Physical Education Key To Improving Health In Low-Income AdolescentsScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2009) — School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley.

The study, which identifies opportunities for adolescents to improve their health based on routine daily activities, finds that regular participation in PE class is significantly associated with greater cardiovascular fitness and lower body mass index. (read this article)

Obesity Among California's Low-Income Teens
Nearly Triple That Of More Affluent Peers
ScienceDaily (June 23, 2009) — While Ontario women live longer than men, a majority are more likely to suffer from disability and chronic conditions, according to a new women's health study by St. Michael's Hospital researcher Dr. Arlene Bierman. What's more, low-income women have more chronic conditions, greater disability and a shorter life expectancy than women in high-income groups. (read this article)

Obesity Among California's Low-Income Teens
Nearly Triple That Of More Affluent Peers
Science Daily (Dec. 12, 2008) — In this policy brief, the authors examine why low-income teenagers are almost three times more likely to be obese than teens from more affluent households. Specifically, persistent barriers to health ... (read this article)

Sierra Vista Jr. High's
PE Program Spotlight

Watch the Video of the Sierra Vista Junior High School P.E. Program's Innovations narrated by George Velarde, P.E. Deptartment Chair

KFBK News Radio interview about the Governor’s Spotlight Awards & CAHPERD

John Harris-Principal at Warren High School, Jake Steinfeld, and Alex Galaviz-Warren High School Student	Kathleen Cordes-CAHPERD President 2010 and Peter Vidmar-Olympic Gold Medalist
Congratulationsto President-Elect Dan Latham and Warren High School, for winning School of the Year at the Governor’s Spotlight Awards! - Click here for Radio Interview

Why Physical Education Matters

Osteoporosis is a pediatric disease. Charles E. Dent, M.D.
Type 2 diabetes is an exercise-deficiency disease.

These statements, the first by a leading British pediatric orthopedist and the second a reflection of researchers in diabetes, offer resounding arguments for maintaining a high level of physical activity in school-age children. The following points reflect only a few of the reasons why physical education programs in schools should be augmented, and certainly not diminished or replaced by activities such as drill teams, marching bands and technical curricula.

            References are available upon request from Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. at drphil@stoneagedoc.com.

Posted October 26, 2009 -

2008 School Health Profiles

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced the release of School Health Profiles: Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools (Profiles 2008).

This report provides state, local, and territorial school-level data from the 2008 School Health Profiles on school health education; physical education; school health policies related to HIV/AIDS prevention, tobacco-use prevention, and competitive foods; asthma management activities; and family and community involvement in school health programs.

A great tool to examine trends and issues in school health, and how well your community or state is faring in these important issues! Fact sheets are also available that combine School Health Profiles along with the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Mila Munden Photo by MARCI STENBERG

Weaver Middle School students
up to Governor's Fitness Challenge

By DANIELLE GAINES
dgaines@mercedsun-star.com
June 29, 2009

Mila Munden remembers working out to "Body by Jake" videos when she was studying for her adaptive physical education teaching credential at Humboldt State University in the early '90s.

Jake Steinfeld, the franchise's ubiquitous creator, helped Munden develop a sense of self-confidence and an eagerness to "spread the health," she said.

Now, Munden is poised to meet "Jake," as she affectionately refers to her role model. Read the article.

From The Magazine of Santa Clarita

The "New PE"

Written by Stephanie Elgin
May 18, 2009

Sometimes change is good. George Velarde, Physical Education Department Chair at Sierra Vista Junior High, thought so. And now their PE program has been recognized by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports as a Demonstration Center for the Nation and was also the recipient of the Physical Education Middle School of the Year Award by the California Coaches Association 2009. “We average 75 demonstrations a year from different schools around the country” states George, “educators, principals, superintendants and community leaders come and visit to see our PE program in action. Our Physical Fitness Scores are tops in the state.”    Read the article

Wach the CBS video "Exercise Goes High Tech"

Photo by Brian Patrick

Physical education teacher Meghan Jinguji above, gives instruction during classes at Antelope Crossing Middle School in Antelope. The program is recognized as one of the nation's best. Says seventh-grader Lorena Balic about the program: "I mean, I've never liked PE, but they make it good."

From the Sacramento Bee

Middle schools are coming back around to the concept of taking PE seriously

By Sam McManis
smcmanis@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, May. 3, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 1L
Last Modified: Sunday, May. 3, 2009 - 10:17 am

Some things about middle school PE class never change. The uniforms, drab and ill-fitting mesh, remain about as stylish as a leisure suit. Students still scramble to plop down on their assigned number stenciled onto the blacktop before the bell. And afterward, just as in days of yore, no one ever even thinks of taking a shower.

Those are the hoary physical education traditions, seemingly handed down from generation to generation.

Yet much truly has changed – evolved is more like it – in the modern middle school and high school PE class. Changed for the better, educators say, especially considering the nation's bloated rate of childhood obesity and alarming predictions about increases in juvenile-onset diabetes.

Gone is the epoch – in most California secondary school programs, at least – when the teacher would just roll out the balls and tell kids to go play, when students would pick blades of grass in the outfield during softball "instruction," their heart rates barely rising about resting levels.

These days, you're more likely to find students checking the heart-rate monitors they've strapped on during jump rope to "stay in the zone," try for that aerobic threshold on the step trainer, and harden those abdominals and obliques with side planks.

Core training in middle school? . . . Read the full article in the Sacramento Bee

ABC News10 - Feb 19, 2009

interviews CAHPERD's Drisha Leggitt and Ruthie Bolton, upcoming Keynote Speaker for CAHPERD's State Conference in March.

Watch the Newscast Video

February 23, 2009

2009 Research Synopsis: Physical Education = Better Student Learning

More than one-third of children and teens, approximately 25 million kids, are overweight or obese—and physical inactivity is a leading contributor to the epidemic. . .