Antelope Crossing Middle School

About Meghan & Jaime:Meghan is a physical educator and athletic director at Antelope Crossing Middle School. She’s been teaching for 10 years total, and her school has been using Polar technology in their lessons for the past five years! Jaime is the PE Department Chair at Antelope Crossing. She has been teaching for 5 years and is part of a committee in the district which has supported the use of heart rate monitors and TriFIT assessments as evidence towards meeting state standards. Both are members of CAHPERD. Meghan was recently named the Antelope Crossing Middle School Teacher of the Year.About Antelope Crossing Middle School:Antelope Crossing Middle School is part of the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District in Antelope, California. In this suburban area, the typical P.E. class size is 35-40 students. Students are in grade levels 6-8 and have been using Polar E600 and E200 heart rate monitors (HRMs) every week. Additionally, students and teachers at Antelope Crossing use the TriFIT 600 system. Meghan uses both TriFIT software and ESeries software to record and assess student data. Antelope Crossing Middle School is a Title 1 school.Core Activities:Meghan and her co-worker, Jaime Hanan use movement skills, (dribbling, passing, shooting, scoring, throwing, catching, volleying, striking, etc.) and individual and team sports to teach physical education at Antelope Crossing.Using Polar:Antelope Crossing Middle School was awarded a PEP grant which was used to fund Polar technology at school. Upon receipt of the grant, all technological resources from Polar were implemented including HRMs, TriFIT, PE Manager, and Companion Pocket PCs. Additionally, PE department funds are used on a yearly basis to add additional HRMs and to pay for the maintenance of the technology. The PE department received three days of training from a Polar trainer and Meghan traveled to New Mexico to attend the JumpStart workshop.According to Meghan, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is “to provide students with accurate and instant information on their individual performance. The graphs of student heartrates during activity help teach various cognitive concepts that otherwise would be very difficult to teach and/or for students to comprehend and find meaningful.”The Buzz:Meghan likes that "Polar provides accurate and invaluable feedback to students on their physical performance. When using HRMs, students tend to participate at a higher level because they are getting instant feedback. Students who are less likely to participate in class are now more encouraged to."Students "value the printouts and instant feedback that they receive through the use of the TriFIT system and the heart rate monitors."Administration likes "the fact that we have taken PE to the next level. We have used the technology to enhance our program, but not take over the program. Our PE department has been able to increase parent awareness of students’ fitness levels, participation levels, achievement levels, etc., through the technology."Personal Highlight:"Because of Polar Technology, we have seen increased participation levels during activities, improved cardiovascular fitness and personal connection to authentic learning opportunities."

Don Juan Avila Middle School

About Greg:Greg is a Physical Education teacher at Don Juan Avila Middle School. (DJAMS) He’s been teaching for 32 years total, and has been using Polar technology in his lessons since 2001. He’s a member of CAHPERD, and National AAHPERD. About Don Juan Avila Middle School:DJAMS is part of the Capistrano Unified school district in Aliso Viejo, California. Physical educators at DJMAS are challenged every day with class sizes of about 50 students. Students are in grade levels 6-8 and have been using Polar heart rate monitors (HRMs) for the last 5 years as well as TriFIT, PE Manager, Companions, TriFIT software, and the Bioimpedence scale. DJAMS was recently honored with the Orange County Program of the Year award.Core Activities:Greg and his co-workers focus on wellness, fitness, dance, and sport to teach physical education at DJAMS.Using Polar:DJAMS was awarded a PEP grant and used the grant as well as money from various fundraisers to get Polar technology in school. Greg uses Polar technology in class everyday. With such a large class size, Polar HRMs allow Greg to give HRMs to half the class to build cardio minutes in their zone, while he takes the other half of the class on the fitness machines. Teaching half the class at a time allows Greg a more personalized class setting and an easier-to-manage class size. According to Greg, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is for "motivation and proof." A group of trained students called “techies” download the heart rate monitor data, and the student’s summary reports are sent home on a regular basis. The Buzz:Greg likes that "DJAMS has built a culture of technology. Our students create their own wellness and fitness models."Students "have grown up with Polar in their P.E. program along with their brothers and sisters. They know that they are judged on their efforts and not compared to any other student."Administration "understands the motivational role technology plays with our children. They are impressed with the body of evidence that P.E. teachers at DJAMS can create with Polar technology."Personal Highlight:"Self motivation is apparent and important. Our students know what to do and how often to do it. They know what fitness is; how to get fit and stay fit for the rest of their lives." --Greg Howit

Medea Creek Middle School

About Al:
Al is a Physical Education teacher at Medea Creek Middle School. He’s been teaching for 20 years total, and his school has been using Polar technology in their lessons for the past eleven years!

About Medea Creek Middle School:
Medea Creek Middle School is part of the Oak Park Unified School District in Oak Park, CA. In this suburban area, the typical P.E. class size is 36 students. Students are in grade levels 6-8 and have been using Polar E600s every week. Additionally, students and teachers at Medea Creek use the TriFIT 700, TriFIT software, and the Companion with PE Manager and TriFIT software installed. Medea Creek Middle School was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School Award, as well as the California Distinguished School, and The California Schools to Watch—Model Middle School Award.

Core Activities:
Al and his co-workers use a variety of sports, cardiovascular and fitness related activities to teach Physical Education at Medea Creek. These include rotating every other day through endurance, speed, circuit training, and power runs with a timed mile run three times per quarter. Al also incorporates the 5 components of fitness and nutrition as well as 2 week individualized fitness plans into his lessons.

Using Polar:
Medea Creek Middle School used School Improvement Funds (SIP), Parent-Faculty donations, and department money to fund Polar technology at school. According to Al, “We wanted to take our PE program to a new level and begin to get an objective look at student health. We began by purchasing 32 E600s and implemented them into our daily curriculum. We contacted Polar and made a great connection and have continued since.” For Al, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is because “It individualizes PE for each student. They get a real time look at their body which empowers them to take control of their personal fitness level.”

The Buzz:
Al likes that “the technology really catches the students’ attention. It’s real data that means something to them and us. It’s the technology that interests kids at first, and then gives them something that they can really use to take control of their fitness. It is individualized and objective. No more guessing or comparing apples to oranges. Their fitness is their data. We can baseline test early in the year, set goals for the year, come up with individualized fitness plans, and then post test at the end of the year. We can also do the same 6-8th grade. Additionally, the technology also helps with standards and hitting the five components of fitness. It simplifies grading and the grade can actually represent the student.”

Students “love to see where they are in their fitness. They eat up the technology emphasis and learn that very quickly. Many also appreciate the ability to get credit for things that in the past, they might not have. When they improve their performance you should see the smile on their face.”

Administration likes “Differentiation for students. They are not competing against others but working within themselves to improve.”

Personal Highlight:
“I see students who traditionally struggled with PE and running now have a much more positive experience. They can get credit for working hard (we can now measure intensity and effort) where in the past, it was time based. These students now know they will be recognized for trying and their effort in class has definitely improved.

There are also students who have become interested in fitness. They run with their parents or friends outside of school and enjoy it. They are developing the life long habits they need to have.” -- Al Calce

Sierra Vista Jr. High School

About George:George is currently a Physical Education Department Chair at Sierra Vista Jr. High School in Canyon Country, California. He has been teaching for a total of 14 years, and has been using Polar technology for 20 years. George is a member of both CAHPERD and NASPE and was named 2006-2007 Teacher of the Year at his school in addition to receiving the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers Award" five times! In 2009, George was awarded the California Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He was also named Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the California Coach's Association. About Sierra Vista Jr. High School:Sierra Vista Jr. High School is part of the William S. Hart School District in Canyon Country, CA. In this suburban area the typical P.E. class size is 45-50 students. Students are in grade levels 7 and 8, and currently use Polar E Series heart rate monitors (HRMs) in addition to the TriFIT 700 system. Teachers at Sierra Vista additionally use TriFIT software, PE Manager Software, and the Companion Pocket PC. Sierra Vista Jr. High School is recognized by the President's Council as a Physical Activity/Fitness Demonstration Center (PE Program). In 2009, the school won the Golden Bell Award by the California School Board Association for the "No Child Left on their Behind" Physical Education Program. Sierra Vista was also named the Physical Education Middle School of the Year by the California Coach's Association in 2009.Core Activities:George uses V-Cycling Virtual Reality Bikes, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), Xavix, Climbing walls, Trikke’s, Tritons, Fitness Conditioning, Survivor, Body Blades, T-Bows, Frisbee Golf, Basketball, Soccer, Over the Line, Racquetball, Tennis, Elliptical training, Spin bike training, Rowing, Stair climbing, Jump rope, Walking with pedometers, Cross country, track and field training, and a weight training circuit to teach Physical Education at his school.Using Polar:George’s school received an Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation Grant for the 2006-2007 school year, which funded the initial purchase of Polar technology in his school, but in 2007-2008 was awarded a PEP grant, which has also helped purchase technology. Teachers at Sierra Vista Jr. High use Polar in lessons 3 times a week. For George, the most important reason to use Polar is, “to teach students through the important curriculum of the New PE. If we are successful, no child will be left on their behinds.”The Buzz:George likes “objective measurement over subjective grading. Teachers are able to individualize PE according to each student’s health and fitness levels, thus being able to create a total health portfolio.”
Students “have fully embraced Polar technology. It keeps them on task at a moderate to vigorous activity level. They are constantly looking forward to receiving their heart rate comparison reports for the PE portfolios. This helps them measure individual performance and progress throughout the year.”
Administration and Parents like “the first hand program results of a student’s grade, heart rate data, and daily class performance. Most importantly, they like to see the accountability and objectivity the technology brings to the PE program.”Personal Highlight:Since using Polar technology, George has observed his students taking pride in their fitness levels.

Naperville Central High School

About Paul: Paul is the department chair for Physical Education, Health, and Driver Education. He's been teaching for 36 years total, and has been teaching with Polar technology for the last 12 years. He's a member of National AAHPERD, Assistant Director PE4LIFE Naperville Academy, and also part of the Illinois High School Coaches Association. In addition to that he is a consultant for X2 Youth Fitness Centers and a part of the Organizing Committee for DuPage County PE Institute. About Naperville Central High School: Naperville is part of Naperville Community Unit School District in Naperville, Illinois. In this suburban area the typical P.E. class size is 36 students. Students are in grade levels 9-12. For the last 12 years at Naperville teachers have been using Polar heart rate monitors (HRMs) in class, and have also been using the TriFIT system for the last ten years. Naperville is also a PE4Life Academy. Core Activities: Paul uses team sports, teambuilding, individual sports and fitness activities to teach physical education at his school Using Polar: The 2005 PEP grant, 2004 Congresswoman Judy Biggart Community grant, and 2000 & 2001 Naperville Education Foundation grants provided the funding for Naperville Central High to use Polar technology. Paul incorporates Polar in his lesson plans at least once a week and sometimes more often than that. Naperville started using Polar when various school officials heard Beth Kirkpatrick speak. At first, Paul ordered 5 E200s and an XL to try teaching with heart rate. After the first year he knew he wanted to have a classroom set to be able to track each student individually. He was able to get parents and the community involved, and they raised enough money to buy another ten HRMs. The school PTA matched the money for another ten and successfully lobbied the Board of Education to match the ten as well. For Paul, the most important reasons to use Polar are, "helping students know the level of effort needed to be fit cardio wise, the longitudinal study of student fitness levels, and discovering problems at an early age stage to set up intervention." The Buzz: Paul likes Polar's "ease of use, data collection capabilities, and student accountability."
Administration likes "data collection and student accountability." Personal Highlight: Paul says, "Based on the TriFIT data, our students are far ahead of the norm for fitness levels when compared nation wide."

Grundy Center

About Rick:
Rick is the co-director of PE4Life Academy in Grundy Center, Iowa and has been teaching for 27 years. Rick has been teaching with Polar technology since 1992. In 1993 Rick was honored as the Iowa Elementary PE teacher of the year. Rick's featured presentations are highlighted by his lesson at the 2003 National PE Day in Washington D.C., his testimony on Prevention and Wellness Initiatives before the Senate Committee on Appropriations in 2004, and his presentations at the National PE conference in 2005 and 2007. Rick completed his Masters Degree in 2007 from the University of Northern Iowa in Physical Education.  In 2008 Rick was honored as an inductee in the University of Northern Iowa “Hall of Excellence” only the second Physical Education instructor to be honored. Most recently, in 2009 Rick had the distinct honor of hosting the Secretary of Education, Arnie Duncan, who visited the Grundy Center Elementary Physical Education program, the first Physical Education program he visited in his tenure as Secretary of Education. 

About Grundy Center:
Grundy Center was identified in May 2003 as the first elementary PE4Life Academy in the nation.  Grundy Center is located in Grundy Center, Iowa. In this rural school the typical P.E. class size is 20 -24 students. For the last 18 years at Grundy Center, teachers have been using Polar heart rate monitors (HRMs) in class, and have also been using the TriFIT Assessment system, PE Manager software, Companion PocketPC and Cardio Timer since 2000. In 2010 Grundy Center began using the Activity Monitors with their students as well.

Grundy Center has gained national and international attention as home of an exceptional physical education program. Arne Duncan the U.S secretary of Education visited the schools in Grundy Center.  Grundy Center was host to The Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy in 2010 hosting 70 of the top physical educators from 30 countries. Grundy Center is also host to Polar Scholar Graduate Program in partnership with the University of Northern Iowa where students are immersed in a one year hands on program learning technology applications in physical education.

Core Activities:
The Physical Education staff has a mission to "Energize and Educate for Healthy, Active Lifestyles" and focuses on teaching students the knowledge and skills to invest in their own health.

Using Polar:
A Grundy Center Local Foundation Grant provided the start-up funding for Grundy Center to use Polar technology in 1992. The Grundy Center PE staff incorporates Polar products daily for grades K-12. Bev Ahern, the 6-12 lead PE teacher and the 2002 Iowa State Secondary PE of the year joined the Grundy Center teaching staff in 2009. Rick and her work with the University of Northern Iowa in leading a first of its kind Masters Program, called "Teaching with Technology" that brings graduate students from all over the country to become "Polar Scholars" for one year teaching in Grundy Center using Polar and other technologies. Bev and Rick both believe "Data Drives Decisions" and this data provides student and teacher accountability and is important information for administrators to validate why we need PE.

The Buzz:
Rick likes using Polar for many reasons, the paramount reasons being for individual student accountability, leveling the playing field for all students, to give students permission to adjust intensity and the immediate feedback for students and teachers. It is important students have  the ability to see the immediate feedback of how they invested in their own health; after class at the elementary students retrieve the data from the watches manually while at the high school level students download their own heart rate monitors after each class.

Cass Murra, Grundy Center School Superintendent says, "The Polar technology has effected us on two levels. First, teachers need to make instructional decisions based on formative feedback. Monitoring the students in a formative matter, day-by-day, moment-by-moment in physical education is revolutionary. Teachers can make instructional decisions off of the data and that was not possible without technology. The use of technology in PE is not an incremental change but a fundamental major shift in how we teach and how kids learn. The second part of the equation is student learning. As educators we want the students to eventually be self-appraising and self-directed no matter what content we're teaching. We want students to learn something of value. How do you become a person who can take better care of oneself without immediate objective feedback? Without data how do students gain that knowledge? They don't, they simply guess? Through technology students will become more self-appraising and more self-directed. The data provided is not someone's opinion but science. It is the truth."

Neenah High School

About Eileen: Eileen is a P.E. instructor at Neenah High School and the K-12 Physical Education department chair. She's been teaching for 20 years total, and has been using Polar technology in her lessons for the last 4 years. She's a member of AAHPERD and WAHPERD. Among many honors and awards she's received are the 2004-05 Neenah High School Teacher of the Year Award, and the 2005-06 Neenah Joint School District Passion for Excellence Award. She teaches for UW-Oshkosh Evaluation, Assessment and Technology for K-12 Physical Education. About Neenah High School: Neenah High School is part of the Neenah Joint School District in Neenah, Wisconsin. In this urban area, the typical P.E. class size is 28 students. Students in grade levels 6-12 currently use Polar E600 Heart Rate Monitors (HRMs) along with the TriFit700 system and students in grade levels K-5 use TriFIT software on their laptops. Core Activities: K-12 students in the Neenah Joint School District are educated on the 5 health-related fitness components and use TriFIT to receive feedback on their physical fitness assessments. At Neenah High School, students develop their own personal programs based on their fitness assessments, health risk appraisals and meal planning. TriFIT data is tracked from kindergarten to 12th grade. TriFIT is used in a lab setting for the high school students. Using Polar: A PEP Grant as well as matching funds from the district provided the resources for Polar technology. District funds provide sustainability. P.E. teachers at Neenah High School started using Polar Technology because they wanted to provide students, parents, PE staff, and administration a comprehensive tool that would complement the curriculum, provide feedback on students’ progress, and meet state physical education standards. Physical education teachers in grades 6-12 use HRMs in their P.E. classes at least three times a week. For Eileen, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is because “the technology provides the tools for students to lead healthier lifestyles.” The Buzz: Eileen likes how "the HRMs provide constant feedback to both the student and the teacher. The TriFIT systems allow for flexibility in using different assessments to better meet the needs of all students. Furthermore, we can match personal profile components to be level specific, again reflecting to the state standards and sequentially building on the student personal profiles. The personal profile reports provide valuable on-going information for the students, parents, teachers, and administration to continually meet the needs for all students." Students "love the technology's instant feedback; it has assisted them with the intrinsic motivation needed to improve their health-related fitness scores and to become responsible for their overall personal wellness." Administration likes that "Polar Technology helps in the effort to change the direction of our entire K-12 physical education curriculum. The focus is now on an individually based program leading each student to his or her personal fitness zone. All course activities have now become a means to that end." Personal Highlight: Since implementing Polar in Neenah's P.E. program, Eileen has witnessed "an increase in activity time and time on task, and an increase in student knowledge of the health-related fitness components and nutrition. It has been less than a year since fully implementing the technology; nevertheless, our fitness scores in the cardiovascular area have improved. Additionally, there has been an increase in student enthusiasm for physical education as validated through a student survey."

Fargo Public Schools

About Lois: Lois has her Master Degree from Virginia Tech under the direction of Dr. George Graham in Health and Physical Education. She has published 2 books, and various articles published in the National Journal for Sport and Physical Education and Strategies. Lois is our National Association for Sport and Physical Education Teacher of the Year both at the State Levels for Elementary in 1990 and as the Middle School Teacher of the Year at the State and Central District Levels in 1998. Fargo Public Schools was awarded over million for the Progress for Physical Education Act (PEP) in three different grant applications. Lois was one of four writers to promote fitness in alternative schools and is now the Physical Education Specialist for the district. Lois has been honored with the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship Award. She is one of 5 Physical Education Teachers in the National who have received this award for $24,000.00. Lois has also been awarded with a North Dakota Foundation Grant for $25,000.00 which will focus on 4th grade obesity. Just recently Lois applied for a Model Wellness Grant through Dakota Medical Foundation for a council of members to develop and implement a Model Wellness Policy. The award was for 18,000.00. Lois has been instrumental in the development and application of standards, benchmarks, assessments and standard based report cards for her district. She has implemented technology across the country for Polar as a trainer from 1991 on. Lois has been teaching for 32 years with one year being a leave of absence to work with Polar in teaching technology across the country. As a Physical Education Specialist, Lois is a leader in fitness technology and curriculum development for her district. About Fargo Schools:Fargo Public School in Fargo, North Dakota is in a rural area; the typical P.E. class size is 30 students. Students are in grade levels 6-12 and have been using Polar heart rate monitors (HRMs), the TriFIT 720 system, Companion, and TriFIT software for the past 8 years. The elementary schools use TriFIT software along with the Companion handheld to enter all the fitness data. A district-wide data base is traced by school and district and incorporated into our district key indicators. We have tracked our students for the past 4 years using the TriFIT data and will continue to track them through high school graduation. Core Activities: Students in grades 6-12 are introduced to TriFIT software and electronic computer assessments. They begin building their own personal profiles and are given choices as to the fitness assessments they would like to participate in. With the use of the Fitness Education Pyramid teachers and students evaluate activities based on Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type, (FITT) and develop a personalized cardiovascular program. Students are assigned projects using the Wellness Center and health risk appraisals found in TriFIT software. They may choose any of the appraisals; nutrition, stress, tobacco, etc. and apply the topics to real life situations. Using Polar: Fargo Public Schools were awarded three PEP grants to fund Polar technology at the schools. Lois states “There are many important reasons to use Polar technology in your physical education classes. HRM’s give our students formative assessments and help students better understand what heart rate target zones are and why they are important. Documented objective data is important for students so they take ownership in their personal profiles and make a difference in their lifestyles. Students believe technology and want to use it. It is an easy motivator as formative assessment, the number one reason students take an interest in learning.” The Buzz: Lois likes "The effortless direct formative feedback that motivates the students, the objective data for grading standard based report cards, and the interest technology brings to the students in developing and maintaining their personal profiles for a healthier lifestyle."
Students like "The personal direct formative feedback they get." Administration likes "Objective documented data for standard based report cards and key indicators that students are becoming healthier" Personal Highlight: My Greatest Moment By Lois M. Mauch I was ready to begin the new school year and was anxiously waiting to meet my new students. My goal in teaching Physical Education is to engage students to learn in an innovative way so they want to remain healthy for a lifetime. However, we all manage to get one class that seems to challenge us. That class for me was period 6. I had a student by the name of Lindsay. She was a bright and enteric red head. I had the students fill out an “All About Me” information form on the backside of their fitness education pyramid portfolio. When I have problems with a student I can usually go to the information they contribute and find some common ground. Lindsay was a leader in that class and if I said put on blue jerseys she would not only put on a red one, but she would take three of her friends with her. It was a very frustrating class to teach. I asked Lindsay’s parents to come in for a conference. They did, and when I showed them my documentation of Lindsay’s activity level, they said “that is not our Lindsay”. Frustrated, I just figured there are some students we will help and others we will not. I left it alone. Lindsay ran into me that summer and asked how I was doing. Surprised, I answered "Good". I asked her what she was up to and her response surprised me. “I’m working out at Courts Plus,” (a local health club) she said. I remarked “Good for you Lindsay” and went about my way thinking maybe I had some effect on her attitude about fitness. The following school year, I was once again anxious to meet my new students. I knew I would not have Lindsay this year as I had put in a request not to have her in my class due to personality conflicts. I’m meeting all my new students and the last period of the day in walks Lindsay. I could not believe my eyes. I got through the first class with Lindsay acting quite cordial and then marched to the office to find out how that “schedule change” took place. My Principal pulled out her file and noticed my request, along with a request from her parents to have me as her Physical Education Teacher. I’m thinking one of two things, either she is out to get me, or I have made a difference in her life. We go through that school year just fine and I taught Lindsay many ways to use technology in physical education to assess your health. We participated in health risk appraisals put out by HealthFirst, a Polar group company, and used Polar Heart Rate Monitors to assess her participation levels. It was a wonderful year. Lindsay has gone on to High School but last year I received a letter from her. This is what it said: Dear Mrs. Mauch,
Hi! I would really like to thank you because you were a great teacher to me. You always made physical education fun, and you taught us new games and strategies. You also taught me a lot about my health, and helped me with the heart rate monitors. You have affected my life in a positive way by helping me to want to be healthier and more involved in activities. Also, in the beginning, when I was your student, I know I wasn’t exactly the greatest kid. But you didn’t just give up on me you knew I could be better, and I was. Having you as a teacher has really been a benefit to my life. I’ve never had as much fun or encouraging physical education teacher before. You also are very brilliant-you really know a lot of your subject. I just wanted to thank you very much for being such a great, positive teacher.Sincerely,
Lindsay

Driftwood Middle School

About Casi: Casi is the Health and Wellness Magnet Coordinator at Driftwood Middle School. She's been teaching for 38 years total, and her school has been using Polar technology in their lessons for the past fourteen years! She's a member of FAHPERD, AAHPERD, and BCAHPE. In 1990, she was named State of Florida Middle School Physical Educator of the Year. About Driftwood Middle School: Driftwood Middle School is part of the Broward County School District in Hollywood, Florida. In this urban area, the typical P.E. class size is 30 students. Students are in grade levels 6-8 and have been using Polar E600, E200 and E30 heart rate monitors (HRMs) every week for the past ten years. Additionally, students and teachers at Driftwood use five networked computers and the Companion with PE Manager with the TriFIT software installed. Driftwood Middle School was awarded the 1997 FAHPERD EZ-Tech Award, which demonstrates outstanding use of technology in their Physical Education Program. Driftwood has also been awarded the 2000-01 Tri County Model Co-Middle School Physical Education Program, the 2001-02 State of Florida Model Middle School Physical Education Program, and the National Magnet School of Distinction five times. Core Activities: Casi and her co-workers use a variety of sports, strength training, cardiovascular and fitness related activities to teach Physical Education at Driftwood. Using Polar: Driftwood Middle School was awarded two federal grants which were used to fund Polar technology at the school. As part of the grant, Driftwood was required to implement a school-wide magnet for Health and Wellness. The grant was written to bring technology into the newly created program. Polar was one of the few technologies available at that time for use in a Physical Education setting. Teachers quickly found that the use of HRMs quickly caught the attention of students. Polar technology provided teachers at Driftwood with a means of demonstrating in real-time the relationship between heart rate and activity. According to Casi, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is because "Physical Education must move into the future in order to help our children become and stay healthy. Nationwide our students are becoming less and less active. Technology grabs the attention of students, which is why they spend so much time with their electronic games instead of being active. Polar technology is an important aid, to us as physical educators, in getting the point across to our students of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for now and in their future." The Buzz: Casi likes that "the technology really catches the students' attention." Students "enjoy class so much more using the technology." Administration likes "the enthusiasm students show towards Physical Education." Personal Highlight: Because of Polar Technology, "Our students are much more likely to dress out and participate in their Physical Education and Wellness classes." -Casi Favre

Texas State University

About Don:
Don has been teaching P.E. for 30 years total, and has been using Polar technology in his program for the last 7 years.  He's a member of TAHPERD, NSCA and SEA.  Among many honors and awards he's received are the Texas Secondary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award, the Texas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Service 2003, the Texas State University Favorite Professor Award, and the TAHPERD Honor award.

About Texas State University
There are approximately 5000 PFW (Physical Fitness and Wellness) students in undergraduate and graduate programs at Texas State each semester that lead to major in Athletic Training, Exercise and Sports Science, Health and Fitness Management, Health and Wellness promotion, and Recreation Administration.

Graduate programs are offered that lead to the M. Ed. in Health Education with two areas of emphasis:  School Health or Community Health.  Programs are also offerend that lead to the M Ed. in Physical Education, with 3 areas of emphasis:  Exercise Science, Sport and Leisure Management, and Education Foundations.  Another graduate program at Texas State leads to a M.S. with a major in Recreation and Leisure Services and emphasis in Therapeutic Recreations and Recreation Administration.

Using Polar
An equipment budget as well as a grant provided the funds for Polar technology at Texas State University.  When the program started, students would buy Polar Elastic straps and then be provided with Polar Heart Rate Monitors (HRMs).  Students use Polar E600 HRMs and Polar F1s.  Students are exposed to Polar in both lecture format with introductory lessons on the values of technology, as well as in HPE labs with ongoing training sessions for students to use the equipment.

The Buzz
Don likes "the accountability for our students and the Graduate Teaching Assistants teaching the program and the improved perception of our department as a result of the equipment being used"
Students "find it interesting and beneficial.  According to a recent survey of students, feedback for Polar has been very positive."

Bay Shore Middle School

About Ted: Ted is a P.E. teacher at Bay Shore Middle School. He’s been teaching for 16 years total, and has been using Polar technology in his lessons all 16 years! He’s a member of NY AAHPERD, National AAHPERD, and AFCA (American Football Coaches Association). In 2005, he received the Educator of the Month Award, sponsored by News 12 and Dowling College. In 2007, Ted was awarded the “Suffolk Zone Professional of the Year” by Suffolk Zone chapter of New York AAHPERD.

Windham High School

About Wayne: Wayne has been at Windham High for 8 years. He's been teaching for 13 years total, and has been using Polar technology in his lessons for the last seven years. He is currently serving on the board of executives for Maine AHPERD as the webmaster and has also held other positions on the board, such as Vice President of PE and Physical Education Rep. Wayne recently visited Washington D.C. to help lobby the senate and congress in support of the Carol M. White Physical Education Grant. Among many honors and awards he's received Maine Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 2008 and was the Maine High School Boys Tennis Coach of the Year 2005. He is also a participant in the Maine Legislative Fitness Day since 2005, where he showed Governor John Baldacci and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit how to wear an E600 Heart Rate Monitor! About Windham High School: The Windham Physical Education team recently received the Carol M. White physical education grant which is currently in their 1st year of funding. With this grant the physical education program has significantly increased the minutes each student participates in physical activity per week in middle school and high school. Windham has adopted the philosophy of “i225” which was developed to increase students’ time in a moderate-vigorous activity. The theme for the grant is simple “Centers for Wellness”; collaborating with Windham Middle School, The Real School (alternative high school), The Windham Recreation Department, and D.A.R.E. to Adventure programs. Wayne’s primary role for the grant was to design and implement a digital wellness lab packed with cutting edge technology from Polar. The lab consists of over 35 laptops, 85 E600 heart rate monitors, polar pestudent.com, and other accessories. Windham High School is part of the Windham School District in Windham, Maine and is located just north of Portland. In this rural area the typical P.E. class size is 25-30 students for freshmen classes and 15-20 in elective classes. Students are in grade levels 9-12 and have been using Polar E600 heart rate monitors (HRMs), TriFIT, PE Manager Software, pestudent.com and the Pocket PC. Core Activities: Wayne uses Maine Local Assessments, the Lessons from the Heart Manual, and different electives to teach physical education at his school; the most popular elective is "Weight Training and Fitness". Using Polar:The Windham Team has secured monies to implement technology into the classroom to provide a more efficient means of relaying feedback to their student through many avenues. The PEP grant, The MAHPERD Innovative Grant, and new school budget helped fund Polar at Windham High School. Windham students started using Polar products regularly in P.E. classes after doing a pilot program for a year. Every semester at Windham starts with a two-week fitness lesson. HRM orientation and usage is the bulk of the lesson. For Wayne and his team, the most important reason to use Polar is to create awareness. "With Maine having one of the highest rates in child obesity, Polar technology has been an eye opener. For example, the TriFIT software allows us to compile district and school reports on students' fitness levels. With this we can justify the need and report to our administration and community." Through years of hard work the Windham PE program has implemented 180 E600 heart rate monitors into their program. The Buzz: Wayne likes how "Something new and innovative is being used. I think that's the way to reach today's student. Students love technology. When we first gave them the E600 it was like someone handed them a video game." With middle school students now being trained on heart rate monitors, they will be able to enter high school with the background needed to instill higher level learning.For Students using Polar has become routine, " From day one they are instructed on the use of HRMs and the software. They enjoy receiving the feedback." Administration likes, "the noticeable change in attitude in the way students perceive physical education." Personal Highlight: Wayne says, "Thanks to Polar, I have become a better teacher. The most important factor is the immediate feedback the students receive after a workout. It's one thing to check your pulse but to actually see your heart at work on a computer screen and analyze that-it's the reason why I became a physical educator."

Edinboro University

About Ken: Ken has spent 24 years teaching and has experience teaching grades 7-12 as well as higher education. He’s been using Polar technology in his program for the last 10 years. He’s a member of AAHPERD, PSAHPERD, and the International Society for Technology Education. Among many honors and awards he’s received are the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Summer Academy Guest Lecturer, 2006; Edinboro University Technology Scholar, 2004; Health Professional of the Year – Eastern District Association AAHPERD, 1999; and Health Educator of the Year – PSAHPERD, 1998. In addition, Ken recently co-authored Technology Integration in HPE: Essential Basics and Labs, and is currently the HPE Curriculum Specialist for Leading & Learning with Technology, a publication of the International Society for Technology Education. About Edinboro University: Approximately 8,000 students attend Edinboro University, located in northwestern Pennsylvania. Programs of study include a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education, with concentrations in Teacher Certification, Sport Administration, Health Promotion, and Recreation Administration. Also available is a Master of Education in Middle and Secondary Education degree with a concentration in Health Education. Using Polar: Six heart rate monitors (HRMs) and one copy of TriFIT software were purchased with department funds in 1995. Subsequently, students have been assessed a technology fee ($150 per student per year) by the university. This money is pooled and departments may submit proposals to fund special technology initiatives within the department. It is with the support of this fee that all technology in HPE has been purchased since 1995.

Every student at Edinboro is exposed to Polar technology through a mandatory 3-credit wellness course. In this course, each student receives a personal profile based on TriFIT’s health risk appraisals and fitness assessments. Students who are seeking a degree in health and physical education are exposed to all Polar technology in various courses through both lecture and lab format. HPE students use Polar HRMs, TriFIT hardware and software, Companion Pocket PC with Pocket TriFIT and Pocket PE Manager and PE Manager. The Buzz: Ken likes how “The technology supports our goal of providing students with age and gender specific fitness and health risk appraisal results that motivate and support their behavior change efforts. Results help students understand the big picture and better design an individualized program for enhancement of quality of life. Technical support is always available at Polar, and the hardware and software are continually enhanced to meet ever-changing needs.”Ken’s Department says, “Incorporating Polar technology into all wellness courses has is seen as a huge recruitment and retention tool. In addition, it has increased our visibility across campus enabling us to be more competitive in our request for technology money.”Students find that with the procurement of PEP grants, school districts are looking for teachers who can walk in the door and hit the ground running. Understanding and knowing how to use the Polar software and hardware leads to easy documentation and reporting of student and program outcomes. Our students are significantly more marketable as a result of their technology skills. Personal Highlight:“Because of the technology proficiency displayed by the students within the health and physical education department at Edinboro University, the department was selected by the academic deans to develop a pilot program of PDA use by all HPE student teachers. They use the PDAs to record and report fitness results, develop lesson plans, track attendance, and store student records. The Polar Pocket TriFIT and Pocket PE Manager software provides the structure for this project.” –Ken Felker

Arapaho Classical Magnet

About the Teachers:Lisa and Gil work in a team teaching environment at Arapaho Classical Magnet (ACM). Gil is new to Arapaho Classical Magnet and the Richardson ISD. He is excited about ACM students using Polar technology. Lisa has been a physical educator for 32 years in RISD. She is a member of TAHPERD, AHPERD, NASPE, REA and The Association of Texas Professional Educators. Lisa presents staff development programs and is on the curriculum development and leadership teams. As part of Lisa’s duties for TAHPERD in 2009, she is current chairman for the American Heart Association Committee. Lisa has been integrating Polar technology in her class lessons for several years.About Arapaho Classical Magnet:Arapaho Classical Magnet is located in Richardson, Texas and is part of the Richardson Independent School District. The typical class size is 22-45 students with two full time Physical Education Specialists. Polar E600s heart rate monitors (HRMs) are used in grades 3-6 daily.Using Polar:Polar technology was part of a bond package that was awarded to all elementary schools in the Richardson ISD. Polar E600 HRMs and the PE manager Software program are used to track the progress of all students.Core Activities:Lisa and Gil use state and national standards when instructing their students. By using Polar in the classroom all students are aware of current health issues and are sharing this knowledge with their families. The goals set in the classroom using Polar products go along with the coordinated school health program that was adopted by the Richardson ISD. Lisa and Gil’s goal is to promote lifetime fitness and make physical education a fun and rewarding experience. Polar allows them to implement a strong fitness conditioning program without the risk of students over or under training. The E600 watches track the student’s individual training progress by giving them immediate feedback and holds them accountable.The Buzz:The Teachers: "We love to see students excited about improving personal fitness and sharing immediate results with their families."Student Success: "Because of their strong knowledge of Polar products the ACM students have demonstrated the use of E600 watches at the National AAHPERD convention and have been interviewed and featured by local and national news programs."The Administration: "The use of Polar heart rate monitors provides a unique opportunity that contributes to the overall development and well being of ACM students."Personal Highlight:"All ACM students are able to reach their personal goal without the stress of competition with their peers."

Garden Spot High School

About Coleen:Coleen is the department chair for Health and Physical Education 7-12 at Garden Spot Middle and High School. She currently teaches the Fitness and Weight Training, Personal Fitness, 9th grade Physical Education and 11th/12th grade Lifetime Physical Activities. She has been teaching for 9 years, 6 years at the middle school level and 3 at the high school level. She has been using Polar technology for 7 years. She is a member of PSAPHERD and has presented at various local and state conferences about the use of Polar technology in her classroom and district.About Garden Spot Middle and High School:Garden Spot Middle and High School is part of Eastern Lancaster County School District in New Holland, Pennsylvania. In this rural area, the typical PE class size is approximately 25 students.Students in grades 7-12 use Polar Heart Rate Monitors during cardio activities in class. Teachers enjoy using the heart rate monitors because they provide an objective assessment tool in class. It allows students to get instant feedback on their effort during an activity and helps them determine which activities suit them best to maintain their heart rate in their target training zone.Fitness scores for students in grades 7-12 are tracked with the help of the TriFIT program. Records are kept from middle school and are transferred to the high school database so students have the ability to see their fitness progress overtime. Some teachers use the Personal Profiles to provide more individualized feedback for students. It also provides a great database for height, weight, and body composition for our school nurse.Core Activities:The Core Activities used to deliver the curriculum at the schools include but is not limited to running, cardio machines, various types of resistance training, cardio and weight training circuits, biking, yoga, Pilates, stability ball training, plyometrics, agilities, climbing, soccer, flag-football, tennis, track and field, basketball, volleyball, badminton, floor hockey, ultimate Frisbee, team handball, tchoukball, and pickle ball.Using Polar:A PEP grant provided funding for the school district to obtain their polar products and initial training approximately 6 years ago. Since the initial purchase, the physical education budget has been able to support the continued usage of these products and services.If you don’t have the funding to get a class set, build your set over time by purchasing a few each year or look for grants to help with funding.The Buzz:On using heart rate monitors in class:High school health and physical education teacher, Kathy Burke says “So much of our area is subjective; I use this as an objective way of measuring the student’s ability to use information that was taught and apply it.”High school health and physical education teacher, Jim Kruis says “The HRM’s are a very objective assessment tool and hold the students accountable.”Middle school health and physical education teacher, Corey Luttrell says,” For the most part they are user friendly and it is a great way for a student to assess themselves even if not in school.”High School health and physical education teacher, Dennis Werner says,” It is a great way to back up our subjective assessments with an objective one.”High school health and physical educator Julie Groft says, “Using heart rate monitors gives a better way for grading students.”On how schools can effectively utilize the data from the Tri-Fit system:Middle school health and physical educator, Corey Luttrell says, “For tracking data to assess whether or not the exercise programs they participate in are helping them reach the goals they have set for themselves.”High school health and physical educator Coleen Parmer says, “The Tri-fit system provides a wonderful database to collect information regarding student fitness status. You can use that data to evaluate your physical education program as well as student wellness and plan for the future.”On tracking fitness scores across grade levels:High school health and physical educator Ruth Frankhouser says, “It should give them the baseline knowledge of how to achieve a fit health status throughout their life time.”High school health and physical educator, JD Stern says, “By showing the student concrete information about their personal fitness, you are giving them feedback that they can reflect upon that can be applied for a lifetime.”

Hortonville Middle School

About Crystal:Crystal is a P.E. and Health teacher at Hortonville Middle School. She's been teaching for 18 years total, and has been using Polar technology in her lessons for the last 14 years! She's a member of both AAHPERD and WAHPERD. Among many honors and awards she's received are the 2004 NASPE Midwest Teacher of the Year, 2004 NASPE National Middle School Teacher of the Year, and 2005 Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year.About Hortonville Middle School:Hortonville Middle School is part of the Hortonville Area School District in Hortonville, Wisconsin. In this rural area the typical P.E. class size is 25 students. Students are in grade levels 5-8 and currently use Polar E200s and E600s along with the TriFit620 system. In 2005, Hortonville Middle School was awarded the NASPE STARS Level 2 Award.Core Activities:Crystal uses the 5 components of fitness, state physical education standards, and physical best to teach P.E. at Hortonville.Using Polar:Hortonville's P.E. budget, as well as a 2001 PEP Grant provided the funding to get Polar technology in school. After hearing Beth Kirkpatrick speak as well as attending the technology workshops in Fargo, North Dakota for three years, Crystal was able to implement Polar products in her school. Crystal uses Polar heart rate monitors in her lesson plans twice a week. According to Crystal, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E is the feedback that the students receive and the hard data that it provides.The Buzz:Crystal likes "the feedback that my students and I receive about working out in their target heart zones. The students gain knowledge of their fitness levels and know if they are in the healthy fitness zone."Students enjoy "using the technology to get feedback on their fitness levels."Administration likes "the hard data that Crystal can provide about students and their fitness levels."

Seeger Jr/Sr High School

About Diane:Diane is the Physical Education Department Chair at Seeger Jr. / Sr. High School. She has been teaching for 26 years total, and has been using Polar technology in her lessons for the last 4 years. Diane implemented Polar technology into her lessons after receiving the advice from other PEP grant recipients. Diane is also a member of IAHPERD, AAHPERD, the Indiana State Teachers Association and the National Education Association. She has presented at the IAHPERD State and Regional Conferences.About Seeger Jr. / Sr. High School:Seeger Jr. / Sr. School is part of the Metropolitan School District of Warren County located in Indiana. The school hosts students in grades 7-12 all in one building. In this rural area, the typical P.E. class size is between 60-70 students in P.E. and 20-30 students in elective health. Students in grade levels 7-9 have been using Polar E600 heart rate monitors, PE Manager Software, TriFIT, and the Companion for four years.Core Activities:Diane uses use the 5 components of fitness, fitness activities, state physical education standards, HRMs daily and other activities to teach physical education at Seeger. Polar technology has given us validation and attention from the administration and the staff. In addition to our Polar training, we have attended many clinics and seminars about brain breaks in the classroom and activity based learning. There is evidence that increasing a student’s heart rate for 20 minutes before reading, math and test taking will “wake up the brain” and make learning easier. We have helped teachers incorporate active learning into their classrooms.Using Polar:A PEP grant was awarded to Seeger Jr. / Sr. School to fund Polar technology in P.E. classes. According to Diane, she incorporates heart rate monitors every day in class. “Some days, it may be to show our students that a slower heart rate (HR) will help them in an activity like archery. However, our students wear their watches for every activity.”The Buzz:Diane likes that “PE Manager and the heart rate monitors make grading a snap. The HRMs take all the guess work out of which students are working hard and who are not.”Students like that “they have their grade books right on their wrist, so they know exactly what their HR grade is for the day. It motivates them to stay active. The printouts we can give them for any of their testing by using TriFIT gives them a hands-on written document to take home and share. They also enjoy the PE Report Card because it contains all the detail about their grade so there are few questions.”Administration “is very data driven and the information we can gather using Polar is exactly the data our administration loves.” We were asked by our administration to lead activity time before ISTEP testing to our entire junior high. We were allotted 30 minutes to get our students up and moving and our goal was to make sure they were having fun. Here are some things our students had to say: “ISTEP was so fun this year. I really enjoyed it. Instead of ISTEP being boring you changed it up for us. You gave us activities to do which help me wake up and get moving around.” Another student wrote, “When it comes to the end of course assessments, I think we should go to the PAC (our activity center) so we can concentrate and get more focus.”Personal Highlight:“Our students are on the move constantly. We do not have students trying to hide in the background. They are accountable for their own activity level daily. We have also seen several students lose 20-30 pounds within a school year and they tell us they have done nothing different than just participating in their zone during P.E.”

Jordan School District

About Cindy:
Cindy is the Health/Physical Education Teacher Specialist for Jordan School District.  She has taught for 19 years and 15 of those years her assignment was teaching part time in both Health and P.E. in addition to working with all secondary health and P.E. teachers as the teacher specialist part time.  Cindy has been the full-time teacher specialist for the past year and will continue in this assignment and in her effort to incorporate the tri-fit assessment and heart rate monitor programs in the districts secondary schools.   

About Jordan School District:
While all good stories have a beginning, middle and end, the story of Jordan School District is still being written.  As our next chapter unfolds, our founding principles of providing a quality education and promoting lifelong learning will guide our future.
Jordan School District will continue to lead the way in research-based curriculum and strategies.  We believe education must be relevant and responsive to the ever-changing world.

How we educate our students is perhaps our greatest accomplishment.  Quality teaching promotes quality learning.  That is evident in our students who continually outperform their counterparts across the nation on standardized tests.

We inspire future generations one student at a time. Our strength lies in the hearts and talents of our employees.  The teachers, support staff and administrators have developed a synergy that has fueled Jordan’s legacy of serving and educating students for more than a century.  As students leave our system we hope they are inspired to continue learning for a lifetime.

Established in 1905, Jordan School District opened its doors with 3,000 students, 70 teachers and 20 community schools.   We provide public education for 49,000 students living in Bluffdale, Copperton, Herriman, Riverton, South Jordan and West Jordan who attend our 51 schools.

Jordan School District is under the leadership of a seven-member Board of Education and Superintendent Barry L. Newbold.

Core Activities:
Cindy is working with Physical Educators in Jordan District to further implement the tools which we have invested in.   

Using Polar:
A PEP Grant provided the funding to get Polar technology for Jordan School District students. According to Cindy, the most important reason to use Polar in P.E. is to help students enjoy exercise while learning the benefits of it.

The Buzz:
Cindy likes how immediate feedback and self monitoring of the students motivates students more than anything I can do. Kids love the technology and are excited to use it.
Students love to see how hard they are working, and Polar technology gives them the chance to get that information quickly without losing momentum during their workout.
Administration likes that the kids are more active and our school is now aligned with research that shows that healthier kids perform better academically. Additionally, a fitness based curriculum does not exclude any student due to lack of skill.

Titusville Middle School

About Tim:Tim is the PE4Life Academy Training Center Director and PE department chair at Titusville Middle School. Tim has been teaching for 32 years and has been teaching with Polar technology for the last 11 years. He's a member of National AAHPERD and also of PSAHPERD. In 2000 he was honored as the WalMart Regional Teacher of the Year and in 2003 he was honored as the PSAHPERD Health Educator of the Year. Tim was also selected as a 2007 President’s Council on Physical fitness and Sports Community Leadership Award Winner.About Titusville Middle School:Titusville Middle School is part of the Titusville Area School District located in Titusville, Pennsylvania. In this rural area the typical P.E. class size is 25 students. Students are in grade levels 6-8. Teachers at Titusville use Polar E600 heart rate monitors (HRMs), along with TriFIT 600 and 700 for the last 9 years, and PE Manager for the last 7 years. Titusville Middle School is a PE4Life Academy.Core Activities:Tim uses the PE4Life philosophy to teach PE at Titusville. This philosophy is based on teaching students a variety of activities to lead them toward development of healthy lifestyle habits.Using Polar:The PE budget, local school district funding, and the 2003 Carol M. White PEP Grant provided funding for Polar products at Titusville. Tim incorporates Polar in his lesson plans twice a week. Titusville started using Polar E600 HRMs during class and did that for two years before incorporating TriFIT software. After that, HRM usage expanded to students in both the local high school as well as upper grades of the elementary school. For Tim, it is important to use Polar because "students can be successful using Polar products. They can see their level of work immediately and adjust accordingly."The Buzz:Tim likes using Polar for, "student accountability, tracking of students, and fitness assessment."Students "like seeing their fitness progress from TriFIT reports."Administration likes "the accountability that Polar provides."