Category: Health & Physical Ed

The 2021 DON’T QUIT! Campaign Deadline EXTENDED!

One more week to sign up to be in the running for a $100,000 School Fitness Center

The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) 2021 DON’T QUIT! Campaign has been extended to March 26th! There is now an additional week to sign up or be nominated.

A nomination puts schools in the running for a $100,000 Fitness Center that will be awarded to three Maine schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness to help them construct fitness centers. All public and public charter elementary and middle schools in Maine who have a majority of students between the ages of 8 to 14 years old and an available room ready for equipment installation by June 2021 within their existing infrastructure are eligible to apply.

Three schools in each state, prioritized based on need, will be chosen from applicants by NFGFC to receive a brand new, state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center.

The school nomination form and more information about the program can be found here: https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/

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 in the United States.

Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life, and reduce health care costs.  In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism, and fosters better interpersonal relationships.

School nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 26, 2021. Maine people interested in nominating their school can visit  https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/ and click on the Maine state seal to download and submit the short application.

PRIORITY NOTICE: One More Week to Sign up for a FREE School Fitness Center

DON’T QUIT!® Campaign Will Deliver $100,000 Fitness Centers to Three Maine Schools

The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) 2021 DON’T QUIT! Campaign will end on Friday March 19, 2021 leaving one more week for schools to sign up or be nominated.

A nomination puts schools in the running for a $100,000 Fitness Center that will be awarded to three Maine schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness to help them construct fitness centers.All public and public charter elementary and middle schools in Maine who have a majority of students between the ages of 8 to 14 years old and an available room ready for equipment installation by June 2021 within their existing infrastructure are eligible to apply.

Three schools in each state, prioritized based on need, will be chosen from applicants by NFGFC to receive a brand new, state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center.

The school nomination form and more information about the program can be found here: https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/

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 in the United States.

Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life, and reduce health care costs.  In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism, and fosters better interpersonal relationships.

School nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 19, 2021. Maine people interested in nominating their school can visit  https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/ and click on the Maine state seal to download and submit the short application.

PRIORITY NOTICE: There is Still Time to Nominate Maine Schools to Win a New Fitness Center

Maine has been selected to participate in the 2021 DON’T QUIT! Campaign, a national effort to encourage physical fitness in youth. As part of the campaign, the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) will gift Fitness Centers to three Maine schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness to help them construct fitness centers. Read the 2/8 DON’T QUIT! Campaign announcement here.

All public and public charter elementary and middle schools in Maine who have a majority of students between the ages of 8 to 14 years old and an available room ready for equipment installation by June 2021 within their existing infrastructure are eligible to apply. Three schools in each state, prioritized based on need, will be chosen from applicants by NFGFC to receive a brand new, state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center.

Download Application to Nominate a Maine School

Learn more information about the program.

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 in the United States.

Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life, and reduce health care costs.  In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism, and fosters better interpersonal relationships.

School nominations will be accepted starting today, Monday, February 8, 2021 until Friday, March 19, 2021. Maine people interested in nominating their school can visit  https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/ and click on the Maine state seal to download and submit the short application.

More information about the program can be found here.

Oak Hill High School Honors Student Nominated for The Congress of Future Medical Leaders

Kyleigh Hyde, a Junior at Oak Hill High School of Wales has been nominated to be a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields and aims to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country interested in these careers, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Kyleigh’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Maine based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.

Kyleigh is slated to join students from across the country for a two day event in March to hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

Some of the services and programs the Academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and much more.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was founded to identify prospective medical talent at the earliest possible age and help them acquire the necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of this vital career by offering free services and programs to students who want to become physicians or go into medical science.. For more information visit http://www.FutureDocs.com or call 617-307-7425.

MEDIA RELEASE: Bonny Eagle Middle School Nurse Named 2020/2021 School Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) recently announced that Donna Jordan from Bonny Eagle Middle School is the 2020/2021 Maine School Nurse of the Year. This award acknowledges a member of the MASN who demonstrates excellence in school nursing practice, and leadership in the profession.

“Our School Nurses are true heroes, and work tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of everyone in their school community,” said Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin. ” Congratulations to Mrs. Jordan on this tremendous honor, in a time that is so very demanding of school nurses in particular.”

Mrs. Jordan started her school nursing career 15 years ago at Bonny Eagle Middle School and continues to work there today. She is a trusted medical figure within her middle school community – not just among students, but also among staff. She has been described by one colleague as the “staple health professional” in a building of over 800 students and 100 staff members. Her school principal describes her as “a true professional who brings all she is to her position.”

In her career at Bonny Eagle Middle School, Mrs. Jordan has worked tirelessly as a champion for multiple causes. Her influence at the school and within the district is seen through committee appointments at the local and state level, in her training and educational roles, and as the recipient of several funded grants. She maintains professional membership in both the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and the Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) and has served on the board of MASN for the past five years as treasurer. As one supporter stated, “she is a natural born leader…perceptive, caring, extremely bright, and always willing to go the extra mile for her school children and for her peers.”

“I am so proud of the way school nurses have taken on the incredible challenges of the Coronavirus,” added Makin. “Their knowledge, experience, and grace has been vital to the emergency preparedness partnerships in Maine schools across the state.”

For more information about past School Nurses of the Year, or how to nominate someone in your school community, visit the MASN website.

 

Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey Administration Postponed

Dear Superintendents and Principals,

The Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) has been conducted in the February of odd-numbered years since 2009, with the next administration due in February 2021. Given the extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MIYHS will be postponed to Fall 2021. With a significant portion of students learning remotely in some capacity, high quality data collection is not feasible for the 2020-2021 academic year. Postponing the survey will reduce the burden on schools and increase the chances of securing high quality data on students’ mental, physical, social, and emotional health.

We ask for your help in making the fall 2021 MIYHS successful by registering to participate early. Our partner, Pan Atlantic Research, will send out Fall 2021 registration information this winter. We are also excited to announce that select schools will have the option to conduct their surveys online next fall! Please stay tuned for more information.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jean Zimmerman at jean.zimmerman@maine.gov or Korey Pow at korey.pow@maine.gov.

Free and Simple Motor Break Activates for Maine Schools

Team Long Run has some great free programs for Maine schools this fall. Knowing that kids are less distractible after even just a short amount of moderate-intensity activity, Team Long Run has developed two fun programs that are free to Maine schools and aim to help teachers get their classes back in the “learning zone.”

Sizzle and Pop is an in-class desk-side activity series that gets kids energized and focused in just a few minutes. It’s a fun, quick, and simple motor break: https://www.videos.teamlongrun.org/t/sizzle-and-pop

Recess Run Club is a 15 minute activity that gives kids a “mask break” and a chance to get outside and move! Teachers take their class outside to run (or walk!) around an established observable loop for just enough time to reset focus and “get the wiggles out.”  https://www.teamlongrun.org/recess-run-club

Get in touch with us at teamlongrun.org for advice and/or downloadable support materials.

Team Long Run Provides Free Programs to Keep Kids Physically Active all Summer

Team Long Run, a non-profit organization that supports active play for kids, has a series of free programs they have developed and are distributing to schools, community organizations, and families who are trying to help kids stay active and fit during a time when many summer programs have been disrupted by COVID-19.

Getting Started Running Program – is a free, online training program made for kids 12 and up. It’s designed by Team Long Run founder Chuck Wilcoxen, who has 18 years of experience coaching running at the university level and holds Olympic-level certifications from the IAAF and USATF. The program features daily videos which outline the exercises for the day, and lasts for 8 weeks. The program can be accessed here. This program also comes with a series of printable worksheets available on the Team Long Run website.

Active Play for Any Age – a series of videos, in which Chuck and some of Team Long Run’s participants demonstrate activities that are perfect for the younger crowd. The program can be accessed here.

Thank you to schools, educators and anyone who can help spread the word about these no-cost options for keeping kids physically active while they stay physically distanced this summer.

For further questions about Team Long Run or these programs, please visit https://www.teamlongrun.org/ or contact Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen, Director of Mission Advancement, Team Long Run at hilary@teamlongrun.org.

 

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 MAHPERD Teacher of the Year Awards

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Teacher of the Year awards.

Maine educators in the following categories are eligible for consideration:

  • Elementary Physical Education Teacher,
  • Middle Level Physical Education Teacher
  • Secondary Physical Education Teacher
  • Adapted Physical Education Teacher
  • Health Education Teacher (All levels)
  • Recreation Teacher/Leader, and Dance Teacher

There are many deserving teachers throughout the State of Maine and MAHPERD would like to be able to recognize more of those individuals.

Click here for more information regarding eligibility, nomination criteria and to access the nomination form. Nominations are due by May 30th  and completed applications are due by June 30th.

For more information contact Liz Hemdal at mahperdawards@gmail.com, MAHPERD Awards chairperson, before May 30th.

MSAD1 School Nurses Among 1st to Complete Vision Certification Course

The Prevent Blindness Children’s Vision Screening Certification Course provides participants with a 3-year, nationally recognized certificate based on current national guidelines and best practices on evidence-based vision screening tools and procedures for school- and preschool-aged children.

The MSAD 1 school nurses are among the first cohort in the State of Maine to participate. The Maine Department of Education is providing access to this course for 125 nurses in 2019-20 school year and will do the same in 2020-21 with the goal of ensuring high quality vision screening for our children in Maine.