Physical Education Teacher of the Year

December 11, 2008
Jackie Parker at Highland Park Elementary School has been named the Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Utah Association of Health, Physical education, Recreation, and Dance.

Information submitted by Highland Park Elementary School Principal Sue Parker
Jackie comes with an extra battery pack of energy. Her enthusiasm and interest in health is contagious. Jackie has initiated health and wellness curriculum that affects our whole school, including the teachers and administration. The past two years Highland Park has reached platinum status in the Gold Medal Schools program. That status is an indicator of all the exceptional programs Jackie has instigated in our school. Every morning students and parents walk the “gold medal mile” around the school, with Jackie stamping each student's hand as they progress mile by mile. She has helped us revise our discipline policy so that recess is a time for physical exercise and not withheld as a discipline tool. She has taken the teachers to task and initiated a holiday weigh- in, where all teachers and staff pursued weight lost over the dangerous holiday season.

Jackie makes sure that students understand the concepts and rules of games and activities, and also the spirit of playing and working together. She includes teachers in her planning and together they look at the abilities and development of each students so when they participate in sports or games, they all come out feeling like “winners.”

Jackie is a teacher who would propbably do her job without pay. Her dedication and passion for her work is uncompromised. We applaud her and offer congratulations for this accomplishment!!