Mind, Body & Spirit Newsletter

Our Department oversees Districtwide health and physical education instruction. In addition, we strive to seek out partnerships based on our community needs. The department seeks to develop mind, body, and spirit; while supporting a positive and active lifestyle.

Hello Health & Physical Education Teachers,

We had a great time seeing everyone at Curriculum Day! We began our 2023-2024 school year with high expectations and a growth mindset. You will see through our newsletter the highlights of some of our many campuses demonstrating high-quality instruction. As we reviewed last year's assessment data for student learning, our goal is to utilize assessments and/or collect data for the learning happening in our classes daily or weekly.

We also want to take this time and tell you how important your work is with our children. First, you set the example for creating the culture to help increase academic performance for our children. Second, you are educating, building awareness, creating confidence, and increasing knowledge through static and dynamic movement. These create a whole child education for the mind, body, and spirit.

Please make sure you are checking your Google Classroom every Monday & Friday. We will be posting assignments, materials, or resources for you to utilize.

Raul Salazar

The majority of questions you may have will be answered in the FAQ. If you do not see your question in the FAQ, please visit your Google Classroom under "Classwork" to see if your question can be answered. If both of these areas does not address your question or questions, please contact our department.

Our 50/50 PD Day offers morning and afternoon sessions in-person and virtually to empower you to curate a learning journey that suits your preferences and schedule. As an embodiment of the district's unwavering commitment to Always Learning, this unique blend ensures you stay at the forefront of pedagogical advancements and best practices. Join us in fostering a dynamic community of educators dedicated to evolving together. Let's embark on this transformative adventure and celebrate the joy of always learning.

Catalog

We all know creating an environment of safety for our children is the fundamental concept for student learning. We have Huppertz Elementary reviewing their non-verbal communication cues such as restroom, water, and question signals.

Through our content objective, we must utilize visuals and vocabulary to support children's success. Here we have our teachers demonstrating how they use chart paper to create visuals for our children.

During the first week of school, our teacher at Barkley-Ruiz assessed her children. She then assigned leadership roles to reward her children and maximize instructional time.

Here we have one of our teachers from Twain Dual Academy utilizing verbal cues to maximize instructional time. He also created a space for structured conversations to increase academic vocabulary.

Here we have Neal Elementary's teacher demonstrating how visuals can help support vocabulary in reviewing class expectations and content objectives.

At YWLA Primary we have our teacher utilizing a sentence strip chart to build a word wall to support the content objective and build on academic vocabulary.

SAISD Fitness Assessment

Please remember to utilize the FitnessGram presentation to assist you in creating structured unit refinement stations to maximize instructional time and increase MVPA during test implementation.

• During week one of testing, you will assess aerobic capacity utilizing the PACER test and for flexibility utilizing the Shoulder Stretch test. Enter the data into the SAISD Fitness Site no later than September 8th.
• During week two of testing, you will assess for muscular endurance and muscular strength utilizing the Push Up test, and assess for muscular strength and flexibility utilizing the Trunk Lift test. Enter the data into the SAISD Fitness Site no later than September 15th.
• During week three of testing, you will assess Body Mass Index for height and weight and assess muscular strength and endurance utilizing the Curl Up test. Enter the data into the SAISD Fitness Site no later than September 22nd.

Remember to assist students with setting SMART goals and provide them with specific constructive feedback to assist them in achieving Healthy Fitness Zone goals for MOY and EOY testing. If your schedule changes at any time, we need to be notified.

Rightsizing

On June 20, 2023, the San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees brought forward and approved a resolution calling for a study of school-building capacity for the purpose of supporting thriving schools, classrooms, students, teachers, and school leaders. The result of the study may lead to restructuring, or "rightsizing," school sites to better serve students. Rightsizing may involve closing school buildings, co-locating schools to the same campus, or consolidating multiple schools into one school. Recommendations from the study, if approved by the Board, will go into effect for the 2024-2025 School Year.

One page Overview

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

Reducing the Risk and Draw the Line/Respect the Line is an evidence-based curriculum that promotes abstinence by providing students in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9-12 with the knowledge and skills to prevent HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy. Please remember that these Programs are an Active Consent (attached). This means only students who have signed consent can participate. You will be sending the consent forms twice to help capture more students. Look at the link below for the steps for a successful implementation with fidelity.

Process TP3 Programs

Consent Form English

Consent Form Spanish

Access to Google Files

Please make sure that you are signed into your SAISD.NET email account in order to view our files. If you need to utilize a file or template, you must click on FILE, then click on MAKE A COPY.

Bienestar

Please ensure that all students, Kindergarten-8th grade students are receiving instruction utilizing the Bienestar Curriculum please refer to the Health YAGs/control panels. This year, students in 4th and 7th grade will be participating in the pre and post-tests.

Physical Education

• Lessons should be taught every day

• Build Lessons that teach grade-level standards and include Health-Related Fitness Components (aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance)

• There should be no Aerobic days or FitnessGram days

• Formal and informal assessments should be done throughout the unit.

• Sideline work

• Lesson closures

• Assess students in each unit

Health Education

• Build Lessons that teach grade-level standards and have MVPA(Incorporate physical activity into your lessons)
• Formal and informal assessments should be done throughout the unit.

• Lesson closures

• Lessons should be taught one day of the week

• Assess students after the lesson

Warm-up videos/ skill videos/ just dance

• Should not be used as busy work

• Teachers should be providing feedback and correcting exercise form

• Scaffold into the learning target to prepare your lesson

• Use this for modeling the exercise, activity, etc.

• Build leadership of students leading warm-up

• make a list of cues for skills

• Model for students and have students model

Structured conversations

• at the end of the lesson to review objective

• use randomizing and rotating to call on students

Classroom Expectations

• Respect the speaker
• Use equipment safely
• Keep hands and feet to yourself
• Traveling safely during activities and transitions

Pacing Guide Alignment

• Importance of following Instructional Approaches

• Content Objectives

How can you be featured in the next newsletter?

Here is a list of 5 Look Fors that we want to see as we go and visit your campus.

1. Learning Targets/Content Objectives/Objectives are visible for our children to see during the lesson. This helps identify what our children should know and be able to do at the end of the lesson.

2. Pacing and Maximizing Instructional Time will ensure that there is no downtime and that our children are actively engaged in learning at all times. All transitions should be quick so that instructional time is maximized and every second counts. Utilize a timer throughout the components of a lesson to support appropriate pacing and maximize instructional time.

3. Check for Understanding should occur throughout each phase of the teaching cycle, not just at the end of a lesson or unit of work. It involves us continually verifying that our children are learning what is being taught while it is being taught. For example, throughout the lessons having them explain how they knew what strategy to use to solve the problem or answer the question. Inspect what you expect. Set the expectations, hold them accountable and they will either meet them or surpass them. Remember to close your class to recall what they have learned.

4. MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity) at minimum 50% of the class time all our children are moving in MVPA

5. Assessing Students- Make sure that you are assessing students weekly on understanding the movements, concepts, skills, or strategies for our MVPA in Health & Physical Education.

Google Classroom

We will be actively using Google Classroom. The Curriculum Overview which allows you to locate the Pacing Guide, Year at A Glance, Week by Week instruction in the Control Panel, is located under Action Required. Be sure to complete action required items. We will post material for FitnessGram, CHEF, Bienestar, DTL/RTR, and Professional Development opportunities.

• Google Classroom Tutorial is available here.

Safety

If you have any concerns about your campus, please be sure to contact your campus custodian, secretary, or principal on how to submit a work order. Make sure to document the safety concern and the work order number. Make sure you follow through on the work order status in a timely manner to keep you and our students safe. Here are some examples of safety issues: AC or Heater not working, tile floors coming off the floor, water fountains not working, etc.

Please make sure you follow your campus safety procedures, such as keeping doors closed and locked at all times.

Conference Hours

Need assistance with lesson planning, utilizing instructional strategies, or Google Classroom? Please contact us at rsalazar@saisd.net or ksalinas3@saisd.net. Be sure to include:

1. Your first and last name

2. Phone number to reach you

3. What do you need support with?

4. What day/time do you have your conference period?

Core Beliefs:

• Every student can learn and achieve at high levels.
  
• We are responsible for the education and safety of every student.
  
• We are responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the school system.
  
• Everyone should be treated with respect.
  
• People support what they help create.
  

Email: rsalazar@saisd.net
Website: www.saisd.net
Location: 514 West Quincy Street, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: (210)554-2540
Twitter: @SAISDHealthPE