A Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) physical education teacher was named president of a state organization dedicated to promoting health and physical fitness to students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Valeri Cheseldine, PE teacher at Eva Turner Elementary School, began her term as president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) of Maryland on Dec. 1. Previously, she was on SHAPE’s board of directors and received a Presidential Citation for filling in as convention manager during SHAPE’s 2022 conference.
Cheseldine taught PE at the middle school level before getting her “dream job” working with elementary school students. She has been at Turner since 2020. “Elementary physical education teachers are at the foundation of a child’s development,” she said in a 2023 interview. “Health and physical education are integral parts of a child’s learning process as they encompass the whole child.”
At SHAPE’s October conference, three CCPS physical education teachers were honored with a Simon McNeely Award. Kyle Krupa of St. Charles High School, Amy Robinson, the CCPS aquatics lead, and Julie Snavely of Milton M. Somers Middle School received the award for their leadership and innovative teaching practices while staying active in their communities.
Staying healthy
Krupa has been with CCPS for 20 years teaching at Mattawoman Middle School and William B. Wade and William A. Diggs elementary schools before landing at St. Charles. “I have enjoyed every level that I’ve taught,” he said. “[I] want to help students move and work on their own health.”
Krupa said there are challenges when it comes to ensuring students are balancing fitness with screentime. Reliance on technology can lead lower participation in activities and shorter attention spans. It also can breed and promote misinformation about health. “Students tend to search for information online rather than read deeply, affecting their understanding of physical health and health topics,” Krupa said. However, technology does have some beneficial health side effects. “Using fitness apps and creating a supportive environment can help make PE more engaging and motivating,” he said.
Krupa has always been interested and active in sports, growing to appreciate how staying active translates to better health — and not just for people. He runs and bikes, usually accompanied by his dog. “It’s a great way for both of us to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors,” Krupa said. He also supports his children in their activities which keep him moving. “This combination of personal exercise and family involvement helps me maintain a healthy and active lifestyle,” Krupa said.
Into the deep end
Before jumping into the pool at Henry E. Lackey High School, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School fifth graders must shed their winter coats and sweaters. The water safety program, headed up by Robinson, teaches CCPS fifth-grade students how to keep themselves and others safe around water. It is not a swimming class, instead it uses American Red Cross practices of how to aid a drowning person or one in distress in the water. The first phase of the program is taught in the classroom, with a field trip to an indoor pool at Lackey, North Point or St. Charles high schools making up the second part. That’s where Robinson dives in.
She and staff members, including high school students who are lifeguards, work with younger students to practice skills that could save a life. Robinson has been teaching for two decades, with the past 17 years with CCPS. She has taught PE at North Point and St. Charles before taking over the aquatics program.
The water safety program allows her to work with high school and elementary school students. “I get to have fun with kids and young adults,” she said. “I love teaching new concepts, engaging in meaningful conversations, building relationships and doing everything I can to help kids not just learn but grow.”
Robinson went in the field of physical education out of curiosity. “What drew me to the field is my fascination with anatomy and physiology,” she said. “Teaching and exercise; I felt it was the perfect match.”
Along with swimming, Robinson stays active by lifting weights and walking. “I do my best to make time for exercise and doing activities that I love outdoors such as gardening, hiking, kayaking and fishing.”
Robinson was recently voted in as a SHAPE Maryland board member and is working with
representative of Wicomico County Public Schools and members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol to create water safety curriculum that can be used by educators throughout the state.
In a pickle … ball
A class of eighth graders take a lap on a mild November day before making their way to the tennis courts in front of Somers.
There they listen as Snavely goes over what they need to accomplish to learn the basics of pickleball. Each student practices tapping the ball 10 times in a row, serving underhand across the net and other drills before breaking off into groups to play a match.
The uneven number of students meant Snavely joined in as a partner. Student Brynn Barry appreciates Snavely’s willingness to demonstrate the skills she wants students to master. “She’s really good at going step-by-step and going over things,” Barry said, adding that she likes that Snavely joins students in activities rather than sitting on the sidelines.
Snavely went into teaching PE because she always liked sports and fitness. She has spent her entire teaching career — 23 years — at Somers. There’s rarely a dull day in a middle school. “This level can be unique,” Snavely said. “They can keep you on your toes. I think that’s why I like this grade level — it can and will vary from day to day.”
Kids seem to be less active than they were 20 years ago, she said. Easy access to technology can lead to sedentary students and prompt Snavely to get creative with lessons.
“It seems students are less skilled today,” she said. “I try to build on the basics of skills and do a lot of modification when it comes to game play.”
Her students find her class interesting and enjoyable. “She’s literally such a good teacher,” Kebron Endalamaw, an eighth-grade student, said. “She’s very chill and really nice.”
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,765 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).