign a huge success by putting the health and well-being of children first,” said Mr. Steinfeld. “Three schools really embodied our mission of building a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world. I’m thrilled to announce that Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Gorham Middle School and SeDoMoCha School are all being awarded a brand new $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. Congratulations to all, we look forward to visiting these three schools during our ribbon cutting ceremonies this fall!”

Each fitness center is financed through public/private partnerships with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Wheels Up and Nike, and does not rely on taxpayer dollars or state funding. Fitness in Motion provides all the fitness equipment, which is manufactured right here in the United States. The foundation’s goal is to build a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world.

These state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Centers will be unveiled during ribbon cutting ceremonies this fall. This year, the NFGFC program will have completed 40 states and will make its way into all 50 states in the coming years.

For more information about the National Foundation, visit www.natgovfit.org.

###