Welcome to the 2025-2026 School Year…Some Helpful PE Tips to Start Your Year

 Submitted by: Sonia Sheehan, Physical Education Specialist and HPEC Member

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time filled with unlimited possibilities to enhance your PE program. Taking some time at the start of the school year to add something new can excite student interest and innovate professional practice. Some things to consider at the start of the school year include: adding professional guest presenters for specialized student learning opportunities, planning special active school community events, purchasing new PE equipment, and exploring professional growth plan topics. As you start the new school year here are a few tips to think about…

Professional Guest Presenters:

Bringing in professional guest presenters can provide specialized student learning opportunities that might not be possible within the regular capabilities of your PE program. These guest presenters have the ability to ignite student interest in a new activity and promote engagement in physical activity beyond the school walls. Some examples of guest presenters available to Alberta schools include:

·       Classroom Lacrosse: https://elev8lacrosse.com/classroom-lacrosse/

·       Inline Skating: https://alieninline.com/school-inline-skating/

·       Curling: https://rocksandrings.com/programs/rocks-and-rings/

·       Fencing: https://fencingcalgary.com/

·       Dance: https://www.soundkreations.com/

·       Triathlon: https://www.triathlonalberta.ca/schools

·       Track and Field: https://minilegends.ca/

·       Aerobic/Fitness Drumming: https://www.drumfit.com/for-schools

Planning Special Active School Community Events:

Planning for an early in the school year special event linked to your physical education program can excite your school community and promote physical activity outside school hours. Some special event ideas could include:

·       Hosting a “Back to School Family Active Evening” to engage your school community in physical activity. An after school hours evening can include a variety of active opportunities hosted in your gymnasium, school fields, tarmac and the school playground. Recruiting teachers, past students or parent volunteers can help run a variety of active opportunities. 

·       Scheduling a “Family PE Week” with a focus on families engaging in physical activity through a weeklong initiative. Using the free resources available on the OPEN PE site can make the planning a “Family PE Week” a breeze. https://openphysed.org/familieslovepe

·       Running a school community Terry Fox Run. The fall of 2025 marks the 45^th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. https://terryfoxschoolrun.org/

Purchasing New PE Equipment:

One of the simplest ways to excite student interest is the addition of new PE equipment for your PE program. Exploring your preferred PE equipment supplier catalogue can provide ideas for new equipment to innovate your program. Often your school council or school casino society might be able to provide funding to cover the cost of purchasing new PE equipment. Some of the Alberta and Canadian PE equipment suppliers include:

·       Gopher: https://gophersport.com/digital-canada

·       North Star Sports: https://northstarsports.com/

·       School Specialty: https://www.schoolspecialty.ca/physical-education-sport

·       Sportfactor: https://sportfactor.net/

·       Wintergreen: https://www.wintergreen.ca/sports-recreation

An example of new PE equipment is circus arts equipment. Circus arts equipment is an option of something that might not currently be part of your PE program. Circus arts can be an innovative way to reach curricular outcomes that promotes high levels of student engagement. Some examples of circus arts equipment include:

·       Juggling Balls: https://gophersport.com/softsqueeze-juggling-balls?queryID=1d1ed41981496f3ff88cb5d5c1615761&objectID=508035&indexName=gs_production_default_products

·       Juggling Clubs: https://www.schoolspecialty.ca/sportime-juggling-foam-clubs-set-of-3-2094881

·       Juggling Scarves: https://www.wintergreen.ca/scarves-set-of-3-wsp87100

·       Juggling Rings: https://sportfactor.net/JUGGLING-RINGS-p/j45.htm

·       Juggling Devil Sticks: https://northstarsports.com/product/juggling-devil-sticks/

·       Juggling Diablos: https://sportfactor.net/JUGGLING-DIABLO-p/jd21.htm

·       Plate Spinning/Plate Juggling: https://northstarsports.com/product/juggling-plate-set/

·       Step Stilts: https://www.schoolspecialty.ca/pull-buoy-step-n-stilts-set-of-6-pairs-1282649

·       Balance Boards: https://gophersport.com/rainbow-rockerwalker-balance-seesaw

Exploring Professional Growth Plan Topics:

Alberta teachers’ professional responsibility of pursuing continuous learning through a professional growth plan encourages ongoing learning throughout your teaching career. Choosing a topic that is interesting, relevant to yourself, your students, and your school and sparks thoughtful reflection into your teaching practice is important. Coming up with a professional growth plan topic is a start of year thought process. Some topics related to physical education to consider include:

·       Exploring and learning with Ever Active Schools podclass episodes: https://everactive.org/podclass/the-podclass-episodes/

·       PHE Canada learning modules: https://phecanada.ca/professional-learning/training-and-certification

·       NCCP Education and Training through learning modules:

o   https://coach.ca/new-coaching/about-nccp

o   https://coach.ca/training-modules?track=278

o   https://coach.ca/training-modules?search=&delivery%5B270%5D=270&sort_bef_combine=created_DESC&track=All

·       In-depth exploration, examination and implementation of the new Alberta Physical Education and Wellness Curriculum: https://curriculum.learnalberta.ca/ciihub/en/home

·       Universal Designs for Learning (UDL) to accommodate a variety of needs of learners with a possible learning resource of the OPEN PE learning modules: https://varsityuniversity.org/open/

Take some time to thoughtfully contemplate the start of the school year and think about how you can make this school year the best one yet! Will you spark student interest and innovate your professional practice through professional guest instructors, special events, new PE equipment or an exciting topic to explore through your professional growth plan?

Wishing you an active and engaging 2025-2026 school year!

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.