Aloha and welcome to the HAHPERD website. The 2004-2005 year is proving to be a year of change for many, including HAHPERD. The following are some things HAHPERD is doing and working on to serve its members and community at large.

Website
Several changes have just been made, with renovations continuing throughout the year to better serve our members. We would like this to be an avenue for which you will be able to link to a variety of resources, become more familiar with the HAHPERD organization and to provide a more efficient means of communication. This would include a calendar of events, sharing of ideas, announcements, etc. We hope you will take the time to browse and share this site with other professionals. If you have any ideas for the website, please contact webmaster Kelly E. Duell, M.A.Leadership Development – Advocacy on the Hill
On June 16-19, 2004, President-Elect Yvette Ikari and I attended the AAHPERD Leadership Development Conference in Washington, DC.

*State of Hawaii Teacher of the Year Nominations deadline is fast approaching. Click here for details.

*NASPE Teacher of the Year Nominations deadline is November 5, 2004. Click here for details.

*This year's State Conference Theme:

Going beyond the Edge...
HOP ON!"

Check out the Conference page for more details.

This conference provides incoming state President’s an opportunity to network with one another, to meet the staff in AAHPERD’s national office, in Reston, Virginia and to advocate for HPERD with our Senator’s and Congressmen.

We were fortunate to be able to speak with Senator Daniel Akaka and Representative Ed Case. We spoke in depth with staff members from Sen. Akaka and Rep. Neil Abercrombie’s offices. We spent the entire day going from one meeting to another but we met with such positive responses that it made it all worthwhile.

In summary, they were very knowledgeable about the need for physical education in our schools, they knew of the PEP bill and several said they would support it. They also had some feelings about the No Child Left Behind policies and recognized the negative impact it has on the implementation of PE and health programs in the schools. What impressed us most was their willingness to listen and to communicate to us their understanding of the issues we presented. Since the trip, we have received follow up communication from them via email and letters.

The “Day on the Hill” was rewarding for me personally and professionally. I am grateful to HAHPERD and AAHPERD for giving me the chance to experience the professional atmosphere that was unique to this particular conference.

HAHPERD will continue to communicate and work with our government leaders as well as various community organizations.

HAHPERD Re-organization
As you may recall, our constitution was recently revised (May, 2003) which included a re-structuring of the Divisions to consolidate the number of board members involved. Where our national organization and other state organizations continue to be structured through the various Divisions (Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, Adapted PE, etc.), we have reorganized to include six Directors, who each serve 2 years on the board and whose duties are to collaborate on all programs in the same manner which had previously been done by Division Chairs. Their specific duties are still to be revised through the Operating Codes. Establishing a clearer description of these duties will also be a work in progress this year.

HAHPERD Board Retreat
On July 30 –August 1, 2004, the HAHPERD Board met to begin planning for the 2004-2005 school year. We began by reviewing our purpose as an organization, which is summarized below.

Purposes of HAHPERD:
1. Stimulate interest in the areas of health, physical education, recreation and dance.
2. Promote community relationships leading to develop programs in the areas of HPERD throughout the state.
3. Disseminate information and assist in research in HPERD.
4. Raise the professional standards within HAHPERD, and collaborate with other associations to improve the profession.
5. Support, encourage, and provide guidance for personnel seeking to develop school and community programs in HPERD.

We spent time discussing the distinguishing characteristics of HAHPERD and identified three areas that we feel are important in supporting our objectives, for we need to focus on. These areas include:
• Advocacy (providing professional development opportunities, advocating for professionals in HPERD, as well as issues relative to health, physical education, recreation and dance)
• Having informed members (i.e. website, newsletter, workshops, conferences)
• Watchdog – in the sense of overseeing the issues that arise in our community, and responding as representatives of HAHPERD (i.e. PE Graduation requirement, legislative acts, school-based programs)

Summary
We advocate for issues that relate to health, physical education, recreation and dance because we want the children of Hawai’i to lead active and healthy lifestyles, and continue to do so as adults. We witnessed first hand, how our voices can be heard and are very much needed. In reference to the Graduation requirement recommendations, the Board of Education heard us, the parents supported us, and we learned that we need to stand up for ourselves.

Professional organizations such as HAHPERD are essential to our community, as advocates, as resources, and as monitors of the issues that we are so endeared to. We need to continue this quest as we encounter a new era of challenges such as video games, fast foods, and budget crunches. Join us by actively advocating for HPERD, become a resource person to your peers. Keeping in mind that there are still those who think that all we do is throw out the ball, it is all of our responsibility to educate and provide an accurate picture of what we do. Feel free to email me at feysk@yahoo.com.

Shelley Kahuanui Fey
President HAHPERD

[Separate article]

2004-2005 Calendar of Events:

• August 24 *Keiki Caucus (noon to 2:00; Capitol, Room 325)
• Sept. 16, 17 Southwest District Board mtg. (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Sept. 21 Keiki Caucus (noon to 2:00; Capitol, Room 329)
• Oct. 3 Children and Youth Day (10-3 pm, State Capitol)
• Oct. 8 Keiki Caucus Summit

DOE sponsored workshops:
• Oct. 18 Bonnie Hopper and John Thompson Present on Kaua’i
• Oct. 19 Bonnie Hopper and John Thompson Present on Maui
• Oct. 21 Bonnie Hopper and John Thompson Present in Hilo
• Oct. 22 Bonnie Hopper and John Thompson Present in Kona

• Feb. 3-5 SWD District Convention (Phoenix, Arizona)
• April 12-16 AAHPERD National Convention (Chicago, Illinois)
• May 2 Hawai’i State Conference (Punahou School, Oahu)

*see article on Members’ Page

All pages designed and created by:
Kelly E. Duell, M.A.
kellyeduell@hotmail.com
URL:http//www.hawaii.edu/HAHPERD
(C)c2004 HAHPERD. All rights reserved.