Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and
Dance (NCAAHPERD) will recognize the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
superintendent, director of arts, health and physical education, and a
dance teacher. The three employees will be honored on Friday, Nov. 13,
at NCAAHPERD's 62nd annual convention in Winston-Salem.
CMS Superintendent Dr. Peter C. Gorman will receive the
In-School Prevention of Obesity and Disease (IsPOD) Outstanding
Superintendent Award. NCAAHPERD recognized Gorman for his attention to
the health and wellness of CMS students, as well as his support for
programs that encourage healthy living.
"We are excited that Dr. Gorman was recognized for this
award," said Debra Kaclik, director of arts, health and physical
education and PreK-12 curriculum support programs. "He wants the best
for the whole student. We have had his full support on grants and new
programs we have introduced to the district since he became
superintendent."
Programs Gorman supported include fitness testing in
schools and the SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids)
physical-education curriculum for students in kindergarten through
eighth grade. SPARK is a collection of research-based programs to
encourage moderate to vigorous activity during physical education
classes. The original SPARK study was supported by the Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health as a counter
to heart disease, which can begin in childhood.
"It is important to encourage good health habits early,"
Gorman said. "Healthy students do better in the classroom and may
learn lessons they carry into their adult lives. I want to thank
NCAAHPERD for this award and I am extremely proud of all the deserving
CMS educators who have been recognized."
Kaclik was named IsPOD Outstanding Healthful Living
Coordinator for her commitment to health and physical education at
CMS. Kaclik is a member of the School Health Advisory Council, which
engages community partners to support healthy, active students.
"Across the district, she has brought new attention to
the relationship between a child's health and learning," said Merry
Angela Gallo, secondary health and physical education resource teacher.
Kaclik has also been named North Carolina High School
Physical Education Teacher of the Year, Southwestern 4A Coach of the
Year and was a teacher/coach for the World Scholar Athlete Games.
Dance teacher Rebecca Hill will receive the K-12 Dance
Educator of the Year Award. Hill helped launch the dance program at
Randolph IB Middle School four years ago. Her open classroom is for
students of all abilities, including those with severe and profound
disabilities. In 2003, she became the first dance teacher to win the
CMS and North Carolina Dance Theatre Outstanding Educator of the Year
Award.
Cheryl Maney, PreK-12 Visual Arts and Dance Curriculum
Specialist, described Rebecca Hill as a strong foundational support
for dance education in our district through the training of our new
teachers and writing of our curriculum guides. "She is actively
involved with University of North Carolina at Charlotte Dance
Department and with NCAAPHERD in support of the profession and dance
education field."
NCAAHPERD is a nonprofit organization of athletics,
health, physical education, recreation and dance professionals working
to promote the health of North Carolinians. Its annual convention will
take place November 11-14 at the Winston-Salem Benton Convention Center.
