Last week I facilitated a 90-minute workshop at the Seaside Sexuality Conference on “Practical Tips for Working With Schools”. I think I’ve facilitated that workshop three or four times. Each time it’s really rewarding and the participants seem to enjoy it. We all come from such different perspectives and I find it interesting when I realize that my experience as a teacher has helped my work at the local, state and nationally level. I mean, since I ‘get’ schools, that is knowledge that organizations want. So, it’s always nice to share.

On the flip-side, I want to do more work with teachers on how to partner with community organizations. Because many teachers are so resistant to opening up their classrooms. It’s comes from lack of partnership skills, development and rewards at the pre-service level. I hope professors out there are spending time on not only ’school health programs’, but how and why to partner, giving concrete examples. Maybe that’s a new book idea…

Another great annual meeting! I love the small, intimate group that attends this meeting attached to AAHPERD. Members include state directors of health and PE, venders, consultants, retirees, state directors of coordinated school health, HIV, and more. This meeting is such a great opportunity to connect with colleagues/friends, network and gain professional development. I truly appreciate Dr. Wechsler’s presentation every year because there is always a document or two, or three that I haven’t heard of that CDC is working on, or has released. 

Finally, it’s a great opportunity to learn of new ideas and get inspired. Sitting in Denver, in between flights, I’m reinvigorated and I go home with a list of new ideas for our health education cadre, our Healthy Kids Learn Better Coalition, my business. I go home with a list of a dozen people I hope to connect with to share what I learned. Thanks to the EC and staff at Society who put on another great meeting- another opportunity for me to learn new ideas, get inspired and further support the health of our children in Oregon and around the country. See you in Tampa in 2009!