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February is a month full of meaningful opportunities to connect health, wellness, and physical activity in the classroom. As we acknowledge and celebrate American Heart Month, Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month (also see Erin’s Law Toolkit), and Black History Month, this is a perfect time to reinforce lifelong habits that support physical, social, and emotional well-being—while also honoring the diverse individuals and communities who have shaped our world, influenced health awareness, and contributed countless advancements toward equity, resilience and healthier futures for all.
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Celebrating Black History month
Black History Month can be naturally incorporated into health and physical education by highlighting Black American pioneers in sports and examining stories that shed light on health inequities. These examples showcase strength, resilience, and the ability to overcome adversity. Some lesson examples are listed below.
How to Celebrate Black History Month in Health and Physical Education from SHAPE America Blog
Celebrate 10 fearless Black healthcare leaders who’ve paved the way for a healthier future for all -10 Black Pioneers Who Shaped Public Health
Yoga and Black History month video for elementary grades: Activating Experts Conversion :15
Cross-Curricular Projects from NEA
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Celebrate American Heart Month
OPEN is reintroducing Healthy Habits for American Heart Month with a fresh structure and the same great purpose. OPEN’s cross-curricular resource includes learning activities for physical education and the classroom to support the whole child. Students explore the basics of healthy living including sleep, nutrition, movement, and mental wellness while building real-life skills and routines they can carry with them beyond the classroom. Grades K-2 and grades 3-5 resources are available for no cost.
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Spread the Love with Your Family
Valentine's Day is coming up!
Erika’s Lighthouse has some great templates for students to share with their families on self-care. Connecting to Valentine’s Day Worksheets help students reflect on their favorite ways to take care of themselves and others
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Celebrate the start of the Winter Games
Olympic-themed PE lessons offer engaging, high-energy activities that promote fitness, teamwork, and global awareness. Key ideas include setting up activity stations for sports like curling, bobsledding, and speed skating, alongside relay races, obstacle courses, and medal ceremonies to promote sportsmanship.
OPEN has created activities that highlight teamwork, movement, and the Olympic spirit. The Olympic and Paralympic Games for grades 3-5 are a great way to help students learn about the Olympics. Use them on their own or blend them into your current plans. You will need to register for a no-cost account.
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SHAPE America Wellness Committee Spotlights
The Wellness Committee Champions Learning Community is a free, online space created specifically for school and district wellness committee members. To secure your community spot, complete the interest survey today.
SHAPE America Wellness Spotlight Sessions will feature guest speakers, relationship building, and peer-sharing on topics decided on by members of the Wellness Committee Champions Learning Community. Sessions will be on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 3 – 4 p.m. EST.
Register for sessions and receive updates
February Wellness Spotlight: AI Tools and Usage for Health and Physical Education
Tuesday, February 10 | 3:00-4:00 PM EST
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Using shared language and clearly defined skills to teach social and emotional learning alongside of meaningful physical education creates more consistent and practical learning experiences for students. This approach strengthens student's understanding of participation in physical education and physical activity, while encouraging greater engagement in meaningful movement both in and out of school-supporting lifelong health habits. As a reminder, Oregon’s 2025 Physical Education Standards have embed Transformative Social and Emotional Learning Standards.
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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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Social support is sorely lacking for many U.S. teens. Only 58.5% of U.S. teens always or usually receive the social and emotional support they need, according to a report by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report drew on National Health Interview Survey and National Health Interview Survey–Teen data collected from parents and adolescents in 2021 and 2022. Read More about the importance of emotional support students need.
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The Science Behind Brain Breaks - Edutopia
Research shows that brain boosts can provide more than rest. Use them to boost creativity, cognitive function, and social skills. Read more in The Science Behind Brain Breaks and watch an informative video on The Mysterious Power of Brain Breaks from Edutopia.
PE can boost children’s health and education – let’s make it central to the curriculum - The Conversation
There is no doubt about the benefits of physical activity for students - evidence shows it can have a positive impact on physical and mental health, social relationships, and academic performance. Read more about the research and how other countries are looking at the importance of physical education.
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05-Feb-2026 by Elizabeth Crawford - Food Navigator
Coca-Cola, Campbell’s, General Mills and other CPG and fast-food companies expanded voluntary advertising restrictions across digital platforms after research found most children encounter unhealthy food branding on YouTube. Read More about the impact of advertisements on children.
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Annually Required Opioid Prevention Lessons Are Now Available in Spanish
The ODE Opioid Prevention Lessons, required per OAR 581-022-2045, are now available in Spanish. These lessons and other substance use prevention lessons are available on the ODE website.
For questions or technical assistance, contact ode.substance-prevention@ode.oregon.gov.
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Virtual Teaching Cannabis (and other drugs) Awareness & Prevention Conference
Registration is open for Stanford REACH Lab’s 7th Annual VIRTUAL Teaching Cannabis (and other drugs) Awareness & Prevention Conference. Learn how to educate youth regarding substances including health effects, how to work and intervene with current youth users, successful prevention strategies and curriculums (including harm-reduction), & the latest research on cannabis & other drugs.
Registration for this conference will include access to ALL workshops and materials for one year after the conference. Register here for the event.
Registration Costs:
- Early Bird: $100 (ends 3/1/26)
- Regular: $125 (after 3/1/26)
For more details, click here to see the latest Cannabis Conference flyer!
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OYAA is a youth-led committee of the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission that meets once a month (second Wednesdays for two hours in the late afternoon/early evening). Members provide advice to state leaders on substance use prevention, treatment and recovery programs and policy. Members are compensated for their participation in two events per month and are eligible for class credit, work study, or other educational credit depending on the education program.
If you know a young person who would be a good fit for this opportunity, please share the application survey with them. Applications are due March 2, 2026.
For questions, please email Joyleen Carter at joyleen.mabika2@oha.oregon.gov or Wes Rivers at wesley.r.rivers@oha.oregon.govo edit this placeholder text.
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ODE Mental Health, Well-Being and Safety Office Hours
Making our schools safe, welcoming environments that nurture belonging and well-being doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work. Helping students navigate through their academic career plus the experiences they go through every day is complex. The Mental Health and Well-Being Staff at ODE would like to offer up a space to bring questions, ask for resources, consult, and receive support.
If you are interested, register for the ODE Mental Health, Well-being, and School Safety Office Hours. Once the office hours start, you can select from breakout rooms based on your area of interest. The first Office Hours will be from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. on March 11, 2026. Additional dates and times will be announced later. Subscribe to the ODE Mental Health listserv to be notified about those dates as well as receive future messages about mental health and wellbeing resources.
If you have any questions, please contact ODE.HealthySchools@ode.oregon.gov.
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