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Welcome to the January edition of the Health and Physical Education Newsletter! With the new year beginning,, this is a great opportunity to reset, refocus, and build on the momentum you’ve created with your students and colleagues. January brings a sense of fresh starts and renewed energy, along with winter weather that encourages creativity and flexibility in supporting student movement and well-being.
In this month’s newsletter, there is information and resources to support professional learning, and student health and well-being.
The goal remains the same: helping students develop strong bodies, positive mindsets, and healthy habits that support long-term success.
Thank you for your continued dedication to Oregon students and school communities. Wishing you a healthy, focused, and energized start to the new year!
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Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In Health and Physical Education, its important to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy year-round by promoting inclusivity, health equity, and community.
In Physical Education, students can build unity through inclusive team building activities, exploring culturally diverse activities and sports experiences, and movement challenges that connect physical activity to social justice and peaceful problem-solving. In Health class, lessons can focus on health equity, mental wellness, and Dr. King’s vision of the “Beloved Community,” helping students explore how justice, education, and well-being are deeply connected.
For lesson examples, explore NEA’s resources.
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Goal Setting
The start of a new year is a great time to focus on goal-setting. Take this opportunity to help students create meaningful physical activity goals that support Oregon’s Physical Education Standards—especially Domain 2 (application of movement & fitness concepts) and Domain 4 (development of personal skills, recognizing personal benefits of movement, and choosing to engage in physical activity) which emphasize goal-setting, personal responsibility, and lifelong engagement in physical activity. OPEN offers a 5-Day Journal Experience that guides students through setting, recording and evaluating their own “GREAT Goals”.
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What PE Teachers Should Know About Concussion
Concussion is a form of brain injury that can result from impact to the head or the body. As research has expanded, public awareness and media attention around concussions have increased. While often associated with youth sports, concussions can occur in any physical activity setting — including physical education, recess, extracurricular programs, and community sports. Because K–12 physical education teachers play a daily role in student health and safety, it’s essential they understand how to help prevent concussions, recognize signs and symptoms, follow local policies, and support concussion-management plans. Find out more information in SHAPE America’s concussion resource. The ODE Concussion web-page also has more information, guidance documents and other resources.
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The simplest way teens can protect their mental health
Sleeping in on weekends to make up for lost sleep during the week may offer mental health benefits for teenagers and young adults, according to new research from the University of Oregon and the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. Read more in the ScienceDaily article.
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A Roadmap for Learning
SHAPE America offers both Health Education and Physical Education standards-based resources and professional development opportunities (Please note that membership is required and there may be a cost). The brochure outlines opportunities to explore the fundamentals, gain insights, elevate your practice, and dive into hands-on learning.
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CDC & SHAPE America Resource
What Works in Schools is a school-based program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that prevents adolescent health risks and promotes adolescent well-being. SHAPE America’s new resource is designed for educators, administrators and school support personnel highlights the opportunity for schools to lead efforts in proper wellness policies, procedures, and practices that meet the needs of their students.
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Save the date: March 17 - 21
Don't forget - the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo brings together the health and physical education community for five days of professional development, networking and collaboration.
Make plans now to join us at #SHAPEKC. Thousands of your peers will be there in the heart of America, and everyone is ready to share their knowledge … their resources … and their passion for the profession with you.
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January is Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, which is observed in January, serves to support:
- People contemplating or seeking help for their substance use
- Practitioners treating or considering treating substance use disorder
- Friends, family, and loved ones of those with substance use conditions
By raising awareness of treatment, including medications to treat substance use disorders, SAMHSA seeks to:
- Eliminate stigma surrounding treatment, including medications used to treat substance use disorders
- Encourage those on their treatment and recovery journey
- Promote best practices such as screening, intervention, and treatment of substance use disorders by health care providers
For more information and resources, access the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Awareness Month Toolkit here.
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Oregon Friends for Life Campaign
OHA and ODE are working with a contractor, DH, to customize the Friends for Life campaign for Oregon. We are currently in the research phase of our workplan. We are gathering data, through partner, and youth input to inform the materials we will create for Oregon. We will share the results of this research once the summary report is available in Spring 2026. Then, we will create a website, advertisements, and partner materials.
Get involved!
Register for Listening Sessions – Join an interactive session where partners will share input about what campaign resources would be most helpful in preventing overdoses in their communities. These sessions are designed for adults who work with youth. Please share these opportunities with your networks!
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Youth Listening Sessions – Dates TBD. Subscribe to the listserv below for more details.
Questions? Want to chat?
Feel free to email Rebecca Garza any time with questions or to set up a meeting time.
“Everyone deserves to live, and anyone can be a friend for life”
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