The 2025 HPEC Certificate of Commendation Winners:

Congratulations to our 2025 HPEC Certificate of Commendation Winners! The 2025 HPEC Certificate of Commendation Winners were recognized in Red Deer during the May 9 One Day in May Inclusive Physical Education and Wellness Professional Learning Day.

Greater Calgary Region Susan Reid

Calgary Region Suzanne Maudie

Northwest Region Kerry Wiebe

Southeast Region Sterling Hamilton

Northeast Region Dustin Blake

Southwest Region Angie Seaman

Edmonton Region Alex Melnyk

Greater Edmonton Sheri May

Central Alberta Daniel Grenier

Nominate a deserving Alberta teacher today for the 2026 HPEC Certificate of Commendation: https://www.hpec.ab.ca/hpec-certificates-of-commendation-awards17

Teaching PE in June: Empowering Student Choice and Saving Teacher Sanity

Submitted By: Kaleigh McNeill, HPEC Membership Grant Recipient

Teaching in June often feels like a race, except your legs aren’t moving. The finish line is so close, yet some days it seems so far away. Both teachers and students are burnt out and itching for summer. Let’s face it, teachers don’t want to be reinventing the wheel in June or battling student behaviour when they’re dreaming about how to spend their 7-8 weeks of freedom. Teaching Yard Games in June is the solution to all of the above challenges, as well answers every student’s question of, “Can we go outside today?”.

My favourite PE unit to teach in June is Yard Games. It’s a unit that requires minimal prep, gives students ample choice in their learning, and is an enjoyable experience in a more relaxed atmosphere at the end of the year.

Yard Games Ideas:

• Spikeball
• Bocce Ball
• Four Square
• Yahtzee (great with larger dice + prepped score sheets)
• Double Dutch, Skipping, Hopscotch with chalk
• Ladder Ball
• Cornhole
• KanJam
• Grass Volleyball
• Jackpot

Yard Games Set Up:

I modify my Yard Games unit for various grade levels, class sizes, and student interests. The equipment and spaces you have available will play a big factor in what activities you choose to include in your Yard Games unit. You can get creative - our Junior High Woodshop class made cornhole boards for PE and we already had bean bags available to use. I have students spread out with their chosen yard games in the field and I float between groups, checking in on students. I will spend 1-2 classes teaching 4-5 different yard games and reviewing expectations before allowing students to choose their favourite games to play for the remainder of the unit. Once students have a basic understanding of the games and expectations, they facilitate their own learning in Yard Games - which my groups of students have loved!

Yard Games Expectations:

• Take responsibility for your learning: try a new yard game and be active
• Be inclusive: welcome and invite others into your group
• Sportsmanship and Respect: play fair, be respectful to opponents, and share equipment

Yard Games Prep + Planning:

I like to have rule sheets for each game printed and laminated, so they last longer outside and I can reuse them for the following years. If you include yard games that require score sheets (Yahtzee), I like to print score sheets ahead of time, laminate them, and have students use whiteboard markers so score sheets can be reused by different classes. Students can always refer back to rule sheets and take initiative to learn a new game by reading the rules with their peers. Having rules clearly printed also helps prevent arguments over rules with younger classes who may struggle with independent problem solving.

Connecting Curricular Outcomes:

Below are just a few examples of connections to curricular knowledge, understanding, skills, and procedures that students are expected to learn in PE.

Grades 4-6:

• Choice in physical activity can enhance exposure to a variety of active living options (Grade 4)
• Perform elements of movement when receiving, sending, and retaining an object using various parts of the body and equipment (Grade 4)
• Adjust strategies and tactics based on the strengths of participants in various physical activities and games (Grade 5) 
• Practise collaboration during physical activity (Grade 5)
• Demonstrate how movement patterns are applied across various physical activities (Grade 6)
• Practise conflict resolution (Grade 6)

Grades 7-9:

• Students will acquire skills through a variety of developmentally appropriate movement activities (games) → Basic Skills, Locomotor, Nonlocomotor, and Manipulative
• Many specific curricular outcomes can be applied to specific Yard Game activities
• Ex. Spikeball: select, combine and perform locomotor and nonlocomotor skills by using elements of body and space awareness, effort and relationships to improve personal performance

• Students will experience and appreciate the health benefits that result from physical activity → Well-being
• Students will interact positively with others → Communication, Fair Play, Leadership, and Teamwork
• Students will assume responsibility to lead an active way of life → Effort and Active Living in the Community

HPEC One Day in May Inclusive Physical Education and Wellness:

Date: May 9, 2025

Location: Red Deer Polytechnic, 100 Donald Blvd. Red Deer, T4N 5H5

Registration is open until April 30, 2025

Register here: https://reg.unityeventsolutions.com/se/ONEDAYINMAY/ATT 

HPEC One Day in May: Inclusive Physical Education and Wellness Program:

Time	Session Name	Location	Presenter
8:30-10:30 AM	Delegate Registration and Check In	Main Foyer
9:00-9:50 AM	HPEC AGM	Classroom 2301
10:00-11:00 AM	Concurrent Session #1
	Omnikin Ball	Main Gym (1002)	Dustin Blake
	"I Don't Feel Like It" - Rethinking How We Motivate Our Students (And Ourselves)	Classroom 2301	Jennifer Schmidt- Ignite Health Coaching and Wellness
	Inclusive Sexual Health Education: Making Sex Ed Work for all Your Students	Classroom 2302	Christine McKernan
11:15 AM -12:30 PM	HPEC Awards and Keynote Speech: Danielle Peers	Margaret Parsons Theatre
12:30-1:00 PM	Grab and Go Lunch Provided	Main Foyer
1:15-2:15 PM	Concurrent Session #2
	Let's get active together: Inclusive physical activity with and for children experiencing disabilities	Classroom 2301	Carrie Millar- University of Alberta
	Nutrition and Mental Health	Classroom 2302	Alberta Health Services- Gabrielle Leonhardt and Katherine Brandon
	Energize your Class	Main Gym (1002)	Ever Active Schools
2:30-3:30 PM	Concurrent Session #3
	Fostering Belonging in the Outdoors: Building Connections to the Landscape, Others and Self	Outdoor Pond and Tree Area	Ever Active Schools
	Warmed Up and Ready to Go for Secondary Classes	Main Gym (1002)	John Byl- Gopher
	Smashball - An Introduction to Elementary Volleyball	Main Gym (1002)	Murray Doyle

Session Descriptions:

Omnikin Ball: If you like learning new games, getting active, and having boat loads of fun, then this is the session for you! OMNIKIN is a great Canadian company that offers a wide range of equipment for great games that get kids moving, are super inclusive of all skill levels, and create a buzz amongst the students in your school. We will be playing a bunch of the games that are possible with these balls, learning some pro tips, breaking a sweat, laughing, and talking about other game possibilities.

"I Don't Feel Like It" - Rethinking How We Motivate Our Students (And Ourselves): Motivation doesn’t just happen—it’s built through action. This presentation explores how both body and mind influence motivation and gives educators skills to motivate their students—and themselves. Learn practical strategies to create an engaging, resilient environment in physical education. Best suited for grades 7 and up.

Inclusive Sexual Health Education: Making Sex Ed Work for all Your Students: Traditional sex ed has focused on heterosexual and cisgender people and relationships, but that leaves out many students. Whether you have some out 2SLGBTQI+ students, or none, your sex ed classes can be inclusive, welcoming, safe, caring and respectful places for students of every gender identity and sexual orientation.

Let's Get Active Together: Inclusive physical activity with and for children experiencing disabilities: Renew, refresh, and recommit to inclusive and adaptive physical activity with inspiration and ideas from The Steadward Centre! In this session we will cover inclusive instructional strategies, tips for eliminating barriers to physical activity, recharge our inclusive mindset and get active with demos and games!

Nutrition and Mental Health: Join AHS Dietitians to learn about the connection between your food, brain, and body. This session will translate the science of nutrition and mental wellbeing into practical nutrition strategies for teachers. Participants will leave with tangible ideas to support your own wellbeing, which in turn, supports the wellbeing of students.

Energize Your Class: Physical activity offers many benefits above and beyond physical health. This workshop will offer games and activities you can incoporate into any subject area. Join us in learning how to re-energize your students, break up sedentary time, and increase physical activity across the school community.

Fostering Belonging in the Outdoors: Building Connections to the Landscape, Others and Self: Through technology, our society has never been so connected but disconnected at the same time.  Is there a solution? Yes! You can find it right outside of your classroom.  The great outdoors provides an environment to foster meaningful connection and belonging.  What better way to do this than through fun and play!  We will be using the Ever Active Outdoor Learning Quick Draw card deck for inspiration for this action-packed outdoor session.

Warmed Up and Ready to Go for Secondary Classes: Safely developing physical literacy, positive attitudes, and behaviours, making healthy choices, and total well-being. Warming up for activity prepares body and mind for engagement. Active, fun, and engaging games, with and without equipment, can both warm players up and mentally prepare them for play. Come prepared to participate. 

Smashball - An Introduction to Elementary Volleyball: Frustrated with starting your volleyball units? Kids not having any fun because of all of the errors and mistakes? Try Smashball, a Volleyball Canada developmental program to get kids moving and understanding the games. The focus - SMASHing! The part of the game kids love the most but never get to do while learning volleyball.

Keynote Presentation: Danielle Peers (they/them) is a Canada Research Chair (Tier II, SSHRC) in Disability and Movement Cultures, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. Danielle studies how movement cultures (including art, recreation, and sport) can be used to transmit and transform a community’s values, politics, and inequities. Mobilizing embodied disability justice approaches, Peers prioritizes deep, intersectional collaborations, in order to co-create knowledges and practices that reduce harm and create more accessible, affirming, and transformative movement cultures. Danielle’s work draws from their experiences as a Paralympic athlete, coach, dancer, and filmmaker. Danielle has done extensive accessibility and equity consultation in education, sport and recreation, and non-profit sectors, and is currently the University of Alberta’s Academic Lead, Equity Praxis and Systemic Ableism.

"Bring Your Parents to PE Class"

 Submitted by: Sonia Sheehan, HPEC Vice President Communications

In March 2018 I was fortunate to be able to attend and present at the National SHAPE America Conference in Nashville. Throughout the weeklong professional learning experience, I gained numerous insights, ideas and teaching strategies to enhance my professional practice. One session I attended shared best practices in the area of involving parents in our physical education programs. I was introduced to the idea of “Bring Your Parents to PE Class”. This sounded like an amazing way to invite parents to experience a physical education class and move, play, and learn alongside their student. As a physical education teacher at an elementary school my goal became looking into ways to incorporate this parental involvement idea into my physical education program and host my very own “Bring Your Parents to PE Class”.

On my journey to plan and implement a “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” there were a few things I needed to consider to increase the probability of a successful event.

1.       Timing/Date: Finding the right time within the school year is important to help the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” event be successful. Hosting the parent/student PE class during a Family PE Week, during a welcome back BBQ or during student learning conferences can be possible options. At my school I aligned my “Bring Your Parents to PE Classes” with my school learning conferences. During both the fall learning conferences (October) and winter learning conferences (January) I host my “Bring Your Parents to PE Class”. Choosing school learning conference days and evenings allowed me to host multiple classes both during the day and during the evening. Being in a K-4 school, I was also able to host a kindergarten specific class and a grade 1 – 4 class during this time. Hosting the classes during learning conferences allowed me to interact with parents and showcase student learning in physical education class in an active and parent included manner.

2.       Length of Class/Class format/Class Capacity: Determining the class length, format and capacity is important when planning for a successful event. When I was planning for my “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” I tried to plan for my class similarly to my regular PE classes. I planned for a 30 minute class that followed our regular PE format including: an entry activity, review of expectations, warm up activities, an introduction to a movement skill, practice and application of the movement skill into a game activity that allowed all participants (students and parents) to experience success. Determining the capacity of the class was linked to the space I have available in my gymnasium and the required space to ensure safe movement experiences. I did incorporate a sign up process to ensure the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” did not reach an unsafe number of participants. I was also flexible and was able to add additional classes once the original classes reached their capacity. I usually run 3 – 4 separate classes to accommodate approximately 200 students and parents during the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class”..

3.       Promotion: Letting both parents and students know about the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” was important to fill the classes. I announced the event during physical education classes, promoted the event on our school communication pages and used the school parent messaging application to ensure parents received the information about the event. I also personally invited parents of students who might need a little extra help being successful in physical education class.

4.       Lesson Plan/Activities: Planning the activities for the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” is important to ensure safe and active participation by all those attending. I usually make sure students have learned all the activities previously in PE class and can model the activities to help their parents. When using any equipment during the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” I make sure there is enough equipment and choices of equipment for participants to choose from. Focusing on cooperative activities rather than competitive activities has also helped for a more enjoyable and successful event.

Through the development of my “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” I reached my goal of creating an opportunity for both students and parents to experience a safe, fun, developmentally appropriate physical education experience. Parents and students arrive ready and prepared to be active for each class and leave with a positive and active family experience. Many parents who attended the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be active with their student and appreciated the ideas of how they could continue to be active with their student at home.

If you are interested in developing a “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” at your school, below are some resources that may be of help in your planning, preparation and delivery of an event. I highly recommend hosing a ‘Bring Your Parents to PE Class” and hopefully it will become a positive way to engage parents in your Physical Education Program.

Bring Your Parents to PE Class Resources:

Connect your “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” to a Family PE Week and the US Games OPEN resources: https://openphysed.org/familieslovepe

Sample “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” sign up template:

Bring Your Parents to PE Class during January 2025 Learning Conferences on Thursday January 23, 2025:

During the upcoming Learning Conferences at SWE, join Mrs. Sheehan and Mrs. Bishop for a “Bring Your Parents to PE Class”. This PE class is for students currently attending the SWE Campus (Kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4).  Parents need to accompany their child and be ready to participate in all activities with their student. There is available space for 24 students and their parent(s) to sign up for each PE class. Please dress to be active with your clothing and wear indoor athletic shoes. The sign up link for the "Bring Your Parents to PE Class" will close when the class is filled or at 12pm on January 22.  

Thursday January 23: 2:15-2:45pm Bring Your Parents to PE: insert your school sign up link

Thursday January 23: 5:15-5:45pm Bring Your Parents to PE: insert your school sign up link

Thursday January 23 6:15-6:45pm Bring Your Parents to PE: insert your school sign up link

 

Sample Family PE Week Template:

Be Part of our 4^th Annual SWE Family PE Week

What: SWE Family PE Week

When: October 7 - 11, 2024

Where: Participate at home with your family members and attend the Bring Your Parents to PE Event at SWE

Who: All SWE students and their family members

Add some movement to your family evenings with our 4th Annual SWE Family PE week.  PE stands for Physical Education.  Our SWE Physical Education program promotes physical literacy.  Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.  During the SWE Family PE Week SWE families are encouraged to be active as a family.   

Family Activities for the week of October 7 - 11:

·       Sign up and participate in one of the “Bring Your Parents to PE Classes”

·       October 7 – 11 is iwalk International Walk to School Week, more information here: https://shapeab.ca/iwalk/, consider registering your family and add some additional walking to your daily school drop off or pick up, registration is open for individual families

·       Go for a family hike

·       Take your family pet for a walk around your neighborhood

·       Go for a family bike ride

·       Go for a family swim at a local pool

·       Play at a local playground with your family

·       Create an active game your family can play outside

·       Rake some leaves and jump in or over the piles of leaves

·       Play throw and catch with your family members using some type of ball

·       As a family try out the Family Fitness Challenge, or one of the Fun Fitness video links or Advanced Object Control videos included below

·       Send in a picture of your family being active to Mrs. Sheehan

Thank you for being active during the SWE Family PE Week!

Wednesday October 9: “Bring Your Parents to PE Class for Kindergarten” – must sign up to attend – Join Mrs. Sheehan for a Kindergarten focused PE class from 4:30-5:00pm. There is available space for 24 students and their parent(s) to sign up. Parents need to accompany their child and be ready to participate in all activities with their student. Please dress to be active with your clothing and shoes. The sign up link for the “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” for Kindergarten students will close at 8pm on Tuesday October 8.

Thursday October 10: “Bring Your Parents to PE Class for Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4” – must sign up to attend - Join Mrs. Sheehan for a PE class on Thursday October 10 from 5:00-5:30pm for Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4.  There is available space for 24 students and their parent(s) to sign up. Parents need to accompany their child and be ready to participate in all activities with their student.  Please dress to be active with your clothing and shoes. The sign up link for the "Bring Your Parents to PE Class" will close at 8pm on October 9. 

Additional Resources for Families to be Active during the 4^th Annual SWE Family PE Week:

Family Fitness Challenges:

10 Jumping Jacks

5 Spins

10 High Leg Kicks

20 Air Punches

Balance on one foot for 15 seconds

Speed walk safely to 4 different rooms in your house or around the outside of your house

Give a high 5 to all your family members

Hold a plank position for 15 seconds

Wall sit for 20 seconds

10 Frog Jumps

Do your favourite Fitness Activity 15 times

If space is available outside, create a start line and a finish line and have a family running race

Follow Along Fun Fitness Videos:

10 minute Family Fun Cardio Fitness Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7nrOBBfcYI

Tabata Workout for Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzVR5Wz9On0

Spiderman Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15BWn39QYY0

Kid Fit Go HIIT Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fomkRYcl_mo&t=13s

Super Mario Adventure Fitness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxfI5pYDqjE&t=4s

Superhero Races: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfeyvOtSdWU

Advanced object control skill videos:

Advanced Football/Soccer Ball Mastery at Home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzB1gxI3w2A

Tennis Ball Skills at Home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_pxajnfCj4

Sample “Bring Your Parents to PE Class” Lesson Plans:

Bring Your Parents to PE Class Lesson Plan for Grades K-4:

2:15-2:45pm: K, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3 and Gr 4 (sign up to attend) 24 spots

5:15-5:45pm: K, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3 and Gr 4 (sign up to attend) 24 spots

6:15-6:45pm: K, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3 and Gr 4 (sign up to attend) 24 sports

Extra class added: 6:15-6:45pm: K, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3 and Gr 4 (sign up on google form) 24 spots

Equipment: 25 poly spots, 25 gator balls, Last Student Standing Cards (Sit, Stand, Kneel, Lay Down), 25 blue buckets, 75 bowling pins, 25 reaction balls, 25 entry task cards (suggestion to have each blue bucket with 3 bowling pins and 1 poly spot for ease of equipment distribution)

1.       Enter Gym and choose a home base for your family (student/parent)

2.       Entry Activity: Home Base Challenges (provide each parent/child with a PE entry task sheet with the following choices: reaction ball bounce and catch, gator ball throw/roll/bounce and catch, perform specific exercises: balance on one foot, hold a plank, complete 10 jumping jacks, complete 10 air punches, run on the spot with fast feet for the count of 10, stretch your arms over your head and then reach down to your toes) – receive a sheet, gator ball and reaction ball when entering the gymnasium

3.       Once everyone has arrived and students/parents have had a chance to complete some of the home base challenges have students return the equipment

4.       Set the Expectations for the Class: Go over Gymnasium Expectations:

a.       Safety

b.       Listen

c.       Respect

d.       Play Fair

e.       Do Your Best

f.        3,2,1 Freeze

5.       Perimeter run/walk around the gymnasium to warm up the large muscle groups

6.       Warm up Activity Game: Last Student Standing Game (Guessing Game): have 4 pieces of paper with each piece of paper having one of the 4 words (written in large letters): Sit, Stand, Kneel or Lay Down – have everyone practice your celebration move/victory dance move for when you guess correctly – Everyone will begin with a movement activity on the spot (ex. Jumping jacks, running on the spot, air punches, lunges, squats,…), teacher calls out “Freeze” and everyone stops and then has 5 seconds to pick one of the 4 positions in the game (sitting, standing, kneeling or laying down), 5 seconds is given to get into the position of your guess (sit, stand, kneel, or lay down), everyone holds their position and the teacher picks one of the 4 pieces of paper and reveals the card, if your guess matches the card then you complete your celebration move/victory dance move, if your guess does not match the card they you run one time around the gym and get ready for the next guess – play for a total of 6 guesses - How many guesses will you guess correctly out of the 6 guesses?

7.       Additional Warm up Activity Game: Reaction Game: everyone with a gator ball – The Reaction Word is “Go”, the Reaction position is pick up the ball from the floor, stay standing and hold the ball over your head – earn a point if you react faster than the teacher or tie the teacher – no point if you are slower than the teacher – play a few rounds against the teacher – play against your parent – progress from starting in freeze position while waiting to react to the Reaction Word, to running on the spot, to jumping jacks, to running around the ball, to fast feet, to sitting, to laying down

8.       Movement Skill Practice: Rolling practice – review rolling technique and everyone rolls a gator ball into open space and moves into open space to find your ball and roll again

9.       Application of Rolling skill: Jailhouse Rocks – Spread gator balls on the ground, pick up one ball at a time, roll the ball into open space to try to tag someone else’s foot or leg, if a ball touches your legs or feet, go to jail and wait until you hear the words “Jailhouse Rocks” to return to the game – complete a wall sit activity while in waiting in the jail

10.   Depending on time: choose Family Bowling or Family Blue Bucket Challenges – if time allows – both activities can be done

11.   Application of Rolling with accuracy: Family Bowling: Set up 3 bowling pins for your family, a poly spot as a bowling spot, and a gator ball to roll/bowl – (place the pins by a wall to ensure the roll is going towards the wall), slowly move away from the pins to increase distance between target and rolling spot, practice rolling the ball and see how many pins you knock down each time – retrieve your ball after you bowl and set up the pins for your next family member 

12.   Extension of Rolling and experimentation with Throwing: Family Blue Bucket Challenges: need gator ball, blue bucket and poly spot – follow through the blue bucket challenges:

a.       Roll the ball from the spot into the blue bucket (bucket needs to be laying horizontally on it’s side)

b.       Bounce the ball on the ground from the spot into the blue bucket (bucket needs to be standing up vertically)

c.       Rebound the ball off the wall and into the blue bucket

d.       1 minute challenges – in a 1 minute time frame – how many times can you and your parent get the ball in the blue bucket  – after a 1 minute challenge – time again and try to beat your number from the first round – 3^rd and 4^th round – move the poly spot further away – 5^th and 6^th round – have parent or student hold the blue bucket to help with the catch

13.   Optional Game: Battle of the Pins: divide the gym into 2 sides and set up approximately 12-15 bowling pins up at the back of each side – protect the bowling pins and try to knock down the pins on the other side of the gym – remember to play fair and move only on your side of the gym – don’t cross the middle line – for safety – focus on rolling the ball for application of skill and keeping the game safe for all participants

14.   Equipment away and thank everyone for coming and invite parents to come and ask any question they might have about the physical education program

Bring Your Parents to PE Entry Task Card:

1.             Complete the following active challenges in a home base with your parents

·    Balance on 1 foot for 10 seconds

·    Balance on the other foot for 10 seconds

·    Complete 10 Jumping Jacks

·    Complete 10 Air Punches

·     Run on the Spot for 10 seconds with fast feet

·    Stretch your arms over your head and then down to your toes

 

2.             Bounce the reaction ball and try to catch the ball after 1 bounce, 2 bounces or 3 bounces – be ready to move as the bounces can go in any direction

 

3.             Roll, throw or bounce the gator ball from student to parent 10 times

4.             Create a trick throw with the gator ball to your parent