Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today accepted the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) Ross Merrick National Recognition Award for achievement in physical education. Presented to Chancellor Klein by NASPE President Dr. Craig Buschner at a ceremony at P.S. 19 in Manhattan, the award recognizes the Department of Education’s work in developing a comprehensive physical education program, piloting the Physical Best curriculum, training thousands of physical education teachers, and implementing the NYC Fitnessgram at more than 700 schools. This is the first time in NASPE’s history that the annual award has gone to a school district.
“Developing lifelong fitness habits is crucial to our students’ health, now and in the future,” Chancellor Klein said. “We have revitalized physical education here in New York City and we are working to ensure that all of our schools provide the quality fitness instruction that kids need before, during, and after school hours. I want to thank NASPE for recognizing the tremendous progress that we have made. I also want to acknowledge the amazing work of our physical educators citywide in improving the health of our students.”
“It is a great privilege to have our work acknowledged by NASPE, the organization that sets the fitness standards we are committed to meeting,” Lori Rose Benson, Director of Fitness and Physical Education, said. “While we have come a long way since the inception of the Office of Fitness and Physical Education under this administration, there is still much work to be done. The support of partners like the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Nike GO PE, Kid Fitness, and community-based organizations have been integral to our successes. Together, we are helping our students develop patterns of healthy activity and fitness that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.”
A 2003 study by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Education (DOE) revealed that nearly one in five K-5 students were obese. In response, the DOE re-introduced the Office of Fitness and Physical Health to design and implement a comprehensive physical education approach citywide. In the past four years, the DOE has implemented the Physical Best curriculum in grades K-12. Accompanying Physical Best is the NYC FITNESSGRAM, an assessment tool that measures students’ individual fitness levels and helps them set strategies for attaining personal fitness goals. This year, more than 500,000 students and parents will receive NYC FITNESSGRAM reports, which are available in nine major languages.
In an effort to target middle school students, who are most in danger of abandoning regular physical activity, the DOE introduced the C.H.A.M.P.S. Middle School Sports and Fitness League, funded by Snapple and the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation, which aims to help students become Cooperative, Healthy, Active, Motivated, Positive Students (C.H.A.M.P.S) for life. The program, which supplements physical education activities, offers students a wide variety of sports and activities before or after school, including basketball, wrestling, fencing, yoga, and dance.
In addition, the Office of Fitness and Physical Education worked to meet the needs of students with disabilities by coordinating a comprehensive adaptive physical education program for students with handicapping conditions who may need alternate activities and support. The adaptive physical education program includes ongoing collaboration with District 75.
The DOE has also focused on ways to integrate additional physical activity into the school day. The Department has a partnership with Nike GO PE to provide training for classroom teachers to help them include age-appropriate physical activity into the classroom. Additionally, for the first time this year, early childhood education teachers received Fun Fitness kits from Kid Fitness to encourage fitness breaks throughout the day.
NASPE is a non-profit professional membership association dedicated to enhancing knowledge, improving professional practice, and increasing support for high quality physical education, sport, and physical activity programs through research, the development of standards, and dissemination of information. The Ross Merrick National Recognition Award is NASPE’s only annual award that goes to an organization in recognition of outstanding work to support quality physical education programs. Past winners include the American Heart Association, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and the United States Olympic Committee.
###
Contact: David Cantor / Lindsey Harr (212) 374-5141