Physical Education Advocates

 

Portraits of PE Champions:

In fall 2011, Shape Up SF PE Advocatres put a call out for nominations of elementary school classroom teachers who prioritize physical education and physical activity for their students, in spite of many competing priorities such as standardized testing, budget cuts, time, etc. Four teachers stood out among the nominations: Mario Chang, Lindsay Hatfield, Stella Lau, and Jennifer Moless.

Watch this brief and inspiring video to learn more about why PE matters to them and why they prioritize it for their students.

Thanks to the California Obesity Prevention Program and Kaiser Permanente for funding this project. Special thanks to the PE Advocates and to the San Francisco Unified School District, and to SARAFINA Productions for producing the video.

 

 

2012 Physical Activity Poster Contest

In the the fall students were asked to enter a poster contest about physical activity. These are the winners of the poster contest. Watch for posters to be featured as part of a physical activity campaign on MUNI buses between the months of May and August 2012!

Honorable mentions were also chosen for each grade at the primary level. 

Kindergarten HM - Art by L.C., Bret Hart Elementary
First Grade HM - Art by J.L., Sutro Elementary
Second Grade HM - Art by V.M., Spring Valley Science School
Third Grade HM - Art by S.S., Sutro Elementary
Fourth Grade HM - Art by T.H., Sutro Elementary
Fifth Grade HM - Art by J.X., Chinese Education Center 
 

 

In November 2010, Shape Up SF’s Physical Activity Council (PAC) concluded a study of local, state and national policies that impact opportunities for physical activity (PDF). The PAC Policy Committee released recommendations to provide long term guidance for creating environments conducive to physical activity. Physical Education was one of the recommended areas that could make a significant contribution to health for San Francisco Unified School District students. The 2010 release of Physical Education Research for Kids (PERK), a study from the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness, provided additional motivation for Shape Up SF to turn its attention to PE. PERK outlined a menu of options for policy makers, with the first priority area to improve content and evaluation of Physical Education.

Shape Up SF first convened the PE Advocates in May 2010. The PE Advocates are a group of diverse partners, including the SFUSD Physical Education Department, that are unified in our belief that PE is the equitable way for all children to get regular physical activity. The first order of business was to discuss the PAC and PERK recommendations and draft a plan of action. The PE Advocates determined that our first action would be to understand the current status of and environment for physical education programs in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

The Assessment
Led by Kristine Madsen, MD, MPH of the University of San Francisco’s (UCSF) Department of General Pediatrics, the assessment included direct observations of 5th, 7th and 9th grade PE classes in 20 randomly selected elementary schools, four middle and four high schools. Each PE class was observed up to three times during the study period (March – May 2011) using the validated System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) tool. Additionally, students were surveyed and interviews were done with all teachers who were observed teaching PE, principals, and parent PTA presidents at each school.

While the assessment by UCSF included a sample of both middle and high schools, the current focus of Shape Up SF’s PE Advocates is on the elementary level. A key finding of the assessment was that when PE is occurring, students are engaging in an adequate amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The study also showed that elementary schools are well below the mandate for number of scheduled minutes of PE per week. The majority (80%) of elementary schools (80%) in the study did not meet the mandated 200 minutes of PE scheduled every 10 days.
The findings from the assessment established a need to develop recommendations and strategies to assist SFUSD in meeting state mandated minutes of PE and increasing opportunities for health benefiting physical activity during the school day.

Based on the assessment findings and other research, Shape Up SF’s PE Advocates developed recommendations in three categories, with specific strategies outlined for each:

1. Increase awareness about the benefits of physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA);
2. Increase the number of minutes of PE that students receive to meet state mandated minutes for PE; and
3. Develop and implement measures of accountability to ensure quality PE throughout the school district.
   

 

What are we doing?
The PE Advocates secured an additional two years of funding (2011-2013) from the California Obesity Prevention Program to focus on recommendations in category 1, increasing the awareness about the benefits of PE and PA through the following methods:

1. Develop and disseminate three video and written PE Case Studies in order to raise awareness of and build support for PE;
2. Promote PE Assessment Results and Recommendations to public and policymakers; and
3. Hold a skills-based physical activity and PE training for teachers / policymakers to raise awareness of value of PE and to provide specific learning opportunities for classroom teachers to increase physical activity and physical education.
   

The PE Advocates are committed to continue to seek funding in order to pilot and evaluate the recommendations in the remaining categories. The PE Advocates have built a strong foundation for many more years of work and we look forward to continuing this journey to ensure that every child has access to quality physical education and opportunities for physical activity in the San Francisco Unified School District.

Why are we focusing on PE?

Studies have shown that Physical Education (PE) improves academic performance (even when time for PE reduces class time for academics). Despite state mandates, many public schools have cut back on PE. Unfortunately, students at low-performing schools are the most affected by lack of regular, quality PE. These children, already the most vulnerable to academic risk factors such as violence and low expectations, have the most to gain from an increase in PE. And, as studies and news reports remind us, this generation of children suffers from obesity, poor nutrition, diabetes, and a host of diet- and exercise-related problems.

Behind cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester's tough exterior is a steadfast and true believer of the many benefits of physical education. In a recent episode of the hit TV show, Glee, Sylvester defends PE against budget cuts, stating that the decline in our nation's PE standards has not only led directly to an unprecedented obesity epidemic, but has also negatively impacted the problem-solving and social skills of an entire generation of American children. Sue may arguably be PE's staunchest advocate. Go Sue!

To get involved, please sign up for our PE Action Listserv! We send out newsletters on an as-needed basis to share latest research, resources, or when we have a call to action.

Get resources to help with PE Outreach (talking points, data, and fact sheets)!

Physical Education (PE) vs. Physical Activity (PA)

According to the California Department of Education,  PE is programming that provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to establish and sustain PA as a key component of their lifestyle, as children, adolescents, and adults. The State Board of Education adopted PE model content standards to provide students with essential skills and knowledge through a broad curriculum that is not only age appropriate, but also links learning experiences in a sequential and articulated manner.

Physical Activity, on the other hand, is any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that results in energy expenditure, including exercise, sport, dance, and other movement forms. In the school setting, PA is a component of PE instruction.

Here are a few reports and articles about why PE matters:

Physical Education Research for Kids Executive Summary (PDF)
Physically Active Play and Cognition: An Academic Matter? (PDF)
Failing Fitness: Physical Activity and Physical Education in Schools (PDF)
Physical Activity Opportunities Associated With Fitness and Weight Status Among Adolescents in Low-Income Communities (PDF)
COMMENTARY: Social Science, Equal Justice, and Public Health Policy: Lessons from Los Angeles (PDF)
Educators find exercise boosts student performance, allowing reduced special-ed referrals
Phys Ed: Can exercise make kids smarter?

Read more research and articles about the benefits of PE. 

Endorsing Organizations
Click here to see the organizations that have endorsed this work.  

If you'd like to get involved, please contact us.