SUHSD PE and Health Newsletter

Being reflective is hard. Pointing a mirror at our own teaching practice and having the rough edges and missing pieces reflected back in stark relief is an uncomfortable acknowledgement of the push for improvement that should be a driving force in all of us. Earned expertise can backslide into complacency when you're not paying attention, or when background noise and distraction makes deep consideration seem impossible. Reflecting with intention can catalyze fresh ideas, make them actionable, and realign our priorities in order to dampen the din that follows us around and draws us away from what matters. Consider trying something new in your teaching practice, mixing up your routines, stepping outside of your comfort zone and finding ways to engage with students that align with your priorities.

Need someplace to begin? Revisit the foundational frameworks that guide our instructional practice:

Quick Links: Health & Physical Education Frameworks

SUHSD PE/Health Shoutout:

Thanks to Amy Miranda at SYH and the entire RDR PE Department for hosting Induction Candidates at their sites in February and sharing their knowledge and expertise! 🙏

Quote to Ponder:

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” - Carl Bard

From Patsy Mink to Margaret Sanger to Bonnie Pruden, Health and Physical Education have been blessed by innovative and visionary women. Share their legacy with your students this month.

Physical Education

The Most Powerful, Most Influential, and Outstanding Women Currently in Sports.
Women's Sport Foundation
A History of Women in Sport Prior to Title IX
How Title IX Transformed Women's Sports
The Lack Of Women In Leadership In Sports Inspires The BreakThrough Summit

Health

Women in Public Health and Medicine
Celebrating 10 Women Medical Pioneers
Contributions of Women to Human Nutrition
Women Pioneers in Food Science
10 Women that Helped Change Psychology

Childhood obesity is rising rapidly. The rates of overweight and obese school-aged children have risen from four per cent in 1975 to almost 20 per cent in 2022. The rise is sharpest in low- and middle-income countries. Obesity in childhood often continues into adulthood, increasingly leading to other serious non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Concerningly, early signs of chronic conditions like heart disease are already appearing in children today.

Conversation Cards: Open up a dialogue with your students, share accurate information and push back on stigmas associated with obesity.

SOURCE: World Obesity Day

Liz Murphy, TUPE TOSA, is recruiting students to speak in support of strengthening the City of Chula Vista's Tobacco Retail License (TRL) ordinance and needs your help! Students can make a difference in our community and speak out for change at Chula Vista City Hall on Tuesday, March 17 @ 4:30PM.

Please consider sharing this presentation with your students, posting the flyer (click on image) in your classroom and personally recruiting those who are interested in participating.

Students who participate get community service hours!

Reach out to Liz if you have any questions.

The Basics:

• SUHSD Official Start Date is Monday, February 2.
  
• All students enrolled in Physical Education classes District-wide are expected to participate and be tested.
• The District will be using Data Insights for score reporting.
• Long-term P.E. substitutes will be given access to Data Insights and the ability to enter scores.
• Fitnessgram scores are included in every site's School Accountability Report Card (SARC).
• SUHSD Official End Date (All Scores Entered in Data Insights) is Friday, April 10.
  

Tips for Recording Scores, Entering Data and Saving Progress Using Data Insights:

• Access Data Insights here: https://datainsights.sweetwaterschools.org/php/login.php
• Review the Data Insights job aids below OR watch the YouTube video:
  • "Printing Rosters to Track PFT Scores"
    
  • "How to Input Physical Fitness Test (PFT) Scores in Data Insights"
• When entering scores in Data Insights, teachers must click Save Changes frequently. The system does not save automatically.
• Do not leave Data Insights open for extended periods without activity. If the window has been idle for more than five minutes, close it and reopen the application before continuing to enter scores.

From the CDE:

Physical Fitness Testing (PFT) protocols for 25-26 will be identical to those that were used in the 24-25 school year including:

• NOT collecting any data related to body composition (height, weight)
• NOT collecting age or gender data
• NOT using the Healthy Fitness Zones as defined by FITNESSGRAM
• Providing students with their personal fitness assessment scores
• Reporting the percentage of students who participate in each of the five required fitness assessments (aerobic capacity, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength and endurance, flexibility) so they may be included in the School Accountability Report Card

Teachers are encouraged to:

• Prompt students to “do their best” on each fitness assessment so that it is an accurate measurement of their current fitness
• Utilize grade-level standards to determine how PFT scores are utilized for students to set and achieve personal health and fitness goals
• Provide testing options that are not in front of peers as needed
• Protect student privacy
• Prioritize an emotionally safe environment to avoid bullying and/or body shaming

For more information, visit the CDE PFT Webpage.

Teenagers have different circadian rhythms than adults and experience "sleep phase delay" as they enter puberty. They're predisposed to stay up later in the evening and wake up later in the morning. How can we help ensure that they get their 8+ hours each night?

Daytime Tips for Teens:

1. Light: Get sunlight or bright light as soon as possible in the morning after waking up to boost your alertness during the day and help get deeper sleep at night.

2. Exercise: Exercise regularly for a deeper sleep. This can include participating in sports or other physical extracurricular activities for 30+ minutes a day.

3. Mealtimes: Eating meals at consistent times day after day can help your sleep. It may be tough given your active schedule. Whatever works for you for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, focus on being as consistent as you can. Actually, having a consistent schedule overall is great for sleep.

Nighttime Tips for Teens:

1. Avoid: Allow your mind and body to relax by avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. You may also want to avoid late-day or evening naps, because they can lessen your “drive” for sleep and make it harder to fall asleep when you want to at night. If you must, grab a short nap in the afternoon. It is also best to stay away from heavy meals before bed.

2. Wind-down: Use a consistent routine that relaxes you to help get the sleep you need each night. You could try meditation, listening to soothing music, dimming the lights, or reading a book. Try to commit to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. It’s doable with reminders and a regular routine. And it’s important to avoid excessive sleep-ins on weekends so you don’t have a difficult adjustment on Mondays when you’re back in action.

3. Environment: Create an optimal sleep environment by making your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. And, put those electronic devices away. Using screens in bed can be stimulating and can also turn your sleeping space into a cue to be awake rather than to sleep. It’s an unhealthy habit that’s hard to break.

SOURCE: National Sleep Foundation

Tchoukball (pronounced "chouk ball" with a silent "t" after the sound the ball makes when bouncing) was developed in Switzerland in the 1970s, and is most popular in Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan, but has become an international sport with national federations in over 60 countries. Teams of 7 face off in an indoor space with a small elastic rebounder on each end. Teams score by bouncing the ball against the rebounder and getting it to bounce on the floor of the court without being intercepted by the defending team. The sport was designed to limit injuries, and physical contact between players is prohibited.

Check out Gopher Sport's blog for details about how to play and info about equipment.

The video below also gives good rundown of gameplay in a PE setting. It's old but relevant. Check out the top comment. IYKYK.

Tired of the same old PACER Test? There are options aplenty to mix up your cadence and enhance student engagement. The Cooper Institute has official remixes that add some flair to the classic track that runs through all of our heads in the middle of the night every February. They also have Spanish language versions!

My personal favorite PACER cadence alternative comes from Zack Kauffman. He mines hip hop tracks from the late 2010s and also offers a dub step version from waaay out in left field. Check the playlists out on You Tube and squeeze an extra lap or two out of your students.

Cooper Institute PACER Test Remixes

Zack Kauffman PACER Test Alternatives

✅3/2/26: Read Across America Day

✅3/4/26: World Obesity Day

✅3/8/26: Daylight Savings Time Starts (set your clock forward 1 hour)

✅3/17/26: St. Patrick's Day

✅3/23/26 - 4/3/26: Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)

Here are some ways I can offer support:

• One-on-one PLC/Department visits to discuss your experiences and needs

• Curriculum support and where to find resources

• Strategies, tools and ideas to increase student engagement

• PD for your site and department goals

Email: daniel.schroeder@sweetwaterschools.org

Location: 1130 Fifth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911

Phone: (o) 619.585.4505 (c) 619.206.3107