Growing Up and Education
I was born and Raised in Rochester, NY, and attended SUNY Brockport for my BS in Physical Education. I moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1997 for graduate school at Oregon State and earned my MS degree in Adapted Physical Education in 1999. I began working for Beaverton School District in August of 1999 for the Motor Development Team and taught PE to kids with disabilities, as well as supporting my students who were included in regular PE classes. I really had the opportunity to see quality PE programming across elementary, middle, and high school. I did this for 10 years in at least half of Beaverton's K-12 schools. In the fall of 2009, I began teaching regular PE at Springville when it started as a K-5, and have been here ever since.
Hobbies, passions, and interests: Film photography, hiking, cycling, crossfit, rock climbing (Smith Rock!!), reading non-fiction, coffee, building hiking trails, and I have been President of the Madrone Wall Preservation Committee since 2004.
If any student age 11 and up is interested in crossfit, check out a video from my gym, Crossfit Reflexion- www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaxGQdLk_7c - which also offers a program called Prodigy that is specifically geared towards 'tweens and teens in any sport (or none at all) learn how to strength train the right way. www.crossfitreflexion.com/service/prodigy-program
I am passionate about teaching kids how to move their bodies and finding something that they like to do for physical activity. That's what I think my role is: To expose them to a variety of activities that hopefully will spark their interest so that they may enjoy physical activity for the rest of their lives. I often look to both Oregon's and the National PE standards to ensure that I am delivering a well-balanced curriculum each year. I have also made a point to understand the connections between elementary, middle, and high school PE classes. I know what we teach supports each other at the next level, and I am aware of what the comprehensive and options middle school and high school programs offer in their PE classes.
Excellent resources for Health and Physical Education:
kidshealth.org/ - This is a great and comprehensive resource for parents, teens, and kids for all of our Health Curriculum content areas: exercise, nutrition, changes during puberty, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and so much more.
www.healthychildren.org/ - A comprehensive site from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Check out the "Healthy Living " tab near the top of the page.
www.choosemyplate.gov/ - This is the USDA main nutrition program that we use. I do supplement the Nutrition content with information around vegetarian and vegan dietary choices, as well of those students and their families who may be leaning towards Paleo or the Mediterranean diets.
nutritionfacts.org/ - A lot of great information around plant-based diets, and how food can impact our health. You'll find great recipes here, too.
www.forksoverknives.com/ - Another great site for plant-based nutrition with recipes.
www.stopbullying.gov/ - A great resource to recognize the signs of bullying and cyberbullying, and how to stop it.
drugfree.org/ - Partnership for a Drug Free America - Tools for parents, kids, and educators about how to start the conversation around drug use or avoiding drugs, or what to do if you suspect that there is drug or alcohol use.
www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults - National Alliance on Mental Health - For youth/teens - Recognize the signs and where to get help.
www.tobaccofreekids.org/ - Resources and critical information around keeping our kids tobacco free.
www.screenfree.org/ - A resource for parents and teachers about appropriate amounts of screen time for any age, as well as links to national studies about the impact that too much screen time can have on our kids.
loveisrespect.org/ - A great website for middle school and high school teens to find resources and information on what healthy relationships look like.
stopitnow.org/ - Part of our Erin's Law curriculum.
Other top-notch resources that I want students to access as part of research in class can include: The Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/, National Institutes of Health: www.nih.gov/health-information, Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.org/, Providence Health: providence.staywellsolutionsonline.com/, American Heart Association: www.heart.org/, American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org/.
Hobbies, passions, and interests: Film photography, hiking, cycling, crossfit, rock climbing (Smith Rock!!), reading non-fiction, coffee, building hiking trails, and I have been President of the Madrone Wall Preservation Committee since 2004.
If any student age 11 and up is interested in crossfit, check out a video from my gym, Crossfit Reflexion- www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaxGQdLk_7c - which also offers a program called Prodigy that is specifically geared towards 'tweens and teens in any sport (or none at all) learn how to strength train the right way. www.crossfitreflexion.com/service/prodigy-program
I am passionate about teaching kids how to move their bodies and finding something that they like to do for physical activity. That's what I think my role is: To expose them to a variety of activities that hopefully will spark their interest so that they may enjoy physical activity for the rest of their lives. I often look to both Oregon's and the National PE standards to ensure that I am delivering a well-balanced curriculum each year. I have also made a point to understand the connections between elementary, middle, and high school PE classes. I know what we teach supports each other at the next level, and I am aware of what the comprehensive and options middle school and high school programs offer in their PE classes.
Excellent resources for Health and Physical Education:
kidshealth.org/ - This is a great and comprehensive resource for parents, teens, and kids for all of our Health Curriculum content areas: exercise, nutrition, changes during puberty, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and so much more.
www.healthychildren.org/ - A comprehensive site from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Check out the "Healthy Living " tab near the top of the page.
www.choosemyplate.gov/ - This is the USDA main nutrition program that we use. I do supplement the Nutrition content with information around vegetarian and vegan dietary choices, as well of those students and their families who may be leaning towards Paleo or the Mediterranean diets.
nutritionfacts.org/ - A lot of great information around plant-based diets, and how food can impact our health. You'll find great recipes here, too.
www.forksoverknives.com/ - Another great site for plant-based nutrition with recipes.
www.stopbullying.gov/ - A great resource to recognize the signs of bullying and cyberbullying, and how to stop it.
drugfree.org/ - Partnership for a Drug Free America - Tools for parents, kids, and educators about how to start the conversation around drug use or avoiding drugs, or what to do if you suspect that there is drug or alcohol use.
www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults - National Alliance on Mental Health - For youth/teens - Recognize the signs and where to get help.
www.tobaccofreekids.org/ - Resources and critical information around keeping our kids tobacco free.
www.screenfree.org/ - A resource for parents and teachers about appropriate amounts of screen time for any age, as well as links to national studies about the impact that too much screen time can have on our kids.
loveisrespect.org/ - A great website for middle school and high school teens to find resources and information on what healthy relationships look like.
stopitnow.org/ - Part of our Erin's Law curriculum.
Other top-notch resources that I want students to access as part of research in class can include: The Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/, National Institutes of Health: www.nih.gov/health-information, Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.org/, Providence Health: providence.staywellsolutionsonline.com/, American Heart Association: www.heart.org/, American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org/.