In this Issue: Welcome, Summer Conference, APENS Update, Research Tips, Member Profile, Resources, and NCPEID recognizes its members.
Message from the President
Michelle Grenier, Ph.D., CAPE
It's A Marathon-Not a Sprint
It has been almost four decades since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Act (1975) now reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The act ensures that students with a disability are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education that is tailored to their individual needs. In my role as president of NCPEID and my new position as an adjunct faculty member of the University of South Carolina teaching to a cohort of master’s students located throughout the country, I’ve had the opportunity to witness the variability of teaching conditions that support our students with disabilities throughout the United States.
Many of the teachers enrolled in the online introductory course served solely as Adapted Physical Educators (APE). This cohort of students also included general physical education (GPE) teachers with experience in APE and former GPE teachers, now serving as APE teachers. The common denominator among the group was their passion for teaching and providing the best conditions to support learning. Many of the educators expressed satisfaction with the resources and support they were provided, while others wanted change-more access to peers, equipment, and paraprofessional support. Making change does not always come easily or quickly. As one of my good friends Brad Weiner recently stated in the recent APE collaborative, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
As an organization, NCPEID offers its membership and the wider APE community support in making these changes. In this edition of the Advocate, we highlight NCPEID’s Guidance Document for Administrators regarding Adapted Physical Education Service Delivery written by our Advocacy Committee. Take a look at our website and you will see changes in the APENS application in order to become a Certified Adapted Physical Education Teacher. In this issue, you will also hear from our student representative Heather Katz, who, with Laura Prieto, writes about her virtual dance program and a personal account written by Sarvin Salar, on being an international student in our APE community. T Nicole Kirk our nominations chair, offers perspective on the ways in which new faculty members can support each other. Finally, Melissa Bittner and Amanda Young provide an informative account of assessment practices and Tim Davis offers updates on APENS.
Michelle Grenier, Ph.D., CAPE
President (2020-2022)
ADVOCACY UPDATES
Suzanna Dillon, PhD-Advocacy Chair
Texas Woman's University
NCPEID'S GUIDANCE DOCUMENT for ADMINISTRATORS
This document provides information for school administrators and Special Education (CSE) chairs about physical education for students with disabilities. All special education service delivery is a collaborative team effort and physical education is a required part of these special education services. Topics in this paper include Legal Requirements, Physical Education and the IEP team, Qualified Teachers, and Assessments. READ MORE...
NCPEID APE Collaborative
Melissa Bittner, PhD-CSU, Long Beach
Amanda Young, PhD-CSU, Long Beach
Our APE collaboratives have successfully launched! Our first NCPEID APE Collaborative was held Thursday, September 30, and featured Dr. Garth Tymeson (Emeritus Professor UW- LaCrosse) and Dr. Ali Brian (Associate Professor, University of South Carolina). Our second APE collaborative, featuring Dr. Suzanna Dillon and Mr. Brad Weiner was equally as successful. We appreciate the work of our membership committee, Melissa Bittner, Amanda Young, Scott McNamara, Emily Gilbert and Heidi Ambrosius in putting these together. The next APE Collaborative is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th (9 PST; 12EST) and will feature Luis Columna from the University of Wisconsin. To hear past collaboratives go to APE Podcast.
RESEARCH: Five Take-Aways from New Faculty
Compiled and edited by T. Nicole Kirk, Ph.D.
University of Georgia
The past few semesters have likely been a new experience for all faculty, but perhaps doubly so for those of us who are new to the job. As a second-year assistant professor, I reached out to some of my early career peers to see what we have learned so far. Here are some highlights:
1. On riding the wave of unexpected circumstances: “My biggest takeaway is practicing the life skill of flexibility! Remember why you are there, connect with your students and peers, and find joy in the everyday!” --Amanda Young, California State University Long Beach
2. On learning as you go (and preparedness)“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and keep a spare pair of sneakers in your office at all times.--Katie Holland, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
3. On collegiality: “A little quote from a football podcast I listen to: ‘Your best ability is availability.’ Being available to your new colleagues (lunch, teaching observations, collaboration on small projects, social events, etc.) opens up the possibilities you may have later on.”--Steve Holland, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
4. On resiliency: “Expect Rejections. One of the biggest things I have learned is that your expectations = your happiness…There is a lot of rejection within academia, and it does not always have to do with the integrity of your work. With that being said, you can also learn a lot from reviewers' and editors' comments from rejections. Often, they can provide key insight that can allow you to improve your paper/design/etc. for future efforts. Having the expectation that rejections are going to come, may help in reading these comments.”--Scott McNamara, University of New Hampshire
5. On seizing opportunities: Finally, my takeaway is an evergreen lesson that I just keep on learning again and again: Don’t disqualify yourself from interesting opportunities because you don’t feel ready yet. Ready is a myth. Right now, I’m trying to embody this philosophy by starting an adapted sport service-learning course at my university. I’m not “ready,” but the athletes and students sure will be!
ASSESSMENT UPDATE
Melissa Bittner, PhD-CSU, Long Beach
Amanda Young, PhD-CSU, Long Beach
The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (2004) Assessment Mandate (§300.304) requires public schools to use technically sound instruments and best practices in evaluation. Technically sound instruments generally refer to assessments that have been shown through research to be valid and reliable (71 Fed. Reg. at 46642) for full evaluations (i.e., initial, triennial, exit). To determine if a student is performing developmentally below their peers, it is necessary to use a formal (standardized) assessment, unless the Individualized Education Program (IEP) committee has determined an informal (non-standardized) assessment to be more appropriate. READ MORE...
APENS UPDATE
Tim Davis, PhD-SUNY Cortland
APENS Update! If you hold a CAPE certification (7 year) it may be time for you to recertify! Recertification DOES NOT require you to retake the APENS exam. Simply follow the recertification guidelines and submit the materials and payment to APENS. If you have lost track of the years, simply reach out to us at [email protected] and we will be happy to check your file and recertification date. If you have additional questions about your professional development work, please feel free to reach out directly to Dr. Tim Davis, APENS Chair – at [email protected] or call directly to 607 753 4969. We appreciate ALL you do to ensure quality physical education services for children with disabilities!
Adapted Dance Fitness with Heather and Laura
Heather Katz & Laura Prieto
University of Wisconsin-Doctoral Candidates
Participants in the general population have reaped the benefits of dance fitness for decades, but what about children with disabilities? Dance fitness is a trendy mode of exercise intended to target cardiovascular health and endurance in a fun and engaging way. Yet, many students with disabilities are often not afforded the option to participate safely and successfully in group exercise classes, with dance fitness being no exception. READ MORE...
OUR INTERNATIONAL MEMBER SPEAKS OUT
Sarvin Salar
Ph.D Candidate-The College at Brockport
I am Sarvin Salar and a PhD candidate Adapted Physical Education in Iran and the first women in Iran earning an Adapted Physical Education PhD degree. As the only Iranian woman, I was awarded a scholarship to pursue my progressive research interest in the field of Adapted Physical Education. Currently, I am a research scholar in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies and Physical Education at The College of Brockport. READ MORE...
HBO Real Sports segment featuring Camp Abilities
Recently, Real Sports featured a segment that profiled campers from Camp Abilities. Below is the link to the HBO Real Sports segment. Thanks to Lauren Lieberman and her team of dedicated support staff that continue to make these opportunities available to all students.
There are rules and regulations in New York for how often students must be in a physical education class. With all the benefits of physical literacy, it's not surprising, but what may be surprising is how few schools meet that requirement with accountability lost under other mandates and bureaucracy.
School-aged children across the country struggle with a host of health behavior and developmental problems in the pandemic. SUNY Cortland Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Timothy David wants New York parents to know the state regulations on P.E. and that, usually, they aren't happening.
