District Administration- August 2008 - (Page 18)

BRIEFINGS Curriculum A BILL RECENTLY SIGNED BY Florida Gov. Charlie Crist aims to beef up the physical education requirements for elementary and middle schools. The Don Davis Physical Education Act seeks to clarify the intent of a bill passed last year and requires all elementary schools to provide 150 minutes of exercise each week beginning in fall 2008 and all middle schools to oﬀer daily phys ed classes beginning in fall 2009. Under last year’s bill, which mandated 150 minutes of exercise a week but did not give guidelines on how to meet the requirement, schools were counting such activities as 10 minutes of morning ﬁtness television programs and walking to and from lunch, combined with regular gym, to comply. “The intent was quality phys ed, and 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day,” says Don Knitt, phys ed curriculum coordinator for Polk County Schools and president of the Florida Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Rec- By Zach Miners Fitness Bill Pushes Students to Shape Up based curriculum, and eﬀective student assessments. Professional development and guidance opportunities from the Florida DOE and FAHPERDS will help schools and teachers address issues created by the mandate and develop new methods to combine physical activities with academic learning. Experts agree that as No Child Left Behind squeezes out noncore subjects, districts struggle with funds, and expensive interscholastic sports are accessed only by wealthy students in middle-class and upper-class areas, Florida’s legislation—as well as similar plans in states such as Arkansas, Oregon and Texas— although not perfect, is a step in the right direction toward combating childhood obesity and diabetes. “The challenge is huge, but states and organizations are moving to brainstorm and get something going,” says Donna Lopiano, president of school consulting ﬁrm Sports Management Resources. reation, Dance and Sport (FAHPERDS). The 150-minute weekly requirement still stands, but must be met in at least 30-minute periods that take the form of phys ed class, supervised recess, and/ or any other in-class or out-of-class physical activities reviewed by a certiﬁed phys ed instructor. Among the measures taken to comply, some suspect educators will send entire grade levels to phys ed at a time, bringing up issues surrounding safety, standards- Pumping Up Your Physical Activity Plan WANT TO IMPLEMENT A COM prehensive physical activity program fully integrated with your physical education program but lack the resources to initiate it? A great informational starting point is the new position statement from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), “Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs.” The policy brief deﬁnes the importance of comprehensive school physical activity programs and is designed to inform and guide administrators and employees in providing school-based physical activity opportunities and employee wellness programs. It is available for download at www.aahperd.org/naspe. Taking the Stink Out of Dissection MANDATES IN 14 STATES ALLOWING BIOLOGY STUDENTS TO OPT out of dissection without jeoparding their grades are fueling increased interest in virtual dissection as a tool to teach anatomy. With the formaldehyde-soaked animals costing between ﬁve and 25 dollars each, squeamish students as well as districts can feel the cost. Computer programs help to lessen schools’ ﬁnancial burden without curtailing the academic rewards. One program, Digital Frog, lets students use a digital scalpel to make cuts on a full-screen image, and animations allow the student to see how the body works, from blood pumping through the heart to moving joints. Unlike a real dissection, mistakes can easily be corrected and the steps repeated. Other digital dissection programs, such as Drylab Dissections and Catworks, exist for commonly used dissection specimens—such as rats, earthworms, fetal pigs, and even cats—and can be purchased for less than $1,500 from numerous companies. And groups such as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have brokered deals A diagrammatic view of with school systems at prices even in the $500 range. a frog’s circulatory system. 18 August 2008 District Administration http://www.aahperd.org/naspe

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration- August 2008

District Administration - August 2008
Contents
Editor's Letter
Letters
News Update
Curriculum
English Language
8th Annual Salary Survey
Do You Know the Drill?
The Evolution of Notification Systems
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Problem Solutions
Technology Books
Profession Opinion
Supervisor's Opinion
Crisis Response
Speaking Out
Calendar of Events
Understanding the Times

District Administration- August 2008