VCSC Health/Physical Education Page

New Physical Education Standards - The Vigo County School Corporation physical education teachers at all grade levels will work during the summer of 2006, as they complete the year of textbook adoptionand curriculum revision. The standards have been revised by the Indiana Department of Education to serve as a resource to guide schools and teachers in the development of sound instructional practices, curriculum, and assessment. The Indiana standards are based upon seven national standards from the National Association of Sport and Physical Education document. Sample indicators for the standards and action shot examples are included from the IDOE. Besides these updated state standards, our VCSC teachers will add new sections to the curriculum guide which include "best practices" for physical education, writing prompts for physical education, and instruction and assessment activities.

Skill development and development of physical fitness are often the primary program emphasis in K-12 physical education. Historically, these two purposes have been separate focal points where programs only emphasized one or the other. In our new standards, more emphasis is being placed on the critical importance of both. Efforts are underway across the country to integrate skill and fitness instruction. The new standards point out that students need to develop competence in a variety of motor skills, to acquire the confidence in their adeptness at participating in skill-related and fitness-related activities, and to find personal meaning and purpose through their physical activity involvement in order to make the choice to stay physically active.

Technology in Physical Education - Regarding new developments in physical education curriculum, technology has become an important component as heart rate monitors are being utilized by many physical education teachers to assess children's fitness levels. The use of computers to track student performance and to collect data, the development of physical education web sites, and student portfolios are just a few other technology-related activities being used.

Equalizer Equipment - Another exciting aspect of the physical education program is the inclusion of the Equalizer, a piece of equipment designed for students with physical disabilities created by Dan Raubuck and Bruce Lautenschlager. Dan and Bruce, faculty members at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, have created this piece of equipment that affords special education students more participation and flexibility in physical education activities. Dan and Bruce have donated four Equalizers to the corporation that will be located at Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

Dance Activities for Physical Education - Many thanks to Dave Hoffa, physical education teacher at Honey Creek Middle School, for conducting a districtwide in-service about dance for our teachers and for providing dance activities to share with other teachers. Dance is an important component of the curriculum at all levels, and the in-service ideas were helpful to all!

Indiana High School Tennis Hall of Fame - Congratulations to Jim Cook, physical education teacher at Rio Grande Elementary School and Varsity Tennis Coach for Terre Haute North Vigo High School! Mr. Cook was inducted as a coach into the Indiana High School Tennis Hall of Fame on February 25, 2000, at Indianapolis. He debuted as a varsity tennis coach for the West Vigo boys team in 1975, then added the West Vigo girls team in 1988. In 1992, he started coaching varsity tennis at Terre Haute North Vigo High School. When Mr. Cook isn't teaching physical education at Rio Grande Elementary (where he's been since 1971) or coaching North's players, he stays busy by being a part-time teaching pro at the Wabash Valley Tennis Club, he's president of the Terre Haute Junior Tennis Association (which includes over 600 children), and he also plays in U.S. Tennis Association-sanctioned tournaments. Mr. Cook was on the board of the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association as a treasurer for five years. Being inducted into the Indiana High School Tennis Hall of Fame is the highest honor that any high school coach can receive.

IAHPERD State Conference - Congratulations also to Dave Hoffa and Lisa Davis, physical education teachers at Honey Creek Middle School. They have been invited to be presenters at the IAHPERD State Conference in for the past several years. Physical education teachers from the states of Indiana and Illinois participate in this conference. It is an honor to be invited as presenters for this prestigious physical education state conference.

Health – Health Education continues to be a very important part of the curriculum. Through the Coordinated School Health Program initiative, funded by the American Cancer Society, the Vigo County School Corporation has been granted the opportunity to review the coordinated health system of our schools, and identify areas of strength and challenge. The CORE Committee consists of Valarie Bailey, Assistant to the Director of Student Services; Pam Cox, Chairperson of the School Nurses; Donna Mahan, Food Services Director; and Holly Pies, Curriculum Coordinator for Health Education. The CSHP initiative provides the funding to train the CORE team how to implement a CSHP in Vigo County. Six of our schools have become pilot sites for this initiative, and have identified a variety of health initiatives in their buildings.