NJAHPERD is off to a great 95th year of existence with the kick-off of our first Fall Conference. The Lake Conference this past weekend was attended by over 60 plus individuals. I attended on Saturday and throughout the day I observed a warm, cooperative, congenial, highly professional group of teachers and presenters. All the individuals present will now be able to go back to their individual schools and add new and innovative ideas or tweak those they already have in place for the benefit of a quality physical education program for their students. Truly this is what NJAHPERD is striving to help you with by giving you so many Professional Development opportunities this fall to choose from. I look forward to seeing you at the PD events we have planned for you all over the state:
Oct. 14th - Teach Dance in New Jersey - "Let's Dance NJ", Linden H.S., Linden
Oct. 29th - Adapted Health & Physical Education Conference - "Success for All Students", Special Olympics NJ Sports Complex, Lawrenceville
Oct 30th - (Just added) - Best Practices: Fitness Education/Fitnessgram Training Workshop, Paramus
Nov. 3rd - Future Professionals Workshop - East Brunswick H.S., East Brunswick
Nov. 5th - Project Adventure - "The Hundredth Monkey", Medford
Nov. 7 & 8 - NJEA Convention - "Creating a Better Tomorrow", Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City
Dec. 2 - Health Education Conference - "Healthy Horizons", Crowne Plaza Hotel, Monroe
Feb. 23-25, 2014 - NJAHPERD Annual Convention - "Advocacy on the Move", Ocean Place Resort & Spa, Long Branch
Again, I look forward to seeing and talking with you all at these future events and don't forget to bring a new member with you so you can share all the new ideas and innovations to add to and improve the quality of your Physical Education, Health Education, Dance Education and Physical Activity programs for the students in your schools.
Thank you all and please stay involved as NJAHPERD is here for YOU!
Best wishes,
JoAnn Doherty
NJAHPERD President
JAMmin MINUTE Record set!
An Update from the September 26, 2013 Event
NJAHPERD placed 14th out of 52 states with 42,757 schools entered in the Just A Minute event.
Great Job!!A total of 1,354,714 Jammers beat last year's record of 1,303,187.
Please send us your photos or success stories from JAMmin Minute that took place at your school for the FYI.Thank you to all NJAHPERD members who registered their school and participated!
IMPORTANT UPDATES ON THE TEACHER EVALUATION PROCESS
NJAHPERD recommends that you review the article that appeared in the second edition of MOMENTUM, the new newsletter of the AAHPERD, Fall 2013 entitled: Please Share with Your Principal "What's going on in the gym?" Three Things to Look for When Evaluating Physical Education Teachers. Please share this with your colleagues and administrators.
The Physical Education Evaluation Tool, a Guidance Document was developed by NASPE identifies the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to provide sound instruction in the K-12 physical education classroom. Its purpose is to assist principals, school district curriculum specialists, and others who evaluate physical education teachers as well as to guide physical education teachers in reflection and self assessment, and serve as an instructional tool in college/university physical education teacher education program. Please pay specific attention to pages 9 through 14 as they will be very useful in helping formulate ideas for your SGO's with specific examples.
Professional Development Events
Visit the NJAHPERD website for all events and apply for your professional development days as soon as possible. Click on the workshoptitle for more information or herefor dates and descriptions.
Look for the NJAHPERD "SAVE the DATE!" postcard in the mail.
Shellie Pfohl, the Executive Director of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition will be the featured speaker at the Opening Session on Monday, February 24, 2014.
Shellie was appointed by President Barack Obama in February 2010. She manages the activities and operations of the Council and leads the Council's efforts related to First Lady Michelle Obama's national Let's Move! initiative to solve childhood obesity within a generation.
Dr. Michael Fowlin, better known as Mykee, will present YOU DON'T KNOW ME UNTIL YOU KNOW ME, a one-person show that deals with the issues of race,discrimination, violence prevention, personal identity,suicide, gender equity, homophobia, and the emotional pain felt by special education children.
Mykee is no stranger to the stage and has been formally acting since age 11. It all started by creating voices (via prank calling) at age 9. In addition to his talents on stage, he has an undergraduate degree in psychology from Evangel University, in Springfield, Missouri, and in the fall of 2001, he attained a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Rutgers University. Oddly enough, he suffers from delusions of grandeur, for while he is performing, he is convinced that every audience member is his patient! His programs combine both his professional acting talents and his psychological training. His mission is to create an atmosphere of worldwide inclusion, not just tolerance, towards all people.
Comedy Night & Social
Prepare for an evening of sheer entertainment! Plan to stay overnight at Ocean Place on Monday night and join us for a comedy show featuring several professional comedians, DJ, raffles, refreshments and much more! Something different after a full day of great professional development!
Jump/Hoops Coordinator's Breakfast is scheduled for Tuesday morning so that you can enjoy the evening social, stay overnight and be ready to go!
Drive Safer returns as a Convention Sponsor!
Eastern District Association/AAHPERD Program for Outstanding Future Professionals
EDA/AAHPERD
EDA/AAHPERD is pleased to announce the Outstanding Future Professionals' Program for the EDA Convention. This is an exciting opportunity to encourage promising undergraduate students to become involved with our organization and to recognize their accomplishments. MORE
PEP Grants Awarded
The U.S. Department of Education awarded 60 grants totaling nearly $32 million to local school districts and community-based organizations under the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP). Funding is intended to assist these entities with initiating, expanding, or enhancing physical education and nutrition education programs, including after-school programs, for students in grades K-12. The PEP program is aligned with and supports First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Active Schools initiative to get kids moving before, during and after school.
Congratulations to South-Orange Maplewood School District, Supervisor Judy LoBianco and the SOMSD staff on receiving PEP funding for the 2nd time!
For a list of grant recipients and to find out how your district can apply, click here
Additional Professional Development Events...Save the Dates
Learn how to connect your health and physical education lessons to the Common Core State Standards through AAHPERD's new eight-part webinar series starting October 1.
AAHPERD experts will show you how to use technology and strategies for differentiated instruction to use the Common Core State Standards to enhance - not replace - your current health and physical education curriculum.
Register today for our first webinar on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 1 p.m. EST.
Introduction to the Common Core State Standards by Dr. Martha James-Hassan, Towson University
Each webinar will offer practical tips that you can put into practice right away. You will also receive 1.0 contact hour toward your teaching recertification or license renewal for each webinar you attend. And don't worry if you are teaching a class at that time, all webinars will be available on demand and can be viewed any time after their initial airing.
Click here to register for the Introduction to the Common Core State Standards and to review the schedule for the other webinars throughout the school year.
Physical education (PE) programs are being reduced or eliminated because of budget reductions or the mistaken assumption that less PE time will result in higher academic test scores. Despite all the evidence supporting hte need for quality PE in schools (including academic improvement), teachers still find themselves having to defend their program from elimination.
Have you found yourself in this position? Or do you just want to advocate for quality PE in your child's school or as a proven solution to our national childhood obesity epidemic? Attend our webinar (next week!) and learn about strategies and resources to help advocate for Quality PE wherever you are.
Out with the old and in with the new! The 25 year old President's Challenge test has been replaced with FitnessGram. Free resources, webinars and grants are available to assist you in the transition if you have not taken the leap yet!
3. Participate in free monthly webinars. Webinars are archived.
The next round of funding will available January 1st. NJAHPERD will be scheduling a grant writing workshop to assist you.
NJAHPERD will be providing support as well, so stay tuned and visit the NJAHPERD website Fitness Education page often.
Let's Dance NJ!
October 14, 2013
Join NJAHPERD VP of Dance, Barbara Brady, the Eastern District Association of AAHPERD's 2013 Dance Educator of the Year, as she hosts an exciting day of dance in the newly renovated dance studio at Linden High School. Four outstanding New Jersey Dance and Physical Education teachers, Susan Toth, Kandice Point-Du- Jour, Arvin Arjona, and Danielle Kushner, will turn up the volume and get your blood pumping in this energetic PD day, so Let's Dance New Jersey! MORE
Health Conference K-12
December 2, 2013, Crown Plaza, Monroe, NJ
"Healthier Horizons"
This is an annual conference that offers innovators in the field of Health Education. Again this year we are proud and excited to offer you amazing presenters offering a wide variety of key topics from bullying to curriculum to evaluation and beyond. We understand that release time is minimal these days so we have done our best to make this day packed with information. Remember to get you PD request form in ASAP! MORE
The Lake Conference...a Success!
Congratulations to this year's award winners!!
Student Spirit Award: Thomas Jacobson, Kean University
Spirit Of The Lake Award: Kathy Davenport, Vernon Schools
George H. Edwards Memorial Award: Howard Lindsay, United Nations International School New York City
Howard was also a participant in three Olympic Games. A three-time Olympian, Howard Lindsay is in his fourth season with the Red Hawks. Lindsay competed for Antigua in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles and also took part in the 1988 Games in Seoul and 1996 Games in Atlanta. He participated in Antigua's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams and was an individual participant in the 200 meters in 1988. At the Atlanta Games, Lindsay and his teammates set a new national record in the 4x400 relay. In addition to his Olympic competition, Lindsay has won several gold medals at the Millrose Games, Penn Relays and the United States Track and Field Championships. Lindsay is still an active runner competing in the Master's division. Last year he ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in the 110 hurdles (4th) and 400 hurdles (2nd) in the outdoor season. He was also ranked fifth in the 60 meters hurdles indoors and was seventh in the indoor 200 meters.
This year's conference not only brought together fantastic presenters, but also drew attendees from out-of-state...we had three Lake Conference participants from New York City's United Nations International School, two attendees from the West Point, New York State area and two who came all the way from Pittsburgh, PA to attend the conference. We hope that more New Jerseyans can attend next year and join us for another wonderful event ....Our 25th Annual Lake Conference 2014!
Lake Committee
Gregg Montgomery, Chair
FIT2ECSELL
"EVERY CHILD STRONGER, EVERY LIFE LONGER" continues to provide the foundation for NJAHPERD's advocacy initiatives! FIT2ECSELL is the most recent of many NJAHPERD targeted movements to promote quality Health and Physical Education in New Jersey schools.
This initiative focuses on developing the first ever state- wide centralized data base for student health-related physical fitness.
CONGRATULATIONS to the following schools who have received funding through NJAHPERD to implement FitnessGram.
Martin J. Ryerson Middle School Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School Asbury Park Middle School Union Township Elementary School School of St. Elizabeth Our Lady of Sorrows School Holly Heights Elementary School Countryside Elementary School Harrington Middle School Hartford Elementary School Hillside Elementary School Larchmont Elementary School Parkway Elementary School Springville Elementary School
Grant funding is available for training and web based FG school site license. Application
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Community Engagement Manager
HealthTeacher, Inc., Trenton, NJ
HealthTeacher, Inc. is currently seeking a part-time Community Engagement Manager (CEM) in the
Trenton, New Jersey area. HealthTeacher recently partnered with St. Francis Medical Center to provide access to www.healthteacher.com and www.gonoodle.com to staff in Trenton Public School District.
New PE Standards & Outcomes Offer More Guidance Than Ever Before
AAHPERD
Physical education teachers across the country now have access to the fundamental tools they need to provide their students with quality physical education programs. AAHPERD is proud to announce that the new National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education are now posted on-line.
In addition to the listing of the National Standards you will find grade-level outcomes-benchmarks that identify what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade. They provide a roadmap that PE teachers can use to track students' progress toward becoming a "physically literate individual," which is the goal for all of the five new National Standards.
Click here to download a flyer listing the new National Standards for K-12 Physical Education.
Click here to download an extensive chart that details grade-specific outcomes for students under the new National Standards.
PreventObesity.net...Become a Leader!
PreventObesity.net
Childhood obesity threatens the health and potential of our young people. More than 23 million children and adolescents in the United States - nearly one in three young people - are now obese or overweight, putting them at higher risk for life-threatening health problems. If the epidemic is not reversed, the current generation of young people could be the first in U.S. history to live sicker and die younger than their parents' generation.
Reversing childhood obesity is within reach, but to achieve success, significant policy and environmental change is needed to give children the opportunity to lead a healthy life.
PreventObesity.net Leaders are a group of extraordinary individuals who are actively working in their communities to change policies and environments to reverse childhood obesity. MORE
AAHPERD Past President Irene Cucina Featured on CT Radio Station
AAHPERD
Radio listeners in Connecticut got a dose of inspiration when AAHPERD past president Irene Cucina shared a message promoting physical education and physical activity on "The Mary Jones Show," which airs WDRC AM 1360, The Talk of Connecticut.
Cucina was featured on the "Get Fit" segment. She discussed the importance of learning to be a competent mover and teaching physical literacy starting at an early age.
She also shared with viewers when and how physical activity and living a healthy lifestyle became a passion of hers, starting in grade school. LISTEN
George Washington Elementary School, Edgewater, NJ
OnThursday, September 26th our George Washington students and staff participated in the 2nd annual JAM WORLD RECORD!!!
JAM stands for JUST A MINUTE. A JAMmin'Minute is a one minute fitness routine that includes 5 very simple exercises (see below) that anyone can do either sitting or standing at their desk. JAM Day was created to invite all of America to pause and take Just-a Minute (JAM) for a quick, easy fitness break to promote the important message about everyone being active every day.
The GW school community stopped for one JAMmin'Minute at 10:00 to exercise.
Mrs. Reiffe, the Physical Education teacher led the students from the intercom in the main office while the students were in their classroom with a fun one minute break. We were so excited to be participating alongside millions of people around the globe. Hooray for all the kids!!!!
EXPLANATION OF EXERCISES
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES-CLAP CLAP 5X (SELF EXPLANATORY)
ARM FOLD-HANDS ON SHOULDERS-Open arms to the side, return to touch shoulders. All of the kids know this from my exercise song. I usually call it, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 build those muscles up to heaven.... COUNT FOR 8 BEATS THEN REPEAT 5x
SHOOT THE HOOP- bend your knees and then pretend to shoot the ball into the basketball hoop with a jump 5X
MARCH IN PLACE -arms bent and in pumping motion. COUNT OF 8 BEATSx5
There's more evidence to suggest the U.S.A.'s epidemic of childhood obesity is stabilizing and the reasons may be that children are eating better and watching less TV. Between 2001 and 2009, U.S. adolescents increased physical activity, ate more fruits and vegetables, ate breakfast more, watched less TV and ate fewer sweets, a new study says. MORE
While physical education class may seem like an extraneous part of an academic program, getting aerobic exercise can help students to learn and remember more. A small study of 48 students between the ages of nine and 10 showed that those with higher levels of physical fitness performed better on mental tests. This difference was even more pronounced when the students were tested in the most challenging way - after studying alone, compared to being tested periodically while they studied, which is considered an easier way to retain information. MORE
How Physical Fitness May Promote School Success
The New York Times
Children who are physically fit absorb and retain new information more effectively than children who are out of shape, a new study finds, raising timely questions about the wisdom of slashing physical education programs at schools.
Parents and exercise scientists (who, not infrequently, are the same people) have known for a long time that physical activity helps young people to settle and pay attention in school or at home, with salutary effects on academic performance. A representative study, presented in May at the American College of Sports Medicine, found that fourth- and fifth-grade students who ran around and otherwise exercised vigorously for at least 10 minutes before a math test scored higher than children who had sat quietly before the exam. MORE
As soccer, lacrosse and other popular incidental contact girls' sports - including cheerleading - have boomed, so has the concussion rate for girls , rising about 21 percent each year over a recent 11-year stretch, according to a 2011 study in The American Journal of Sports Medicine. For boys, the increase has been 14 percent. With these trends in mind, Business Wire sat down to talk with Dr. Paul Fisher, chief of pediatric neurology at Packard Children's and professor of neuro-oncology at the Stanford University School of Medicine; and pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gerald Grant, associate professor of neurosurgery at the School of Medicine, to find out more. MORE
As the school year gets under way, children are breaking out their sneakers for dodge ball and the 50-yard dash. In some North Jersey schools, they're also rolling out the yoga mats. Many schools in the region offer yoga as part of the curriculum, either in physical education courses or in the classroom setting. In the Fort Lee school system, yoga is incorporated into part of the traditional gym curriculum for grades 9 to 12. MORE
HEALTH EDUCATOR NEWS YOU CAN USE
HPV Vaccines: Decreasing the Burden of HPV Related Disease
Tuesday, Oct 15, 2013
Review the latest data on the:
* Relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer * Benefits of HPV vaccination
* Clinical guidelines for administration of the vaccines
They're rushed. They're tired. They're just not hungry yet. It's a habit that medical researchers say could create serious health problems if it continues into adulthood. Still, many children are skipping breakfast as they get older. Children who skip breakfast may be planting the seeds for a lifetime of missing what's often called "the most important meal of the day." MORE
If you'd like to lose your appetite, take a look at the gallery of cafeteria lunches submitted to The Huffington Post by random high school students from across the country. The photos come from the youth nonprofit DoSomething.org, who have asked teens to share photos of their school lunches throughout the month of September. As demonstrated by the cringe-worthy images, it's an effective campaign idea - and the nonprofit plans to use the data gathered to create a "heat map" of school lunches in the U.S. Their goal is to raise awareness of the sad state of nutrition in public schools. MORE
Cornell University experts have found ways to get America's school children to eat healthier school lunches. They say their techniques are low cost, even no cost and nudge students to more nutritious offerings by manipulating the lunchroom environment. Cornell's David Just shared innovative ways his program and other schools are using to boost healthier eating and school lunch participation. MORE
Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Dance Education Organization undertook a review of over 200 documents for evidence of how dance impacts learning in the K-12 setting. The report pays particular attention to several areas determined to be under-researched in NDEO's 2004 "Research Priorities for Dance Education: A Report to the Nation," including the categories of creative process, neuroscience/brain research, student achievement, affective domain, student performance, equity, cultural and world dance, and children at risk.MORE
New research finds that physical fitness can enhance learning and memory in children. In their studies, investigators from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that aerobic capacity or level of fitness was particularly linked to improvements in learning a challenging task. The research is published in the open access journal PLOS ONE.MORE
Let's Move! Active Schools
160 NJ Schools Already Registered
Have you registered your school yet? NJAHPERD's goal is 250 schools by the end of the year!
Become a Champion TODAY!
We know that you are facing all sorts of challenges and balancing multiple priorities, while striving to do every single thing you can to help your students learn and grow.
Let's Move! Active Schools is designed to address these challenges by spurring innovative solutions and offering customized support every step of the way. We know that our kids need 60 minutes of physical activity daily, not only so they can grow up healthy, but also because we know it helps them succeed in school. That's why this program empowers schools to find free or low-cost ways to incorporate movement before, during, and after the school day. We'll help connect schools to grant opportunities, online resources, personal assistance, and hands-on professional development.
There's just one thing we're still missing-YOU, the CHAMPION! The one dedicated person to step up and start making a difference.
All you have to do is sign up at LetsMoveSchools.org and follow a simple, six-step process to create an active school environment and build support among leadership, staff, families, and other community members. Along the way, you'll have access to free tools and resources to help you take action.
NJAHPERD's goal is to have 250 schools registered as a LMAS by June 2014.
Remember to indicate NJAHPERD for "How did you hear about us?"Register NOW!
Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart Links and Resources
TAKE ACTION NOW!
If you are NOT a MEMBER of "YOU'RE THE CURE" (American Heart)
PLEASE click here to JOIN and become part of the solution!
MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. That single purpose drives all we do. The need for our work is beyond question.
JUMP FOR A FREE MEMBERSHIP TO AAHPERD??
Register and COMPLETE an AHA Jump Rope or Hoops for Heart event that totals $1,000 or more and receive your FREE AAHPERD membership as a THANK YOU! You can find out more HERE
FREE REGISTRATION to AAHPERD's NATIONAL CONVENTION!
Apply for one of AAHPERD's TEN grants. Applicants must have completed an AHA event within the last year. The grant provides:
*ONE year AAHPERD membership
* registration to the 2014 AAHPERD annual convention and exhibition
There are many reasons our dedicated partners participate in Jump Rope For Heart and Hoops For Heart but most agree that getting kids up and moving is their number one priority. The American Heart Association is working with you to teach families about healthy lifestyles and supporting their community in the fight against heart disease and stroke.
As we celebrate JRFH's 35th Anniversary, I couldn't be more grateful for your support....whether last year was your 1st or 34th celebration. We've been busy making some changes and enhancements based on your feedback.....you asked and we listened!
What's new this year?
●Revamped JRFH/HFH programs with new incentives to get more students excited to participate.
●Activities and lesson plans that satisfy many of the NJ Core Curriculum Standards.
●Enhanced websites to make online fundraising easier and more convenient.
●Monthly emails from me containing relevant, timely and educational topics you can share with family and friends, as well as your students and school community. This month we focus on childhood obesity.
Check out this area of our website-it has free downloadable resources for the classroom and for parents that can be shared at Back to School Night or through your eboard:
Finally, I am looking forward to visiting in the next couple of weeks to deliver your educational resources and talk about some future planning dates. See you soon!
Sincerely,
Andrea Mrusek
Regional Director Youth Market
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
Need a letter to send to your administrator to get them "on board" with Jump or Hoops for Heart? Use this!
ADVOCACY
Take a look at AAHPERD's new advocacy webpage
AAHPERD
Advocacy is vital to the success of quality health and physical education programs across the country. In order to make an impact on the national policy landscape, we need all AAHPERD members to be strong advocates for the profession and for children.
Take a look at AAHPERD's new advocacy webpage - www.aahperd.org/whatwedo/advocacy! AAHPERD has partnered with Soft Edge to offer new and enhanced advocacy tools to members and anyone committed to children's health. Click the red "Take Action Now" button to access action alerts, bill summaries and to contact your members of Congress as well as local media outlets. Utilize each of the new tools below to make your voice heard.
· Take Action - view key issues AAHPERD is monitoring and find your elected officials · Issues - access all action alerts to ensure your voice is heard in Congress · Directory - find Congressional contact information and use the Guide to Congress to help navigate the advocacy process · Bills - read bill summaries on current legislation that AAHPERD is watching · Share - download and post web stickers on your website to encourage other to advocate · Elections - track current elections in your state · Media - easily contact your local media to share the importance of health and physical education in schools with your community
Take action today to guarantee that health and physical education will be addressed by Congress and become integral programs in schools across the country.
NJAHPERD Actively Monitors Legislation
Did you know that NJAHPERD pays a legislative consultant to monitor bills that come forward that affect our profession? We also work closely and seek advice from the AHA Government Relations Director on Health and Physical Education, NJEA and our ShapingNJ partners.
ACHIEVE NJ updates are also posted on the NJAHPERD website. Click on the NJ Legislation tab for more information.
* Locate your Congressmen to request a meeting, ask them to visit your school, or to view a schedule of town hall meetings, * Locate your local media contacts to submit an op-ed or letter to the editor about the importance of physical education and health education in your community, * Continue to support physical education and health education by using the action alerts available on the AAHPERD Legislative Action Center.
The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey is hosting its 4th Annual U Got Brains Champion Schools Program - a contest to challenge New Jersey high school students and a faculty advisor to create a unique project aimed at educating teens about the importance of safe driving. Schools receive a stipend to help develop teen driving safety programs and compete against other high schools to win cool prizes...including the grand prize-a driving simulator for their school. Deadline to apply is November 30th. You can apply at http://ugotbrains.com/application.
We need help from your school to spread awareness about safe teen driving to help reduce teen driving injuries and deaths!
Here's how it works:
Develop an idea in your school for a project related to teen driving safety based on the key safety issues provided.
Submit your project name, a 500 word summary of the proposed project, and a list of strategies and events to be implemented along with it.
If your school's project is selected, you will receive a stipend to implement it.
Selected schools will have several months to implement their projects and compete against other schools to win the ultimate prize: a driving simulator for your school!
Participating schools will take part in an evaluation conducted by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Research Institute.
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of teen injuries and death and you have the power to help change that.
This is a great opportunity to engage your students in an educational, fun and interactive competition, while addressing an important safety issue. To quote a teacher advisor who has participated in this program for three straight years, "In 25 years of teaching, this is the best program I've ever been involved in!".
We are looking for creative campaign ideas that will draw attention and make an impact on new drivers. Click to learn more and to apply.
Erie Insurance analysis finds teen driving deaths over five-year period declining-but crashes remain leading cause of teen deaths
PR Newswire
Nearly 16,000 16- to 19-year-olds died in car crashes with another teen behind the wheel from 2007 to 2011. On average, that's 2,000 fewer teen deaths from the previous five-year period (2006-2010), but the per capita fatal crash rate for this age group remains 35 percent higher than for drivers ages 20 and older. The 2007-2011 range is the most recent five-year period for which data is available*.
These are just some of the findings from Erie Insurance's second annual exclusive analysis of teen driving death rates. Erie Insurance worked with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to examine crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation to show state-by-state comparisons of teen crash death rates when teens are behind the wheel.
Wyoming, Montana, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia had the highest rates of deaths with teens behind the wheel. TheDistrict of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, California and Massachusetts had the lowest rates. MORE
New Study: Fatal crash risk for teens with passengers rising, even as traffic deaths show 10-year decline
Teens in the Driver's Seat
New research suggests that novice teenage drivers (age 15-17) are about eight times more likely than young adult drivers (age 18-24) to have a fatal crash if teenage passengers are in the motor vehicle. Moreover, that teen passenger risk has grown greater over the past decade, even as total numbers of crash deaths have dropped dramatically for young drivers. MORE
The age group most at risk for cell-phone related injuries while walking is adults under 30 - and chiefly those between the ages of 16 and 25, whose injuries ranged from falling off walkways or bridges to walking in front of moving traffic.
Using cell phones while walking could have worse consequences than finger fatigue.
Research shows that pedestrian injuries related to cell phone use are on the rise. MORE
Our New Trainer Training dates have been announced! Sign up for a training and don't forget -- if BOKS hasn't yet been implemented in your school, you are eligible to apply for the $1,000 BOKS Activation Grant to start the program during the 2013/2014 school year and help get kids moving. Elementary schools across the country can apply for the grant and open enrollment is through December 2013. Check out all the details!
Technical Assistance To Advance Shared Use and Street Scale Campaigns in Underserved Communities
Deadline: October 18
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership (National Partnership) is partnering with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and American Heart Association to reverse childhood obesity by 2015 through the Voices for Healthy Kids: Active Places initiative. The Active Places initiative is providing technical assistance for local and statewide campaign efforts that will result in more shared use agreements and street scale improvements in underserved communities. Organizations and communities can apply before October 18 for technical assistance to support their campaign efforts through the National Partnership's Voices for Healthy Kids: Active Places initiative. MORE
New: Classroom Activity Solutions from the World's Most Researched and Field-Tested Physical Education Program
SPARK
SPARKabc's (Activity Break Choices) is an exciting new program that provides elementary classroomteachers with inclusive, active, and FUN activities that are easy to learn and easy to teach.
We aligned SPARKabc's to new Common Core Standards,integrated STEM content, and included plenty of brain-buildinglessons. SPARKabc's makes Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies and Nutrition come alive with movement. There's even a Remarkable Recess component. Everything you need to get kids moving anywhere on campus throughout the school day!
And it's not just for classroom teachers... physical education specialists will love it for more limited space and Common Core activity ideas. Training opportunities and equipment sets available as well!
KaBOOM! Accepting Applications for Community Playground Construction Grants
Deadline: Project specific, time-sensitive
KaBOOM!, in partnership with Dr. Pepper Snapple, is accepting applications for grants to be used toward the purchase of playground equipment. To be eligible for a Let's Play Community Construction grant, playgrounds must be assembled using the KaBOOM! community-build model, and progress must be documented through KaBOOM!'s Our Dream Playground project planner.
Municipalities and child-serving organizations without a playground or with existing equipment that is unsafe for children are eligible for this opportunity. The grant cannot be used to add equipment to an existing playground.
The program provides a $15,000 grant award that must be applied toward the purchase of equipment from a KaBOOM! preferred vendor; access to valuable planning tools on the Our Dream Playground Web site; opportunity to receive one-on-one planning support from KaBOOM! alumni; and post-build access to the KaBOOM! Alumni Network, through which grantees may apply for additional grants to maintain and/or expand their playspace, as well as opportunities to learn more about the state of play in the United States.
Applicants must own the land on which the playground is built or have permission to build there, spend $24,000 to $40,000 on playground equipment, agree to finish the project within twelve months of the grant award, and serve a low-income population.
The SPARK Grant-Finder Tool helps you locate funding for your Physical Education, After school, Early childhood or Coordinated School Health program. Grants can be used for curriculum, teacher training, or equipment. MORE
USTA Serves awards program grants twice a year to programs that support at-risk youth and people with disabilities through tennis and education programs designed to improve health, build character and strive for academic excellence. Award amounts vary. Nonprofit organizations providing tennis programs for underserved youth, ages 5-18 are eligible to apply. MORE
Find out how your school can participate in a Jump or Hoops Event and raise awareness of Heart Health!
Coordinators are offered a 1/2 price NJAHPERD membership as a THANK YOU for running an event.
Shaping NJ is the state partnership for the Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity program focusing on environmental and policy change. NJAHPERD is a coordinating partner in the school setting workgroup.
Disclaimer: The ideas in the FYI do not necessarily reflect NJAHPERD's official position on the issues. NJAHPERD assumes no responsibility for any statement as fact or opinion presented, nor does acceptance of advertising imply endorsement of any products or services by the Association.
OnThursday, September 26th our George Washington students and staff participated in the 2nd annual JAM WORLD RECORD!!! 
