Editors’ Note
DearReaders,
As we celebrate one full year since the SHAPE PA Journal’s relaunch and proudly present our third issue, we want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and engagement. What began as a renewal has now become a steady platform once again, consistently sharing research, teaching strategies, and professional voices from across Pennsylvania.
Over the past year, this journal has grown through the contributions of our dedicated educators, researchers, and practitioners. Each issue has highlightedinnovativepractices,thoughtfuldiscussions,andtheongoing commitmenttoadvancinghealthandphysicaleducationinourstate.
As we move into our next year of publication, we remain committed to elevatingtheworkofourmembers,showcasingmeaningfulscholarship, andfosteringcollaborationwithintheSHAPEPAcommunity.
Thank you for being an essential part of this journey. We look forward to continuingthisworktogether.
Warmly,
Drs.JenniferThorp&JenniferButz Editors,SHAPEPAJournal
2025 SHAPE PA State Conference
Join us for our annual State Conference 2025 SHAPE PA State Conference, held November 13–14, 2025, at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, PA .
This annual event is the largest gathering of health and physical education professionals in the state. We have TWO full days with over 70 sessions planned! Scan the QR Code to register or visit our website for all conference-related information.
Scan here to Register
LETTER PRESIDENT’S
As I reflect on my time serving as the 2025 SHAPE PA President, I’m filled with gratitude and pride for what we’ve accomplished together. It has been an honor to lead this organization and to witness the passion and dedication of health and physical educators across Pennsylvania.
As my presidential year comes to a close, our focus turns to one final, exciting milestone the 2025 SHAPE PA State Conference. Our planning team has devoted countless hours to creating a professional development experience that truly embodies our theme of Shaping a Brighter Future.
Building on the incredible momentum from last year’s event, we’re thrilled to host this year’s conference at a brand-new venue, the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, reserved exclusively for SHAPE PA. The energy, the connections, and the learning opportunities will be second to none. We’ve secured amazing headline presenters from across the state and country and assembled more than 60 high-quality sessions over two days, ensuring every attendee finds something meaningful to elevate their game and inspire their students.
“SHAPE PA’s greatest strength lies in its people — passionate educators who care deeply about the future of health and physical education.”
LETTER PRESIDENT’S
Fom the very beginning, my goal for this conference was simple: to create a memorable experience for everyone. A huge thank-you to our incredible conference planning team Deborah Lawlor, Kristin Hunt, Nicole McCoy, Brianna Kennedy, Alenna Condran, Dawn Bugajski Brahler, Linda Miller, and Andrew Silverman for going above and beyond, pouring their time and effort into every detail to make this one of the best conferences you’ve ever attended.
We’ve also added exciting new programming this year, including our first annual College Bowl for Future Professionals, an All-Conference Social on Thursday evening, and our first-ever SHAPE PA Pep Rally on Friday morning, which celebrates the incredible individuals who make our organization and conference thrive, along with our 2025 SHAPE PA Award Winners. Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees! Your dedication, leadership, and impact represent what it means to Shape a Brighter Future for our students, schools, and communities.
As I wrap up my term, I’m reminded that SHAPE PA’s greatest strength lies in its people passionate educators who care deeply about the future of health and physical education. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve and lead alongside you. I’m excited for what lies ahead in 2026 as Linda Miller steps into the role of SHAPE PA President. Our future is BRIGHT and it’s because of each and every one of YOU!
With appreciation and excitement, Chance Condran 2025 SHAPE PA President
Thank you to our 2025 Conference Planning Team:
Nicole McCoy
Brianna Kennedy
Deb Lawlor
Kristin Hunt
Alenna Condran
Dawn Brahler
Chance Condran
Andrew Silverman
LOOKING AHEAD
Strengthening SHAPE PA’s Future Through Community and Creation
As we prepare to gather at our upcoming conference, I am reminded that SHAPE PA’s greatest strength lies in its people our members, leaders, students, and partners all working together to promote health and physical education across the Commonwealth.
Our vision for SHAPE PA’s future is one rooted in connection, collaboration, and growth. Over the coming year, we will continue to build opportunities for professional learning, elevate advocacy efforts, and strengthen the network that supports our educators and future professionals.
Community involvement is at the heart of this vision. Whether you serve on a committee, present at conference, volunteer at an event, or simply share ideas with colleagues you are helping to shape the path forward.
Together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant SHAPE PA — one that continues to inspire wellness, leadership, and excellence in every corner of Pennsylvania.
I look forward to seeing many of you in November and celebrating the incredible work you do each day.
Warm regards,
Dawn Bugajaski Brahler, Executive Director, SHAPE PA
Thursday Evening Celebration at #SHAPEPA2025!
Get ready for an inspiring and unforgettable night of recognition, connection, and fun at the 2025 SHAPE PA Conference on Thursday, November 13th!
The evening kicks off at 5:00 PM and flows through three can’t-miss events the Linda Woods Huber Appreciation Awards, the SHAPE PA Awards Celebration, and our All-Conference Dinner & Social.
Whether you’re honoring a colleague, celebrating excellence, or dancing the night away, this evening is designed to bring our SHAPE PA community together! For more information about the SHAPE PA Awards can be found at:
https://www.shape-pa.org/awards
AI IN HEALTH & PE: PARTNERING WITH TECHNOLOGY TO STRENGTHEN CURRICULUM AND COMMUNITY
Chad Murren
When I first heard people talking about using artificial intelligence (AI) in education, I thought, “That’s not really for me. I teach kids to move, to connect, to feel.” But the more I explored, the more I realized AI wasn’t here to replace the heart of teaching — it could actually free us to lead with more heart.
In Health and Physical Education (HPE), our work is built on relationships. We teach empathy, teamwork, responsibility, and confidence all things AI can’t replicate. But it can help us with the behind-the-scenes work that makes great teaching possible.
At Eastern York School District, our HPE team started using AI to help us write, plan, and communicate more clearly. Our vision, IgKnighting Purposeful Movement and Wellness, reminds us that every experience should be intentional, inclusive, and meaningful. That’s exactly how we’ve approached AI not as a shiny new toy, but as a thoughtful partner in the process.
Designing with Purpose
Building a K–12 Health and PE curriculum is a massive puzzle full of standards, vocabulary, and assessments that all have to fit together. AI has helped us do the sorting and organizing, so we can focus on the creative part.
When we needed to crosswalk SHAPE America’s 2024 Standards with Pennsylvania’s 2002 Framework, AI saved us hours of manual comparison. But here’s the key: it didn’t do the teaching. It just helped us see connections faster so we could make smarter decisions.
I still decide what belongs. AI just keeps me from drowning in documents.
Tip for beginners: Try something small. Have AI summarize a dense standards document or generate a rough lesson idea. It’s not about perfection it’s about getting unstuck.
Communicating with Clarity
If you’ve ever sent a parent letter about puberty, you know how important clarity and tone can be. When our team built the “Making Sense of Puberty” program, we used AI to help draft parent communication and FAQs.
But we didn’t just hit “send.” We reviewed, edited, and made sure the language reflected our community’s values. The tool got us started we made it ours.
Tip for the cautious: Use AI to check your tone or simplify your message. Ask, “Does this sound respectful and clear?” You’re still in charge of what goes out the door.
Collaborating for Consistency
Our K–12 HPE team is constantly building and revising maps in Atlas. That can mean hours of repetitive formatting and rewording. AI now handles some of that busywork, letting us focus on real collaboration asking better questions, refining assessments, and aligning outcomes.
I’ll admit at first, it felt weird. But after a few tries, it became a huge time-saver. And the best part? We started spending more time talking about teaching and less time copying and pasting.
Tip for the hesitant: Try AI during team work sessions. One person can type, another can react. It becomes a conversation, not a solo tech experiment.
Leading with Humanity
The biggest misconception about AI is that it makes teaching less human. I’ve found the opposite. It helps us create more space for the human parts.
Our students are growing up in a world where technology will be everywhere. If we can show them how to use it with balance and purpose, we’re doing them a huge service.
You don’t need to be tech-savvy. You just need to be curious. I still make plenty of mistakes with AI but every time, I learn something new.
“AI doesn’t create relationships, inspire confidence, or celebrate effort — we do that. What it can do is take a few things off our plate, so we have more time and energy to pour into kids.”
Small, Simple Ways to Start
Start small. Play a little. Delete what doesn’t fit. Keep what helps. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some easy, low-stakes ways to explore AI tools:
- Lesson Ideas: Ask AI for three warm-up ideas that fit your unit theme. Edit them freely.
- Parent Communication: Paste your letter and ask, “Can you make this friendlier and easier to read?”
- Reflection: After a lesson, ask it to help summarize what went well and what to tweak.
- Team Work: Use it to organize meeting notes or turn standards into quick checklists.
Partnering with Purpose
At Eastern York, we’re not using AI because it’s trendy — we’re using it because it helps us stay focused on what matters most: students.
AI doesn’t create relationships, inspire confidence, or celebrate effort we do that. What it can do is take a few things off our plate, so we have more time and energy to pour into kids.
We don’t have to be experts. We just have to be open. Because in the end, it’s not about the tool at all it’s about teachers using every tool they can to make a difference.
About the Author
Chad Murren is the Health and Physical Education Coordinator for Eastern York School District in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. An OPEN PE Certified Teacher and SHAPE PA presenter, he is passionate about purposeful curriculum design, professional collaboration, and empowering students to live active, healthy lives.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
BEV MARTIN - Advocacy Chair
Health Education and Physical Education Position Statements
The Advocacy Committee drafted position statements regarding quality health education and physical education for both the elementary and secondary levels. The statements were reviewed by the SHAPE PA Directors who adopted them on September 9, 2025. The position statements will be available at the SHAPE PA Conference November 13 & 14.
Safe2Say Something Annual Report-Pennsylvania
Compared to the 2023-2024 Safe2Say Something Annual Report the 2024-2025 Annual report shows a slight decrease in reported bullying/cyberbullying, smoking (tobacco, ecig, vaping) in school and However, there was a very significant increase by 82% in reports of threats to schools. Other increases include suicide/suicide ideation, threat against person, and general student concerns. It is important for our students’ wellness to provide greater attention to these areas in our instruction in health education and physical education. Click the QR code to view the Safe2Say Annual Report.
Future Professional Advocacy Committee Members
The advocacy committee is fortunate to have several future professionals as members the past two years. There have been four future professionals so far participating. Their input and perspective is much appreciated during advocacy meetings. It speaks well to their professionalism that the first two students, Kalynne Ziegler and Andy Henry, have continued to attend the meetings beyond their future professional term. New members include Keira Baskot and Abby Kitchen.
ADVOCACY UPDATE (CONTINUED)
SB 589
Senate Bill 589 has not been on the Senate calendar for many months. However, the bill will not expire until November / December of 2026. If you haven’t signed the online petition opposing the bill that would permit interscholastic sports to count as physical education requirements, please click the qr code to sign the petition. Additional signatures would be appreciated.
Get Involved with SHAPE PA
SHAPE PA has many ways to stay involved. Whether you are interested in serving at the local county level, joining a committee, applying for the Board of Directors, or serving as the president, we have a place for you!
Click Here to Get Involved and Apply Today!
Fundraising Incentives
SHAPE PA and SHAPE America are excited to launch our fundraising campaign and invite you to participate! This is a fantastic opportunity to support our State Association while earning some amazing rewards. Here’s how you can get involved - by raising funds and earning incentives from SHAPE PA at various levels:
Tier 1: $1,000 Raised
Incentive: Free SHAPE PA T-Shirt and raffle for $50 Gift card
Tier 2: $5,000+ Raised
Incentive: Free SHAPE PA T-Shirt and raffle for $75 Gift card
Tier 3: $10,000+ Raised
Incentive: Free SHAPE PA Membership and raffle for $100 Gift card
Tier 4: $20,000+ Raised
Incentive: Free SHAPE PA membership and free 2-day conference registration (value $200)
Your participation will make a significant impact, and we greatly appreciate your support. Let’s work together to achieve our fundraising goals and enjoy these fantastic rewards! Click here for more information.
MESSAGE PRESIDENT- ELECT
When You Teach, You Lead!
Every time you step into your classroom whether it is in the gymnasium or your health classroom—you are leading. Leadership is not about control; it is about inspiring growth, building trust, and guiding others with compassion. True leaders influence through example, curiosity, and creativity. When you teach, you lead.
In the SHAPE PA Spring Journal, I shared “Behind the Scenes” The article explains how leadership can thrive quietly, built on consistency and care. Whether you teach, coach, or advocate for health and physical education, SHAPE PA welcomes your voice.
As Susan Cain reminds us in Quiet, “The most effective leaders are not motivated by a desire to control events or to be in the spotlight. They are motivated to advance ideas and improve the situation of a group of people.” She also writes, “Everyone shines given the right lighting.”
Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, in The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength, highlights the power of calm, reflective leadership—qualities often unseen but deeply effective. Likewise, Daniel Pink notes that quiet leaders empower others, act with purpose, and let their teams’ successes speak for themselves.
Take a healthy risk, talk with a current committee member or board leader, bring your authentic self, share your ideas, and join a community of passionate professionals. You will find your influence grows naturally because when you teach, you truly lead.
Lifelong Learning Linda Miller SHAPE PA President-Elect
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