A physical education teacher for Berrien RESA has been named the Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators. Berrien RESA has released the following:
The Board of Directors for the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPEMi) has named Berrien Regional Education Service Agency’s (Berrien RESA) Emily Brumbaugh as SHAPEMi’s Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Emily is an adapted physical education teacher at Lighthouse Education Center.
“Emily works tirelessly to engage students through physical activity while teaching them about healthy living habits both at school and at home,” said Erik Haskins, Lighthouse Education Center Principal. “Lighthouse Education Center has a very unique student body. Emily develops units around students’ areas of interest, which quickly gain student buy-in and involvement. Programs such as bowling, skating, fishing, and Frisbee – that are outside of the normal PE curriculum – are adapted by Emily to support and engage the students.”
Mrs. Brumbaugh has worked at Lighthouse Education Center since 2008. The school is a center based special education facility designed to provide programs and related services to meet the education requirements of students with emotional impairments and autism.
“One of my favorite units that Emily developed for Lighthouse Education Center is a program where students are able to study the life cycle of salmon,” said Haskins. “Emily works to create units of movement for the students while they study the biology of the salmon. The students get the unique experience of watching salmon eggs hatch and then grow into adolescents. The school then goes out on a field trip and each student is able to release a salmon back into the wild through rivers that flow into Lake Michigan.”
Berrien RESA appreciates Mrs. Brumbaugh’s innovative lessons and her dedication to Berrien County students. The district congratulates her on this prestigious award.
SHAPEMi’s mission is to promote healthy, active living through professional development and advocacy.
