Dana Chambers

My name is Dana Chambers and Teaching is my Passion; to be specific teaching Physical Education is my Passion. While it seems like yesterday, it was twenty years ago that I started exploring my passion for teaching. I had many wonderful instructors at UCO that helped prepare me for my teaching career. In 1999, I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with my Bachelor’s of Science with certification in Physical Education/Health K-12. When I graduated, I received my first job at Bodine Elementary in OKCPS. As a new teacher, I learned a lot and had a great staff that supported the new programs I wanted to bring there. I also had several mentors in the district that were PE teachers. I served with many of them on the OKCPS PE steering committee. I taught there until 2003 when I lost my position due to the Reduction in Force in Teachers. I luckily was hired at another OKCPS school, Western Village Academy (now Stanley Hupfeld Academy). While at Western Village, I continued to grow as a teacher and expand my program through the A+ and Great Expectation programs. I worked with classroom teachers to cross the curriculum by having the students explore the solar system on scooters and learning a Hawaiian dance. In the spring/summer, I offered a track team to students that provided not only extra physical activity but also competition, team building and increased self-esteem. While at WVA, I was privileged to accept the following awards on behalf of the school: State Department of Education Outstanding Physical Education Program Award 2005 and Schools for Healthy Lifestyles Physical Activity Award 2006. While at WVA, I successfully completed the National Board Certification process allowing me to further stretch my teaching and enhance my ability to consistently reflect on my teaching.

In 2007, I continued teaching but in Newcastle Public schools. I had many great experiences there and involvement at many different levels including: Newcastle Elementary K-12 PE Director/PE Teacher, MS & HS Volleyball; Racer Roper Jump Rope team and Summer track coach, Safe/Healthy Schools chair, and Federal PE Program Grant Director. While at Newcastle, I loved the opportunity to spread awareness for health across the community, and offer a wider variety of physical activities before, during and after school. I was honored to be selected as the

Newcastle Teacher of the Year in 2009 and receive the following awards: Thunder Teacher of the Game 2009, OAHPERD PE Teacher of the Year 2009, SHL Coordinator of the Year Award, Injury Prevention Award 2010, and OAHPERD Health Teacher of the Year 2010. I left teaching for a few years to work in the non-profit sector and was excited to once again work with OKCPS PE teachers. Through my role as Action Based Learning Coordinator/Director, I provided 100+ trainings on action based learning to administrators and staff at many of the OKCPS schools, as

well as other schools across the state. I also provided training to PE teachers in the areas of curriculum, classroom management and fitness assessment. As I moved forward into 2019, I knew my passion was calling me back to the physical education classroom. I was blessed to receive a position at Quail Creek Elementary in OKCPS. This is where I have spent the last two years and hope to spend many more. Each school and position I have been in has made me a better educator. As I look to the future, it is bright because teaching is my happy place. It is a place that I know I make a difference. It is a place I can watch a student learn a skill at the most basic level, progress through each grade and in a few special situations get to watch them compete in college. At the least, I know that I am giving students the lifetime skills to be healthy adults. I also hope to continue to give more to the district in sharing through professional development and mentoring new teachers.