• Media Release

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                  Contact: Meredith Pierce

    October 30, 2013                                                                                                                                   (314) 345-2367

     

    SLPS Names Physical Education Teachers of the Year
     
    PE TOYs
    From left: Darrin M. Grogan, Roy Monti

     

    ST. LOUIS, MO., October 30, 2013 – St. Louis Public Schools has presented the St. Louis Rams Elementary and Middle/High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Awards to two enthusiastic educators who encourage students to embrace the benefits of physical fitness and good nutrition.

     

    To earn the Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award, nominees must explain their teaching philosophy and approach to teaching; provide examples of classroom lesson plans; and be recommended by an administrator and a professional colleague. 

     

    Mr. Darrin M. Grogan, the physical education teacher at Adams Elementary, has been recognized as the St. Louis Public School District’s Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year for integrating academics into athletics and introducing his students to fun, new activities.


    “Mr. Grogan makes sure that there is an element of fun in his class without sacrifice to well planned, measurable instruction,” said Cameron A. Coleman, principal at Adams Elementary. “Mr. Grogan infuses vocabulary and mathematical thinking processes into his lessons. He seizes opportunities to blend team building exercises with character development and good social health. His gym is one where every student, no matter what difficulty they have, may look forward to feeling better about themselves, and joyously participate. He coaches conflict resolution, and stresses to children the importance of being healthy.”

     

    Mr. Grogan is a member of the Missouri Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. This past summer, he was part of a team that revised the St. Louis Public School District’s physical education curriculum.

     

    Mr. Roy Monti, athletic director at Nottingham Community Access and Job Training (CAJT) High School, has been recognized as the St. Louis Public School District’s Middle/High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year for his commitment to students and for consistently introducing new, valuable programs at Nottingham CAJT.

     

    “Coach Monti is at St. Louis Public School District’s only public separate school for students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. This, in and of itself, is a great challenge, one which Coach takes in stride every day. Not only does he engage our students daily in meaningful physical education activities, he has given our students extraordinary opportunities,” said Donna Mussulman, instructional coordinator at Nottingham CAJT.

     

    Coach Monti, who also serves as the head coach of the school’s Special Olympics basketball team, is the past recipient of a Promising Practices in Character Education Award and received a 2012-13 Pettus Award, which recognizes teaching excellence in the St. Louis Public School District. 

    The 2013 Physical Education Teachers of the Year were honored with an awards reception, a $1,000 award from the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, a trophy, a plaque, and a $500 award for related education materials through the Parsons Blewett Memorial Fund. 

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