P.E. programs earn recognition for schools

Gehring Elementary honored, Orr Middle School wins top prize

vic valbuena bareng/viewAngelique Gaeta goes for a jog at Gehring Elementary School, 1155 E. Richmar Ave. Gehring was one of eight schools in the valley to be named a President?s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Demonstration Center. name/paperXyxyxxyxyx jenna dosch/viewFrom left, Lexus Picquet, Lynn Oliver and Meagan Williams use equipment that Orr Middle School recently won from the President?s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during physical education class at1562 E. Katie Ave. As the top school in the program, Orr received a fitness training system worth $20,000. vic valbuena bareng/viewJohnathan Webb does pull-ups in his physical education class at Gehring Elementary School, March 5. Advertisement

Earlier this year, Orr Middle School was designated a President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Demonstration Center, along with seven other schools in the valley, including Gehring Elementary School, 1155 Richmar Ave. The programs were selected based on criteria, and the designations were made by Partners for a Healthy Nevada, an obesity prevention coalition founded by the Southern Nevada Health District.

However, Orr, located at 1562 E. Katie Ave., stood out from the pack and was chosen as the top school in the program.

The campus received a $20,000 fitness training system that includes fitness mats, exercise balls and a gym-sized screen that comes pre-loaded with instructional fitness videos.

"We chose that school because not only were they a phenomenal demonstration center, but they have a fitness culture," said Anne Lindsay, state coordinator for the President's Council.

Principal George Leavens rides around campus on a bike. The school's after-hours programs include physical fitness activities, and physical education instructor Brooke Haavind teaches kids about nutrition and how to cook healthy snacks at home.

"Their whole school environment promotes physical activity," Lindsay said.

P.E. Department Chairwoman Lynn Oliver has been at Orr for six years and has worked to improve the P.E. program since she came on board.

"She's been very instrumental in keeping our kids on track," Leavens said.

Oliver helped create a warm-up routine for the middle school students to do every class, so they know what is expected of them. In addition, Oliver helped implement a strict dress-out rule that says if any student doesn't dress-out for P.E., he or she is sent home, and his or her parent will have to speak to a school administrator before the student can return.

"We have a fantastic administration," Oliver said. "They support us with that."

Oliver said part of her program's success is due to the large amount of equipment that Orr has, which has taken the school years to obtain.

"You name it, they have it," Leavens said.

Students at Orr can participate in a variety of activities, including dance, yoga, archery, gymnastics and weight training.

"It's very important that P.E. programs include physical activity," Lindsay said. "You don't have to be an athlete to be physically active."

In addition to the physical portion, students at Orr have begun food journaling this year.

"We're teaching them to be responsible for themselves," Oliver said.

Jose Loza and Abraham Gonzalez also are P.E. teachers at Orr, and they, like their colleagues, encourage their students to run in several races throughout the year. Orr's kids have run in the Niketown 5K and are planning to participate in Race for the Cure.

"It was really nice to finally be recognized for giving the kids an opportunity to try new things," Haavind said.

Gehring Elementary School also was designated a President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Demonstration Center. To be selected as a demonstration center, the schools had to have eight criteria based on Nevada state and national standards.

The criteria included promoting lifelong fitness and physical activity, maximizing participation and time in class, teaching a variety of fitness options, having pre- and post-fitness testing and teaching students what they're learning and why.

Gehring physical education teacher Tom Hallett said he places more of an emphasis on physical fitness than athletic sports in his classes because he wants his students to learn a love of exercising and of keeping their bodies healthy. He tries to keep his classes simple but interesting and lets kids explore their creativity when it comes to physical activity.

"I just think the primary focus is to have fun and keep it simple because these are elementary school kids," Hallett said. "Sometimes, we lose sight that they're only 6- to 10-year-old children."

Hallett said his classes can have between 60 and 75 kids in them at any given time, so he has to be creative when it comes to keeping them moving.

Hallett created a running club, JAWS, or Jogging and Walking Students, and a jumping club, JUMPERS, or Jumping Up Makes P.E. Really Special, to aid him in his quest. In both programs, students are given punch cards to track the number of jumps or laps they complete. After a certain number is attained, kids get a charm for necklaces that were given to them by Hallett.

"We're doing a good job of getting all the kids involved in P.E.," Hallett said.

Hallett said his goal is to turn out thousands of kids who will lead active lifestyles, rather than creating one elite athlete. He hopes all of his students will take a love of physical activity away from his class.

Every Friday morning, Hallett and Principal Sandra Brady walk a mile around Gehring's campus. Students join in, and the goal is to have as many people as possible walk a mile before classes begin on Friday.

The instructor also uses integration in his classes and works in vocabulary, math and language lessons whenever he can. For instance, he will teach his students one letter in sign language a week.

When the kids have learned all the letters, he'll have them spell a vocabulary word out to him in sign language while working out.

"The teachers are doing a phenomenal job," Lindsay said.