Oakland PE teacher honored

Published 10:17 pm Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Oakland Elementary School physical education teacher Anne McCoy, right, stands with school counselor Angela King, left, and Principal Temesha Dabney. McCoy has won an American Heart Association award for her work implementing its programs. McCoy says the programs are a whole-school effort, not just her work.

Oakland Elementary School physical education teacher Anne McCoy, right, stands with school counselor Angela King, left, and Principal Temesha Dabney. McCoy has won an American Heart Association award for her work implementing its programs. McCoy says the programs are a whole-school effort, not just her work.

Oakland Elementary is jumping for joy — something the school does a lot of anyway, it seems — after the American Heart Association recognized physical education teacher Anne McCoy for implementing its programs.

McCoy received the association’s National Faye Biles Educational Award, named after an early pioneer of Jump Rope For Heart.

“I almost wish it was not just my name,” McCoy said. “Everybody in this school building has been a part of winning the award. We never would have achieved it without everybody on board.”

Email newsletter signup

Nevertheless, the award bestowed upon McCoy during a recent event at Regent University has her name on it.

Meanwhile, she says the community effort to get Oakland students active goes beyond the school itself.

McCoy said she recently spoke with King’s Fork High’s principal about the school getting involved in its feeder school’s health and fitness goals.

The high school will support a March Madness tournament as part of the association’s Hoops for Heart program, McCoy said.

“Dr. Byrd is 100-percent on board,” she said. “He’s going to be supplying two varsity high school players to be coaches for the tournament in the spring.”

The two King’s Fork kids will earn hours toward their community service graduation obligations, McCoy added.

Other events at Oakland promoting physical activity have included a daylong event in February inviting parents to the school to join students, faculty and staff learning about nutrition and the importance of staying active, and Healthy Youth Day, with lots of dancing and healthy snacks.

With one new initiative, McCoy said, regular staff meetings are taking on a different dimension once a month — teachers play games in the gym, rather than just sit in chairs and talk.

“We do have regular staff meetings as well,” she said. “It gives the staff a chance to get their sneakers on and get out there and play.”

Music teachers, arts teachers, library staff and even custodians all get involved in Oakland’s initiatives, McCoy said.

“Our librarian one time brought in a cow heart — the real thing — to show fatty tissue and muscle tissue,” she said. “From our office staff to out administrators, everyone’s on board.”

The association honored only nine educators nationwide, and McCoy was the only Faye Biles Educational Award winner, according to Suffolk Public Schools.

The district lists Teacher’s Health Resource Guides, skills resources, HeartPower! Online, CPR in Schools, Healthy Schools Program, and What Moves U! among association programs McCoy has helped implement.