Hi
everybody:
For
those of you escaping the throes of winter, welcome to
spring! Late sunsets (evening activity time for
YOU), blooming flowers (nice smells during that
after dinner walk), and the confidence that you WILL
survive another school year (oh those boys in my
6th period class...). At SPARK - we
know you've spent the past 8 months supporting your
students; now SPARK will be here all summer long to
support YOUR professional growth. 
Speaking
of professional growth -- If you haven't attended a
SPARK Institute yet, please put it on your to-do list;
you'll thank me! These 2-day SPARK workshops are
so much fun - and you'll leave with exciting
and effective new tools for your toolbox. Plus,
where else can
you meet teachers from all around the globe who are
interested in exactly
the same thing you are? How great is
that?
Here's
a secret: A lot of people attend SPARK Institutes
to grow professionally yes, but they stay to vacation in
beautiful San Diego! You might be able to write
off a big part of your trip - check with your accountant
and see. And you'll be eligible for a unit of
credit from San Diego State University too.
Here's
a link to the Institutes (dates, video clips, FAQ's,
more) HERE.
Note:
Institutes accommodate only 40 lucky people, so don't
wait long to register.
Maybe
we'll see you in our hometown this summer? We'll
roll out the red carpet for you and who knows, Scout
might even swing by for a pet or two...
Happy
spring,
 |
3 Tips for
Writing a PEP Grant
By Aaron Hart
We're all
waiting eagerly for this year's 2010 PEP Grant
application guidelines to be announced. As we try to be
patient, here are three tips for writing a successful
Carol M. White PEP Grant as you prepare for this year's
competition.
1) Know your
needs. In your application, clearly outline where
your program can improve and how PEP funding will make
those improvements. Prove that you've done your homework
by utilizing... Click Here to read the rest of
this
article. |
|
SPARKfamily.org is a
special, password-protected website where YOU can access
a library of digital tools to support your program.
SPARKfamily members can view video clips of
SPARK activities, use interactive alignment &
assessment tools and access hundreds of skill/task
cards.
SPARKfamily
also provides access to a new Academic Integration
section as well as SPARKfit, including new fitness &
nutrition focused lessons, circuit training videos, goal
setting tools, and more!
Click Here
to watch a video showing SPARKfamily.org in
action!
Click Here
for more information or to sign up for a FREE
trial.
See
the "SPARKfamily.org Updates" section at the bottom of
the eNewsletter to find out what's new on the site this
month!
New Report
Available:
What WORKS and What Doesn't
For Fighting Childhood
Obesity
A
new Child Trends
report titled "What
Works for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity Among
Children" reviews the top
50 programs whose impacts on nutrition, physical
activity, and/or weight loss have been rigorously
evaluated.
SPARK
is highlighted as a program that has PROVEN to
work!
Click Here to read the
report.
National
Physical Activity Plan
To
Launch May 3rd, 2010!
On
May 3, 2010, the National Physical Activity Plan will
kick off with a signature launch event in Washington,
D.C. States, cities, towns, companies, departments,
schools, hospitals-organizations of all sorts-are
invited to join in by letting lawmakers, the media and
the public know about the Plan. Join the national effort
to encourage...
Click Here for
details and to learn how YOU can help!
Child
First Authority Wins
Physical
Activity Excellence Award!
Child
First Authority (CFA) is a private, non-profit
organization that seeks to improve the quality of life
in low socioeconomic status communities in Baltimore
city. CFA identified the need to provide students
enrolled in their after school centers a high-quality
physical activity program. To address this need, CFA
implemented SPARK!
The
Physical Activity Excellence Award Ceremony was hosted
by the Maryland State Advisory Council on Physical
Fitness.
Click
Here
to read more about Child First
Authority...
|
|
Don't
Miss April's FREE Webinar:
Teaching Students a "Lifestyle
Budget"
(Balancing Nutrition
and Physical Education)
Are
your students currently mired in a physical activity
"recession"? Do they go "over budget" by eating
too many calories from unhealthy foods? Let's
teach our students the importance of maintaining energy
balance through healthy eating (energy in) and
participation in daily physical activity (energy
out). This webinar will introduce you to our SPARK
"health accountant," who has prepared a diverse menu of
delicious activity ideas and tasty teaching
strategies.
We
all want a balanced budget! Now's the time to
balance YOUR students' "lifestyle budget" and prepare
them for a happy, healthy retirement!
When:
Wednesday, April 21st at 12:30pm Pacific, 3:30pm
Eastern. Note the
new time!
Duration:
45 minutes
Cost:
Free!
Registration:
Click Here to
register
Click Here for
recordings of previous SPARK
webinars
|
2's and 3's for YOU and
Me!
Organizing Students Into Pairs
and Groups
Month
3: Individual, Partner and Group Format:
This
is a strategy that is unique to SPARK.Back in our
original research study, after the first year of
intervention, Paul Rosengard observed that elementary
teachers implementing SPARK PE were spending too much
time pairing/grouping students, and accessing/returning
equipment.Over the summer, he re-organized all the
instructional units so days were either Individual,
Partner, or Group.No more going from one brief activity
where each child has a ball, to pairing up and putting
away one ball, to another activity where they each need
their own ball again!
This
change was LOVED by the SPARK teachers because they knew
if a lesson was (for example) a PARTNER DAY (it said so
right at the top) they only needed to pair students once
and gather 1 ball/2 students.
Try
it!Pre-plan so a single class is organized in the same
format from beginning to end, and see how much more time
your students have to practice and improve their
skills.Plus, you'll see an increase in their MVPA, and
likely, a reduction in the time you spend
disciplining.
Remember:
Individual
1
implement per person
Partner
Students
in pairs, 1 or 2 implements per pairing
Group
Students
in small groups (SPARK recommends 3 whenever possible)
sharing 1 or more implements
Have
fun and let SPARK know how this is working for
you! |
What's
new with the SPARKfamily Website?
I'm
glad you asked.Let's start with SPARKfit.You'll find a
new and improved Fitness Lab e-Book with a continued
focus on Health-Related Fitness, Nutrition and Goal
Setting.
We're
also proud to introduce our Wellness Walking for Staff
program. This section slightly
modifies our student wellness-walking program and
customizes it for your staff. This is
a great place to start for your next staff wellness
presentation!
Keep
in mind that SPARK has a great Staff Wellness component
to our Coordinated School Health Initiative.For more
information about our fun and energizing staff wellness
training Click Here.
Next,
you'll find a special Web-Only unit in our 3 - 6 PE
Program.The Racquets and Paddles unit isn't in the
binder and was previously only available on the 3 - 6
Instructional Media Disk.Now you can find the complete
unit in the 3 - 6 PE Curriculum section of the
SPARKfamily Website.
Finally,
check out the freshly launched Resource Center for a
Site Navigation Video Training. It
will help you learn how to optimize your use of the
SPARKfamily Website.
What's
coming in May? More SPARKfit circuits, more activity
videos, more video trainings and better
weather!
As
always, thanks for the opportunity to serve both you and
your students.
Aaron
Hart
Development
Manager
SPARKfamily.org
Member |
|
2010
SPARK Institute Dates Announced!
Each
spring and summer, SPARK conducts 2-3 day "Institutes"
for each program in beautiful San Diego that are similar
to the SPARK Premium Program -- yet offer an even
richer, in-depth SPARK experience.
Top
program presenters and authors lead the interactive
sessions, a professional family is created, a terrific
time is had by all, and attendees leave inspired and
motivated to take their programs to the next level.
2010
Dates:
After School: April 6
& 7
Early Childhood: June
24 & 25
High School PE: June
29th & 30th
K-6 PE Level 2: July
8 - 9
Middle School PE:
July 27 & 28
K-2 PE: August 2
& 3
3-6 PE: August 4
& 5 |
Now you can follow
SPARK through your favorite social media sites! Are you
on Facebook? Become a fan of The SPARK Programs! Like to
Tweet? Follow SPARK on Twitter! Looking for discussions
on interesting health-related topics? Subscribe to the
SPARK Blog!
Join
SPARK through any of these sites and you'll be able
to:
- Get
updated on the latest SPARK resources and
events
- See
what other SPARK Stars are doing & saying
- Let
SPARK and the SPARK family know what you think
- Connect
with other educators/organizations in our
industry
Click on
any icon below to visit the SPARK account for that
site...
| |
Don't see a grant below that
fits your program? Check out our new Grant-Finder Tool for a complete
list of national and state-specific
grants... |
Finish
Line Youth Foundation
(National)
The
Finish Line Youth Foundation supports youth programs
that are effective and inclusive, funding opportunities
for participation in youth programs that place an
importance on youth development and an active lifestyle.
Grants generally range from $1,000 to $5,000 and
applications are accepted throughout the
year.
Click Here to
take the eligibility quiz and view application
guidelines.
Deadline:
Rolling
|
|
Anderson Children's Foundation
Grant
(CA)
The Anderson Children's
Foundation makes grant money available to any non-profit
organization in the Coachella Valley whose purpose is
meeting the unmet needs of the youth of the Coachella
Valley, CA. Past grant recipients include local
elementary, middle & high schools, YMCA, Boys &
Girls Club, Community Health Foundation, Early Childhood
Education, and running programs. Contact SPARK today for
help with this grant!
Click Here for more
information about this grant.
Deadline:
May 20, 2010 |
|
School
Challenge Grant
Highmark
Healthy High 5
(Pennsylvania)
The
Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant program
is designed to support Pennsylvania schools in the
effort to introduce programs that will create healthier,
more successful students. Through the School Challenge
grant program, Highmark invites schools to submit
proposals for innovative programming to improve
nutrition education, nutrition services, increase
opportunities for physical activity or education,
self-esteem, or bullying prevention. Contact SPARK for
help with your cost proposal today!
Click Herefor eligibility
information and to access the grant application.
Deadline:
Rolling
|
|
Chargers
Champions Grant Program
(CA)
The
Chargers Champions School Grant program was created to
assist San Diego County schools with meeting some of the
basic physical fitness, nutrition and athletic needs of
their students. The program annually provides selected
schools with grants of up to $75,000 for high schools;
up to $40,000 for middle schools and up to $30,000 for
elementary schools. The selected schools also receive a
player visit to their campus for the official opening of
their project. Contact Leticia Gonzalez at 1-800-SPARK
PE x2202 today for help with your grant
application!
Click Here for more
information about this grant.
Deadline:
April 23,
2010
|
|
Baltimore
Ravens Plan in Motion
(MD)
The
Baltimore Ravens All Community Team Foundation (RACTF)
is committed to improving, encouraging and enabling the
healthy development of youth in the Baltimore area, as
well as other parts of the state of Maryland. For the
fourth consecutive year, the RACTF is continuing the
Ravens Plan in Motion project, which provides grants of
up to $5,000 to qualifying nonprofit organizations that
create and/or continue programs or projects promoting
physical fitness and nutrition education.
Click Here for more
information about this grant.
Deadline:
May 31, 2010 |
|
Glazer
Family Foundation Grants Program
(FL)
Each
year, the Glazer Family Foundation provides a total of
$50,000 in grant money to non-profit organizations
throughout West Central Florida. Grants are awarded in
the summer and fall to programs focused on the health,
safety, education and recreation of disadvantaged
youth.
Click Herefor
more information about this grant.
Deadline:
June 1, 2010
|
|
Wal-Mart
State Giving Grant Program
(National)
Through
the State Giving Program, the Wal-Mart Foundation seeks
to support organizations that create opportunities so
people can live better. The Foundation has four areas of
focus: Education, Health and Wellness, Environmental
Sustainability and Workforce Development/Economic
Opportunity. The Foundation strives to award grants that
have long-lasting impact for the most people in the most
meaningful way.
Click Here for more
information about this grant.
Deadline:
August 20,
2010 | |
