SUNY Cortland PE Dept Blog

Congrats to TC's in Portfolio Showcase Fall 2011

2011-12-08T19:02:00.001-05:00

Karyn Schutzer wins NYSAHPERD’S 2011 Jay B. Nash Award

2011-07-21T12:10:00.001-04:00

NYS-AHPERD’S 2011 Jay B. Nash Outstanding Major Award winner is Karyn Schutzer, senior Cortland PE student and currently the President of SUNY Cortland PE's Major Club - APEM. The award will be presented at the NYSAPHERD Conference on November 18th, 2011 at Turning Stone.

Congratulations Karyn and for continuing to make your mark on our PE community. In the picture above, Karyn (far left) is assisting Jack Murphy (2011) in a 21st Century Scavenger Hunt at the 2011 AAHPERD in San Diego, CA.

Cortland Rugby Player Makes All-Star Team

2011-06-15T12:53:00.000-04:00

From SUNY Cortland News:

06/13/2011

Michael Compton, a SUNY Cortland senior who spent three years as an Army ranger, is once again part of a respected, select group: the Northeast Rugby Union All-Star Team.

Compton, a physical education major who plays prop for the Cortland Rugby Team, traveled to Colorado last week to play in the national Men’s Collegiate All-Star Championship after being selected for the team. The Northeast Rugby Union is the coordinating body for rugby throughout New York and New England.

“We are very proud of Mike’s accomplishment,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “He’s been recognized as one of the best rugby players in the country, and he learned to play the game here at SUNY Cortland.”

Compton, a former high-school football and baseball player, from Jeffersonville, N.Y., spent more than a year serving with the Rangers in Iraq. He began playing rugby about three years ago, after coming to SUNY Cortland.

“I knew I wanted to play ball in college, but I didn’t want to sit on the bench,” Compton said. “I tried rugby. I enjoyed the camaraderie. I enjoyed the sport. I never thought it would take me this far.”

Compton made the starting, 15-man lineup that the Northeast Rugby Union fielded against the West All-Star team in Glendale, Colo. on June 9. He played prop, a key position in the center of a rugby scrum. The Northeast lost 21-14, but won a consolation match the following day against the West’s second squad, 41-15.

Men’s rugby is one of 34 competitive club sports offered to SUNY Cortland students through the College’s Recreational Sports Program. The clubs range from standards like baseball and football to less mainstream athletic activities such as ultimate Frisbee, kickline, hoop dance, Tae Kwon Do and Quiddich, an earthbound adaption of the magical game depicted in “Harry Potter” books and movies.

Compton, 25, walked in Commencement ceremonies last month, but is still enrolled in the College because he will be completing his student teaching requirement this fall. He will teach physical education at Liberty Middle School and Liberty Elementary School in Liberty, N.Y.

Music Video Backs National Fitness Campaign

2011-06-14T11:41:00.001-04:00

Reposted from SUNY Cortland News:

05/13/2011

About 50 SUNY Cortland students from two physical education courses took to YouTube recently with a music video parody to promote awareness for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign against childhood obesity.

The clip, which features Assistant Professor Stephen Yang’s students, is a response to Beyonce’s "Move Your Body,” a workout video re-written with new words to her hit song "Get Me Bodied." The Grammy award-winning singer released the tune earlier this month to encourage dance exercise among children as part of the First Lady’s effort.

Yang saw an opportunity to teach his students, mostly aspiring physical education teachers, in a memorable way. Students performed a choreographed routine similar to Beyonce’s, with old dance moves like the Running Man and new ones like the Dougie.

“We can’t just talk about current issues,” Yang said. “We’ve got to give students opportunities to create social moments.”

Yang’s students banded together to form a group dubbed the P.E. Rockstars. All of his students are required to maintain their own blogs related to physical education. Yang has even created an all-inclusive blog of relevant course material.

J. Trenton Jones, a junior from Clifton Springs, N.Y. and a physical education major, volunteered to edit the raw video footage, which was shot from four cameras.

“Dr. Yang gives you the tools and he allows you to teach yourself,” said Jones, who knew little about video editing before Yang’s class. “He puts you in a situation and you have to work through it.”

The production of a music video made sense, given the relevance of the First Lady’s fitness campaign and the fact that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

“This was a great way to move and get people doing cardio,” Jones said. “Dancing is lifelong fitness activity and that’s pretty much where physical education is heading – lifelong fitness.”

Yang said he would like physical education students to create exercise-encouraging music videos every year. SUNY Cortland’s Department of Physical Education is one of the largest and most respected in the United States, attracting about 800 students every year.

“Obviously, we’re not professional dancers,” Yang said. “But this is a baby step towards a much larger goal: to create agents of change.”

30 Under 30: Innovative Educators - Pat Colgan (PE Alum)

2011-06-14T11:36:00.001-04:00

Cortland APE Alum Pat Colgan - Prince Georges County in Maryland. Lots of Cortland PE Alum (approximately 30) in the same or neighboring districts including recent grads Jerry Greenlaw and Caleb Olsen. They love fitness and Jerry's elementary school just got a bronze level for the national healthy school program. Congrats and keep up the great work Cortland Alum!

Name: Patrick Colgan
Age: 26
Location: Beltsville, Maryland
School: Buck Lodge Middle School and High Point High School
Position: Adapted Physical Education Teacher, Girls' Varsity Soccer Coach, Unified Bocce Ball Coach and Middle School Girls’ Soccer Coach

Technology and television screens aren’t always counterproductive to physical education, a fact popularized by the Nintendo Wii’s Fit. Patrick Colgan is popularizing this technology at Buck Lodge Middle School and High Point High School. By incorporating the video game console, LCD projectors, and board maker software into his general and adapted physical education program, Colgan makes it a whole lot easier for his students to design and enjoy their own individualized education program. Possibly more unique is Colgan’s involvement in the creation of a fully inclusive fitness club called Tutors and Tournaments that combines education, physical fitness, and technology into one club allowing students with and without disabilities to work together.

What are your goals for your work?
“My goals for the Wii Technology is to provide students with a[n] innovative way to develop their fitness and skills while having fun. I also hope that if students are stuck in the house that they may be able to use what we do in the after school club and in the classroom at home.”

What challenges do you face trying to break the mold?
“The biggest challenge is securing enough funds to hook up the 15 Nintendo Wiis to televisions and LCD projectors. We have significantly more Wiis than televisions, which prohibits us from using all of them during class and the after school program.”

In your opinion, what’s the biggest flaw with the American education system today?
“To me, the biggest flaw in the education system today is standardized testing. It takes a lot of creativity away from the teachers and how they use their specific curriculum. The high stakes testing can be stressful for teachers and students.”

Growing up, what educators made the biggest impression on you and why?
"My father, Ed Colgan, was a high school biology teacher and a coach for over 30 years. His incredible work ethic, discipline, morals, values, and ability to balance a successful career and family are a constant inspiration to me everyday."

What do you hope your students take away from you?
“I teach students with disabilities in Physical Education and I would like to see them being physically active in the community when they graduate high school. Whether it be at a fitness center or at home. I also would like my students and athletes to take the ideas of respect, commitment, humor, dedication, discipline, an open mind, and a serious work ethic wherever they go.”

EKP Certification Apps due March 23, 2011

2011-02-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

To all Past & Present Self Defense Students

Educational Karate Program (EKP) Certification

Application deadline is Wednesday, March 23 , 2011

See your teacher for an application or

Take a Pink Sheet (information sheet) and a White Application off the office door of

Colleen Buchanan

E310 Park Center

Pick one up from the front Dance Studio

Image by MikeOliveri via Flickr

EKP doesn't "expire" once they get certified here. The certification will go into a "holding phase". When they get a teaching job, they will contact Master Ochiai at the headquarters in Vestal to "activate" the certification.
Once they are certified by attending the April program, all students are invited and encouraged to attend EKP Certification night every April until the they graduate for a "refresher". There is no cost to the student, just their time. They will however, need to submit and application (no money) so that we can notify headquarters that a student will be taking the refresher at no charge.
Once they get the JOB, they will be required to keep the certification active to teach in the public schools. Headquarters will have contact with the teacher at their school, and keep them up to date.
Our "competitors" don't offer this course, so this is an investment (of $90 and three hours of their time) to make themselves more marketable. Right now a school district in Binghamton is only looking at Cortland grads who are EKP certified. It is very costly for a school district to pay for a teacher/district to become certified.

Deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 23, 2011 .
EKP night is Friday, April 29 , 2011 .

Don't wait until the last minute to put this application together. I will take a couple of days to compile all the necessary items.

Colleen Buchanan

SUNY Cortland

Physical Education Department

E310 Park Center

Cortland, NY 13045

(607) 753-5538

colleen.buchanan@cortland.edu

SUNY Cortland PE Alumna General Ann E. Dunwoody Selected to Receive NCAA’s Highest Honor

2010-12-14T09:09:00.001-05:00

SUNY Cortland: News Detail

12/13/2010

Former SUNY Cortland student-athlete and 1975 alumna Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody has been selected to receive the 2011 Theodore Roosevelt award, the NCAA’s highest honor. The award, also known as the “Teddy Award,” will be presented on Friday, Jan. 14, during the annual NCAA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose concern for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906, the award was established in 1967 and is given annually to an individual “for whom competitive athletics in college and attention to physical well-being thereafter have been important factors in a distinguished career of national significance and achievement.”

Dunwoody joins a prestigious list of “Teddy Award” winners that includes former U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Other past winners include John Glenn, Bob Dole, John Wooden, Arnold Palmer, Bill Cosby, Sally Ride, Madeleine Albright and Jesse Owens.

Dunwoody is the first woman in U.S. military history to be promoted to the rank of four-star general and is the current Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command. She graduated from SUNY Cortland with a degree in physical education and was directly commissioned into the Women’s Army Corps. She received a Master of Science in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1988 and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1995.

Dunwoody, a former gymnast and women's tennis player at Cortland, is the first woman in U.S. military history to be promoted to the rank of four-star general.

Nominated by recently retired SUNY Cortland Director of Athletics Dr. Joan Sitterly, Dunwoody was a starter and four-year participant on the College’s women’s gymnastics team under Coach Antoinette “Toni” Tiburzi and women’s tennis team under Coach Sylvia Stokes.

“They were just great role models, great people,” Dunwoody recalled about Tiburzi and Stokes. “They’re ‘people’ people. They just made sports fun. I will always fondly remember Cortland because it was a positive experience for me. I have been blessed to have lots of positive experiences. The encouragement I got from the faculty there, the friends that I made there, made my whole college experience a positive one.”

When Dunwoody began her military career, women had yet to be admitted to West Point. Her brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather all attended the U.S. Military Academy, a family history that stretches to 1866. Dunwoody’s father, a career Army officer, was a veteran of World War II and Korea and served in Vietnam during her college career.

In 1992 Dunwoody became the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division. She was the first female general at Fort Bragg, N.C., and the first woman to lead the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Va.

Dunwoody was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm as a division parachute officer for the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. She served as the 1st Corps Support Command Commander in the deployment of the Logistics Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Dunwoody was promoted to the rank of four-star general in a ceremony at the Pentagon in 2008. Marking the occasion, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, “History will no doubt take note of her achievement in breaking through this final brass ceiling to pin on a fourth star, but she would rather be known and remembered, first and foremost, as a U.S. Army Soldier.”

In a briefing to the press after the ceremony Dunwoody remarked, “I never grew up in an environment where I even heard of the words ‘glass ceiling.’ You could always be anything you wanted to be if you worked hard, and so I never felt constrained. I never felt like there were limitations on what I could do.”

Dunwoody remains a proponent of an active lifestyle and enjoys running with her husband, retired Air Force Col. Craig Brotchie, and their springer spaniel, Barney.

Elementary School Practices Fall Short of National Recommendations for Diet and Physical Activity

2010-11-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

New Report Highlights Changes Needed to Support Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in U.S. Elementary Schools

Elementary school practices fall short of national recommendations for diet and physical activity.

A comprehensive new report from Bridging the Gap and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that elementary schools across the nation commonly offer their students junk food and soda, serve meals that don’t meet current dietary guidelines, and provide little time for physical activity.

The report, School Policies and Practices to Improve Health and Prevent Obesity: National Elementary School Survey Results, examined practices that affect nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention for tens of millions of students. Its conclusions are critical for informing the Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation, including policies related to competitive foods and school meals.

Among the key findings from the 2007–08 school year:

Nearly two-thirds of public elementary school students were able to purchase competitive foods or beverages on campus. These items, sold or served outside of school meal programs, often included soda, candy, cookies and french fries.
Meals served through the National School Lunch Program often included higher-fat items such as pizza, french fries, and 2% or whole milk.
Only 20 percent of public school third-graders were offered daily physical education, and only 18 percent were offered at least 150 minutes of weekly physical education, as recommended by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

More here

http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/bridgingthegap20101123mongraphrevised.pdf

http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/btg201006.pdf

http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/64429companionbrief.pdf

Teacher Professional Development Website

2010-11-23T08:50:00.000-05:00

The Teacher Professional Development Network of Central New York, a non-profit, grant-funded group based in the School of Education at SUNY Cortland, is proud to announce the unveiling of its new website found at:

http://www.cnyteacherpdnetwork.org

This website provides an up-to-date listing of teacher professional development activities in our region. Teachers of all grades and subjects will find events presented by museums, Universities, BOCES, school districts and many other community organizations.

The goal of the Teacher Professional Development Network of Central New York is to support the professional development needs of schools in our area and help connect educators with professional development opportunities. This site provides a place where all kinds of community organizations can publicize their teacher professional development events and teachers can find workshops that are convenient and relevant to their needs.

So whether you are looking to list a professional development activity that you are offering - or searching for some professional development opportunities for the preservice or inservice teachers with whom you are working - take some time to visit http://www.cnyteacherpdnetwork.org

SUNY Cortland NYSAHPERD

2010-10-08T15:55:00.003-04:00

Today we hosted our 30th "Mini-Conference"but it was the second year of holding it in conjunction with NYSAHPERD Southern Zone. With a diverse selection of presenters and topics, we were able to really capture the spirit of teaching through the physical. It was a really well organized and run and besides the typical presentations, there were also apparel sales, used equipment and supplies sale, and vendors here at SUNY Cortland. From salsa lessons to exergaming, disc golf to fencing, and workshops for administrators and Special Olympics, there was always plenty to do, see, hear, and absorb. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the PE Majors Club and Dr. Malmberg, to all the presenters and to you for attending - if only virtually. See You Next Year!

Job Posting: Naples Central School

2010-08-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Job Posting:
Full Time Position - Physical Education

Naples Central School
136 North Main Street
Naples, NY 14512

Starting Date: September 1, 2010

Preferred Qualifications:
1. Holds appropriate New York Certificate and Licenses
2. Additional Health Teacher Certification desired
3. Has the ability to coordinate planning and work cooperatively with staff, parents and administration.
4. Loves kids.
5. Good communication skills.
6. Good sense of Humor

Application Procedure:
By August 27, 2010, send a resume, copies of certification and the candidates placement folder, including transcripts and letters of reference to:

Mrs. Kimberle A. Ward,
Superintendent
136 North Main Street
Naples, NY 14512

Physical Education Is An Academic Subject

2010-08-19T12:13:00.000-04:00

Be sure to grab this latest NASPE Advocacy paper "Physical Education Is An Academic Subject". It is imperative that you start to collect your tools to support our profession and your future job.

12 P.E. Student-Teachers Honored with Lenore K. Alway/Anthony P. Tesori Awards

2010-06-21T15:23:00.001-04:00

06/07/2010

Twelve senior physical education majors at SUNY Cortland were recognized with Lenore K. Alway/Anthony P. Tesori Awards for their outstanding work in student teaching in New York state schools during the Spring 2010 semester.

Physical Education Department faculty members nominated seven women and five men for the recognition. Each student received a certificate.

The Alway Award, given to women, recognizes the late pioneering head of women’s physical education at the College from 1941 to 1965. The men’s Tesori Award honors the 1939 graduate who gave the College many years of leadership in athletics and administrative areas and earned the College’s C- Club Hall of Fame Award for his achievements before and after graduation.

The Alway Award honorees and the schools or school districts where they completed their student teaching are as follows:

• Courteny Hammond of Green Island, N.Y., at Lansing (N.Y.) Central School District and Ithaca (N.Y.) City School District.

• Taylor Houseman of Rushford, N.Y., at Lansing (N.Y.) Central School District and McGraw (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Alanna Cooney of Binghamton, N.Y., at Vestal (N.Y.) Central School District and Johnson City (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Stephanie Melkin of Seaford, N.Y., at Massapequa (N.Y.) School District and Freeport (N.Y.) Union Free School District.

• Miranda Lustig of Patchogue, N.Y., at Cortland (N.Y.) City School District and Tully (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Alyse Valentini of New Fairfield, Conn., at Port Chester (N.Y.) Union Free School District and Pelham (N.Y.) Union Free School District.

• Kathryn Dylag of Williamsville, N.Y., at Sweet Home Central School District in Amherst, N.Y.

The Tesori Award honorees and the schools or school districts where they completed their student teaching are as follows:

• Jeremiah Retzlaff of Troy, N.Y., at New York City Geographical Districts #28 and #24.

• Russell Stephens of Wayland, N.Y., at Cincinnatus (N.Y.) Central School District and Marcellus (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Michael Burke of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., at Peekskill (N.Y.) City Schools and Mahopac (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Brandon Herwick of Coxsackie, N.Y., at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central Schools in Selkirk, N.Y., and Catskill (N.Y.) Central School District.

• Joseph DiMaggio of Rome, N.Y., at Camden (N.Y.) Central School District and Oriskany (N.Y.) Central School District.

For more information, contact the Physical Education Department at (607) 753-4955.

Brandon Herwick receives SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence

2010-05-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

Brandon Herwick Receives SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence

CORTLAND, NY (05/22/2010)(readMedia)-- Brandon Herwick, a Coxsackie, N.Y., native, was one of four SUNY Cortland seniors honored on April 6 in Albany, N.Y., with 2010 State University of New York Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence.

"The 228 students we honor today have excelled academically and taken advantage of what SUNY has to offer outside the classroom," said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher as she recognized students from the 63 SUNY campuses throughout the state during the ceremony in Albany, N.Y. "These students are proven leaders, athletes, artists, community servants and much more. Congratulations to all of the students receiving today's award and thank you all for your genuine dedication to student excellence."

The recipients were honored for integrating academic excellence with accomplishments in leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement. This year's honorees have an overall grade point average of 3.8.

To the SUNY Cortland community, Herwick brings to life the College's Red Dragon mascot, aptly named "Blaze."

But it's not all fun and games for this senior physical education major, who has maintained a 3.63 grade point average during his two years at the College and will graduate in May. The National Association of Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) honored him as its Major of the Year in March for his excellent academic achievement, exemplary leadership and involvement, and demonstrative dedication to the fields of health, activity and fitness.

A promising scholar in his chosen field, Herwick delivered four presentations at two New York State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYSAHPERD) conferences and recently was slated to give another for the national association.

"I think physical education is an elemental part of a child's education," Herwick says. "It's something that needs to be set up early so that it can be continued for life. Especially with the obesity epidemic, it's important that we get inside of schools and we teach students how to be confident in their abilities."

In March 2008, Tau Sigma, the academic honor society for transfer students, initiated Herwick, who attended Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) before Cortland, as a member. A resident assistant on the campus, Herwick was recognized last spring with an Academic Excellence Award by the Residence Life and Housing Office.

Herwick serves as president of the Alliance of Physical Education Majors Club and the Cortland Table Tennis Club, participates on the Student Activities Board, and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. He has offered his time and talent to several efforts on behalf of individuals with physical challenges.

This spring, he student-teaches at V.W. Becker, an elementary school in Ravina-Coeymans-Selkirk (N.Y.) School District, and Catskill High School. He'll continue his studies toward a graduate degree in adapted physical education.

"SUNY Cortland is one of the premiere, if not the premiere, New York state physical education schools and it definitely ranks among the top in the nation, if not the world," said Herwick, noting that he was inspired to transfer to SUNY Cortland by Thomas Rogan '66, a Cortland alumnus and his professor at HVCC. His mother, alumna Denise Sonustun Herwick '86, was another influence.

"I think the teachers are very diverse at Cortland and what makes the program so great is how the professors can bring so many different aspects to one profession."

With this year's awards, 56 SUNY Cortland students have earned a Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence since the program was created in 1997.

Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee to review outstanding graduating seniors. The nominees are forwarded to the Chancellor's Office for a second round of review and a group of finalists is selected. Each honoree received a framed certificate and a medallion that is traditionally worn at commencement. A complete listing can be viewed at:http://www.suny.edu/Files/sunynewsFiles/Pdf/StudentExcellenceListing.pdf.

2010 Portfolio Showcase

2010-05-13T16:26:00.002-04:00

Fresh of the 2010 Portfolio Showcase, here are some great shots from this afternoon's event. Congrats to all the winners and we've seen some great portfolios that will represent you and Cortland extremely well.

Six SUNY Cortland PE Students Receive Alway/Tesori Awards for Student Teaching

2010-03-04T14:20:00.000-05:00

Six senior physical education majors at SUNY Cortland were recognized with Lenore K. Alway/Anthony P. Tesori Awards for their outstanding work in student teaching in New York state schools during the Fall 2009 semester. Physical Education Department faculty members nominated one woman and five men for the recognition. The students received a certificate.

The Alway award, given to women, recognizes Lenore K. Alway, the late pioneering head of women’s
physical education at the College from 1941 to 1965. The men’s award honors Anthony P. Tesori, a 1939 graduate who gave the College many years of leadership in athletics and administrative areas and earned the College’s C-Club Hall of Fame Award for his achievements before and after graduation.

The Alway Award honoree and the school districts where she completed her teaching follows:
• Mallory Cogen of Bellmore, N.Y., at Westbury Union Free School District in Old Westbury, N.Y.,
and Herricks Union Free School District in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

The Tesori Award honorees and the schools or school districts where they completed their teaching are as follows:
• Christopher Corso of Oceanside, N.Y., at Westbury Union Free School District in Old Westbury, N.Y., and Jericho (N.Y.) Union Free School District.
• Andrew MacArthur of Great Neck, N.Y., at Southern Cayuga Central School District of Aurora, N.Y.,and Whitney Point (N.Y.) Central School District.
• Joseph Moran of Gasport, N.Y., at Fabius-Pompey (N.Y.) Central School District and Cortland (N.Y.)City School District.
• Todd Plourde of Binghamton, N.Y., at Chenango Valley Central School District of Binghamton, N.Y., and the Binghamton (N.Y.) City School District.
• Edward Reiser of Sayville, N.Y., at Brentwood (N.Y.) Union Free School District and Connetquot
Central School District of Islip, N.Y.
For more information, contact the Physical Education Department at (607) 753-4955.

Dr. Tim Davis to Receive APAC National Outstanding Professional Award

2010-02-24T09:50:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Dr. Davis! Please drop by or send him a congratulation e-mail. davist@cortland.edu

Taken from the SUNY Cortland Bulletin

Timothy Davis, assistant professor of physical education at SUNY Cortland, has been named the 2010 Outstanding Professional Award recipient by the Adapted Physical Activity Council (APAC) of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).

A nationally respected SUNY Cortland faculty member since joining the College in 1998, Davis will be recognized on Thursday, March 18, during the AAHPERD convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

“He embodies the concept of a truly selfless, compassionate professional, always taking the time to help others,” noted University of Florida Professor Christine Stopka, in her nomination of Davis for the honor.

“In fact, his mission has been to improve the quality of physical education services for children with disabilities through the development and promotion of highly qualified adapted physical education teachers, one teacher at a time. He believes strongly that empowering individual teachers can have a profound effect on the quality of lives of children with disabilities.”

The APAC award recognizes an exceptional member who not only has provided leadership to the organization and who has contributed to scholarly publications in the field of adapted physical education, but also someone who has “made a significant mark on the lives of others through teaching, athletics, entertainments, serving in public office, or in some other way enhancing the positive image of people with disabilities in society.”

Davis, who presided over APAC from 2000-02, has been a role model and an indefatigable adapted physical education leader in both service and scholarship for years, noted Stopka.

The chair of the Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS) Project for the past eight years, Davis is the anonymous “expert” behind the organization’s PE Central “Ask the Expert” online service.

“Dr. Davis receives 15-20 e-mails and messages a week asking for information ranging from disability to state licensure and beyond,” explained Stopka, adding that he answers those requests “in a meaningful and personal manner” and “without receiving credit whatsoever for his time and effort.”

He has promoted APENS through a Web site, online links and enhanced visibility at AAHPERD regional and national conferences, she noted.

“More recently, he was interviewed for an article in Education Weekly, where he was asked to speak on behalf of the field of adapted physical education and national standards,” Stopka explained.

"Dr. Davis’ scholarly activity speaks to his passion in the field,” she continued. “He has been represented in all of the leading physical education journals. His list of international and national presentations is formidable. Dr. Davis exemplifies the professional who ‘talks the talk and walks the walk.’ He connects with practicing physical educators through his writing as well as through his presentation. He has a national reputation as being a ‘go-to’ person for answers that require practical application.”

Stopka said that Davis has been instrumental in the three-year expansion of the national mentoring program, “I Can Do It! You Can Do It!” for youth with disabilities developed by the Office on Disability in the Department of Health and Human Services. He is one of nine national directors promoting the mentorship of children with disabilities to increase physical activity and nutrition. He is targeting his upcoming research on addressing perceptions of physical education teaching majors with disabilities, an underrepresented area in literature for many years, said Stopka.

She singled out his commitment to the local community as director of the Cortland Homer Afterschool Mentorship Program (CHAMP), a five-days-a-week, state-approved, afterschool daycare program. In addition, Tim has developed many service learning opportunities for his students. These include Skill Builders and Challenger Sports for children with disabilities birth to 21 years, Thursday night wheelchair sports, Project LEAPE, and most recently Project DREAM serving at risk youth and those with disabilities ages 13-21.

A native of Reno, Nev., Davis earned both a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in adapted physical education and early intervention from California State University, Chico. He has a Ph.D. in adapted physical education and early childhood special education from the University of Virginia.

From 1991-94, Davis was an adapted physical education instructor and director of the Ability Challenge Sports and Recreation Program at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

At SUNY Cortland, Davis received the 2009 Rozanne M. Brooks Dedicated Teacher Award and was honored by the College with its Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Outreach Award. In 2007 and 2008, he was presented by the College with its Distinguished Faculty Service Learning Award. In 2008, SUNY Cortland earned the Adapted Physical Education Program of the Year Award from AAHPERD.

Davis was presented with the prestigious William A. Hillman Distinguished Service Award in 2006 by the National Consortium on Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities. He has received several other Professional of the Year Awards from state organizations in New York and outstanding service awards while working in both New York and Indiana.

A member of several College committees, across his career he has successfully written grants for nearly $600,000 in sponsored research associated with adapted physical education. Most recently, Tim has developed the School Partnerships in Physical Education Program creating funded teaching opportunities for graduate students majoring in adapted physical education.

Within the community, Davis presided over the board of directors for Access for Independence of Cortland County, an independent living center servicing adults with physical and developmental disabilities. He has been active with local Little League organizations and serves as faculty advisor to the national powerhouse SUNY Cortland baseball team.

For many years, Davis was a big game guide in the province of Alberta for the Canada Division of Forestry, having served a year as a guide in the Yukon Territories. Since 2003, he has taught Inclusive Outdoor Education, a graduate course at SUNY Cortland developed specifically to address the needs of diverse populations in outdoor education experiences.

He and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Chase, 13, and Peter, 10, and reside in Homer, N.Y.

PE Students Recieve Teaching Awards

2009-12-23T13:42:00.000-05:00

Jaime Atencio Named Australian Teaching Fellow

On June 7, Atencio, a 2009 SUNY Cortland graduate, who majored in physical education, will board a plane headed for Mountain Creek State Primary School in Queensland, Australia. He will spend the next 18 months in a fellowship program teaching physical education to kindergarten through seventh grade at the same school where he student taught last year.
Atencio is SUNY Cortland's third Australian Teaching Fellow, the result of a collaborative effort among the College, Education Queensland and the University of the Sunshine Coast. The fellowship has been offered to SUNY Cortland alumni who have a provisional or initial teaching certification in New York state.

Alway and Tesori Awards to PE Seniors for Student Teaching

The Alway Award honorees and the schools or school districts where they completed their teaching are as follows:

Erin Brooks of Macedon, N.Y., at Fairport (N.Y.) Central School District and Newport (N.Y.) Central School District;
Nicole Corcoran of Massena, N.Y., at Ithaca (N.Y.) City School District and Southern Cayuga (N.Y.) Central School District;
Susan Dittrich of Cortland, N.Y., at Fabius-Pompey (N.Y.) Central School District and Cincinnatus (N.Y.) Senior High School;
Lauren Friedlander of Cortland, N.Y., at Marathon (N.Y.) Central School District and Ithaca City School District; and,
Katharine Spader of Larchmont, N.Y., at Mount Vernon (N.Y.) City School District and Rye Neck (N.Y.) Union Free School District.

The Tesori Award honorees and the schools or school districts where they completed their teaching are as follows:

Keith Greene of Bay Shore, N.Y., at Connetquot (N.Y.) Central School District and Brentwood (N.Y.) Union Free School District;
Shaun McGee of Pawling, N.Y., at Peekskill (N.Y.) City School District and Brewster (N.Y.) Central School District; and,
Richard Miglietta of Port Washington, N.Y., at New York City Geographical District No. 28 and Glen Cove (N.Y.) City School District.

Another Fun Video

2009-12-22T11:51:00.002-05:00

This video resembles Jacks, it shows the fun stuff we did during the great semester in 255.

SUNY Cortland PE Rockstars - EDU 255 Fall 2009

2009-12-22T11:26:00.001-05:00

Here is a great representation of what we do in EDU 255 and especially what happened this semester of PE Rockstar Training at SUNY Cortland. It was compiled by Jack Murphy. Please take a look at his blog or his Professional Portfolio for some of his many accomplishments and also follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Tim Davis quoted in Education Week regarding access of students with disabilities to sports

2009-12-03T11:29:00.002-05:00

Our very own Dr. Tim Davis, CAPE was featured in an Education Week piece regarding access of students with disabilities to sports. Click here to read more about the importance of focusing on student abilities and not their disabilities.

School staff members often lack training and experience in how to adapt physical education classes for students with disabilities—and the quality of services is reduced as a result, says Timothy Davis, an assistant professor of physical education at the State University of New York at Cortland and the chairman of the Adapted Physical Education National Standards, a project established by a professional group to create standards and a certification program for the profession.

Only 13 states suggest additional training for physical educators to teach adapted physical education, according to Mr. Davis. Most states do not require any additional certification.
Teachers in an undergraduate program for physical education are often required to take one three-credit course in adapted physical education in the last year of the program, he notes. “By the time they get interested in adapted physical education, they are done and they are out student-teaching,” Mr. Davis says. “Then because they have had the one course, they get a job in a district teaching adapted physical education.

“The lack of standards for hiring highly qualified teachers is a huge frustration,” he says, “that perpetuates the lack of service, the lack of quality, and ultimately has a tremendous impact on the quality of life of students with disabilities.”
About 1,700 teachers in the United States are nationally certified in adapted physical education through his group, Mr. Davis says.

A Level Playing Field from Education Week on Vimeo.

Because of a lack of training, physical education teachers often feel uncomfortable attending individualized-education-program, or IEP, meetings for students with disabilities—and the absence of those educators troubles him.

“Even if we are not invited to the meeting, we have to knock on the door. It’s your student, in your class,” Mr. Davis says. “If the physical education teacher is not at the meeting, somebody else makes the idea for placement. Somebody else is writing the goals and objectives for physical education. We need to be there; we need the representation.”
Sometimes an attitude shift can make a big difference, he says, in how to teach sports to students with disabilities.

“You focus on ability and not disability,” Mr. Davis says. “Focus on what a kid can do, and you can make it work. If you say, ‘He can’t run, he can’t throw,’ I cringe. Tell me what he can do, and now we can start teaching.”

SUNY Cortland - The Heart of PE

2009-10-19T13:27:00.003-04:00

Welcome to SUNY Cortland - The Heart of Physical Education. A video montage presented at the SUNY Cortland AHPERD Conference on October 9, 2009 in Cortland, NY. More information available at http://www.cortland.edu/physed.

Dr. Columna on L.A. PBS show

2009-10-15T12:58:00.005-04:00

Dr. Luis Columna was recently on the Spanish language Los Angeles PBS show called Los Niños en Su Casa to discuss the importance of providing quality physical activities in the home. The topic of the day was El movimiento (Movement) and the host of the show was Alina Rosario. One of Dr. Columna's research areas includes physical activity for migrant workers and their families, so it was a great opportunity for him to share his expertise with the public. In the link to the article, you will find some written advice on how to make fun activities for kids of all ages. The filming occured in February 2009 but the show did not air until June 2009. ¡Felicidades Dr. Columna!

Windows of Opportunity by Alumna Dr. Judith Rink - 2009 SUNY Cortland AHPERD

2009-10-09T21:09:00.000-04:00

Dr. Judith Rink just presented her keynote speech at the 2009 SUNY Cortland AHPERD titled "Windows of Opportunity Don't Come Often". She is a pioneer of PE and we are so glad to have her as an alumna of our SUNY Cortland PE program. Thank you Dr. Rink for taking time out of your busy schedule and for dedicating your entire career to helping improve PE all around the world.

And here is the rest of it.

Assistant Professor Stephen Yang radio interview at 2009 Games for Health Conference

2009-09-20T13:54:00.002-04:00

At the Games for Health conference (June 2009) in Boston, MA, PE faculty member Stephen Yang was interviewed on the Dave Graveline Radio show, a weekly radio network program covering the latest in consumer electronics and technology. Professor Yang researches ways to use technology (exergames) to increase healthy behaviors, knowledge and attitudes in children of all ages and all abilities. His research blog (www.exergamelab.blogspot.com) serves as a place to highlight the latest exergames, technology, and research invloving electronic games and technology.

"Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline" is a 3-hour radio program (as well as 60 second Daily Features and ITTV Video Reports) covering the Latest in Consumer Electronics & Technology available today and ... into tomorrow. The show airs on over 100 AM & FM radio stations around the U.S., on SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio, radio stations in Germany, Bermuda, New Zealand, Canada and several other sources including Mobile Broadcast Network, BeOS Radio, Sprint Radio, TiVo, CelleCast and many others - every weekend. "Into Tomorrow" is also heard around the world on the Armed Forces Networks in several other countries. In addition, they stream all their audio and video via their web site and provide free Podcasts of all show archives.
The ONLY international show covering Consumer Electronics exclusively for 14 years, "Into Tomorrow" highlights the way technology is changing our lives! From Gadgets & Gizmos to Home Theater, Digital Photography, Car Audio, Security & Navigation, High Tech Recreation, HDTV, Technology On-The-Go, GPS and everything else that people are talking about.

Check out the rest of the broadcast and interviews at the David Graveline Into Tomorrow Radio Show.

Be sure to catch the other great interviews with Ole Petter Høie, Managing Director – Positive Gaming, Kyle Ward, Musician/Engineer – Positive Gaming, Gary Florindo, President & CEO – LIGHTSPACE Corp., Jerry Heneghan, Managing Director – Virtual Heroes, Seth Sivak, Chief Product Officer – Deep End Interactive, Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder – Games For Health Project, and JoAnna Darst, Project Manager – Humana Games for Health.

And here is the rest of it.