New Year, New Newsletter Name - Same Support for Our Community! | | |
Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, we continue to celebrate the power of community and collaboration that takes place in our districts and schools, among our students, families, and fellow educators, to support physical and health education. With the new year, we are launching a new name for our newsletter! To reflect the two editions (School Wellness Weekly and School Wellness Weekly Professional Learning Edition) and publication schedule, School Wellness Weekly is now School Wellness Connection.
The content readers know and expect will stay the same. Each month in this newsletter, the Office of School Wellness Programs shares school wellness-related classroom resources, educator and program spotlights, partner and grant opportunities, and information for caregivers and families.
For questions or to let us know what you would like to see in this newsletter, email us at wellness@schools.nyc.gov. We welcome your ideas!
Note: All hyperlinks open in a new tab.
(Photo by Kirsten Luce. Design by Office of School Wellness Programs)
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High School Professional Development Day: Save the Date!
High School Professional Development Day is Monday, January 26! The Office of School Wellness Programs will offer online professional learning for PE and health education teachers in schools serving grades 6-12 and 9-12. Registration will launch in the School Wellness Connection Professional Learning Edition newsletter in the coming weeks, and in our Professional Learning Catalog!
Educators will have the option to register for one, two, or three 90-minute CTLE-eligible live webinars throughout the day.
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Teachers: Start the New Year by Joining Our Professional Learning Communities!
Physical education and health education teachers can play a powerful role in building community—keeping students engaged, motivated, safe, and present in school every day. They teach the concepts and skills students need to be healthy, active learners, now and for life.
For this reason, it is important to create a space where health and physical education teachers come together each month to reflect on their practice, tackle challenges, celebrate successes, and learn new strategies that they can bring straight into their classrooms. Online Professional Learning Communities (OPLCs), developed and facilitated by the Office of School Wellness Programs, make this possible. These virtual sessions, held monthly on Monday afternoons, provide dedicated time for PE and health educators to collaborate across boroughs, schools, and grade levels to support equitable, skills-based learning for every student.
Each OPLC session is focused on a timely topic selected based on teacher feedback. Using the recently updated health education and physical education Scope and Sequences available on WeTeachNYC as a guide, the monthly OPLCs build community through discussion centered on teachers' experiences and timely classroom needs.
Read more about OPLCs and register for upcoming sessions in the Health Education and Physical Education sections below. Visit our Professional Learning Catalog to see all professional learning opportunities offered throughout the year.
(Image: Courtesy TPT blog.)
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NYC Gender and Sexuality Alliance Summit: Register by January 12
The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Summit, hosted by NYC Public Schools and PFLAG NYC, will take place on Monday, January 26, at LaGuardia High School in Manhattan from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The annual NYC GSA Summit is a day for NYC public school students in grades 6-12 and faculty advisors of GSA clubs to celebrate, find community, and learn from one another. Students from all middle and high schools are welcome! This year’s theme is "No Community Without Unity."
There are two ways to register:
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NYCPS staff and chaperones of student groups: School staff chaperones registering a group of students (middle or high school) OR school staff members registering themselves, complete the Student Group and Faculty Registration Form. Students in grades 6-8 must attend with a NYCPS staff chaperone.
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NYCPS high school students: Individual NYCPS students in grades 9-12 planning to attend the Summit without a school faculty member, complete the High School Student Registration Form.
Visit the GSA Summit page for additional information on the schedule, requesting bus services, requesting a table at the exhibit fair, and more! For questions, email gsasummit@schools.nyc.gov.
(Image: Courtesy PFLAG NYC.)
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Anthony Carrano and District 20: Making Move-to-Improve Part of All Elementary Classrooms
The Move-to-Improve All-Star deadline is coming up quickly, on January 31, and Brooklyn’s District 20 is working to make Move-to-Improve part of all elementary classrooms. For this month's Champion Spotlight, we caught up with Anthony Carrano, Physical Education Instructional Lead in NYCPS District 20 in Brooklyn, to learn about his collaborative work with the district to support high-quality physical education (PE) and make movement part of every student’s school day. District 20 is one of nine NYCPS districts with a former Office of School Wellness Programs staff member who is a designated PE and/or health education Instructional Lead, providing expertise and support directly to schools for these NYSED-required academic subject areas.
What do you love most about being a PE Instructional Lead in District 20?
I’m passionate about physical education and inspiring lifelong movement for health and well-being. There’s nothing more fulfilling than doing what I love while serving the community right outside my front door in an area where there is great need.
I’m also grateful to be rooted in the same community I serve. My family and friends send their children to our schools, and I know all the principals and many of the teachers personally. It’s a district large enough for the work to matter, yet small enough to build the deep, authentic relationships that make real change possible.
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Visit our Champion Spotlight page to read the full interview with Anthony, as well as past Champion Spotlights highlighting NYCPS educators who work to help ensure that all students have access to high-quality health education and physical education and programs that contribute to their health and well-being.
(Photo: Courtesy Anthony Carrano.)
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Schools With Grades K-5/6: Move to Improve All-Star Deadline is January 31
As a reminder to all NYC public elementary schools: To be able to count Move-to-Improve (MTI) minutes and frequency toward PE requirements in STARS Classroom for the 2025-2026 school year, your school must attain or maintain MTI All-Star school status by January 31, 2026. Move-to-Improve All-Star schools have a comprehensive PE program led by a certified or designated PE teacher and at least 85% of eligible teachers trained in Move-to-Improve by January 31.
Educators and school leaders, for additional guidance, access the Move-to-Improve page of the NYCPS InfoHub (NYCPS login required). For questions, contact your Office of School Wellness Programs borough team.
Physical Education Online Professional Learning Communities
This school year, PE OPLCs have focused on planning PE instruction that is meaningful, joyful, and safe, while also ensuring activities are culturally relevant and meet the needs of all learners.
In December, for example, teachers worked together to build a shared understanding of appropriate practices for inclusive PE. They explored strategies and tools teachers can use to support all learners, including Multilingual Learners (MLLs), students with disabilities, and those with sensory needs. The focus on inclusivity will continue this school year, helping educators create truly inclusive and engaging PE experiences for every student. If you have students with an Adapted PE mandate on their IEP and who need additional support and strategies beyond inclusive PE, reach out to your Office of School Wellness Programs borough team and ask about Adapted PE Teacher Connections that occur monthly.
Read what participants are saying about PE OPLCs:
- “I honestly implemented better games this year that helped my students connect with each other and get to know one another. I would love more games that get the kids together like that!”
- “I implemented a Peer Assessment during one of my volleyball lessons to ensure students were completing the goal of the day, which worked very well.”
- “I was able to fine-tune assessments to engage students in the process more efficiently and better focus on the task at hand.”
Check out the upcoming PE OPLC topics and register:
| | Move-to-Improve Monthly Moves | | (Video: Move-to-Improve "Pace Yourself." Office of School Wellness Programs.) | MTI Monthly Moves: January | | MTI Activity
Pace Yourself
Are your students already performing a daily turn and talk? Add some physical activity to those academic conversations!
| | | Cool Down
Take Five
Have students pretend to capture their breath in their hand while taking a big breath in. Then, slowly exhale and have them count to five on their fingers.
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Movement
Opposite Elbow to Knee
Use this move to increase students‘ heart rates and aerobic endurance. Opposite Elbow to Knee crosses the body’s midline, engaging both sides of the brain for increased attention and concentration!
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Health Education Online Professional Learning Communities
In addition to providing a place for educators to listen and learn, health education Online Professional Learning Communities are a platform for educators to lead and share in grade-band breakout rooms. In consultation with Office of School Wellness Programs health education facilitators, health educators interested in gaining leadership experience participate in OPLCs as “teacher-leaders,” modeling strong practices, sharing lesson plans, and leading discussions with their peers on successes and challenges related to classroom application.
Through OPLCs, teachers also bring student learning and experiences to the forefront. In Fall 2025, two high school students made a guest appearance at an OPLC to share their experiences creating a youth-led School Food Gratitude Campaign, giving educators fresh ideas on student advocacy and inspiration to bring back to their own classrooms.
Read what participants are saying about health education OPLCs:
- “I love the Health Ed OPLCs! I get to meet with teachers that teach the same subject as me. I love that I can bounce ideas off them and add new and relevant ideas each year.”
- “I enjoy being able to share successful and not so successful lessons with others and getting feedback.”
- “I love coming to the online meetings, they were very informative. I also like that I am able to contact and speak with any of the [Office of School Wellness Programs] staff and they are more than willing to help...It feels as though I built a community.”
Check out the upcoming Health Education OPLC topics and register:
| | External Partner Opportunities | | |
Grades 6-8 PE and Science Teachers: Apply for New York Knicks Science of Basketball Training on January 27
The Science of Basketball curriculum uses basketball to engage students through hands-on, project-based, and social emotional learning to improve student interest and performance in STEM. Selected teachers are asked to implement the Science of Basketball curriculum with students in the classroom, culminating with a field trip in May. Visit Science of Basketball to learn more about the program.
The Office of School Wellness Programs, through our partnership with the New York Knicks, is offering an engaging opportunity for middle school PE and science teachers to attend the Science of Basketball training at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. To apply, complete this Science of Sport application. Note: Application does not guarantee participation.
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High Schools: Register for Student Climate Action Planning Event on January 22
High school teachers and staff, you and a group of your students are invited to an in-person Climate Action Planning event on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Gotham Tech High School in Queens, co-led by the Office of Energy & Sustainability’s Youth Leadership Council. Students will meet with local organizations; participate in a clothing, book, and school supply swap; and learn about environmental justice in New York City. At the end of the event, they will make a climate action plan for their school or community. Access this 2026 High School Registration Google form for details and to register. For more information, email sustainability@schools.nyc.gov.
Outdoor Learning: Apply to the Open Streets Program for Spring/Summer 2026 and Next School Year
New York City's Open Streets program makes it possible to transform streets into public spaces open to all, including schools, to support outdoor learning. Open Streets are especially useful for schools with limited space for physical education and/or who need more outdoor physical activity and wellness space (in accordance with Empowering Strong and Healthy Students: School Wellness Policy recommendations).
To apply for the program, complete the 2026 Open Streets Application according to the following deadlines:
- Schools applying for an Open Street beginning in Spring or Summer 2026, apply by January 31, 2026.
- Schools applying for an Open Street for the 2026-2027 school year, apply by March 31, 2026.
Note that schools must reapply yearly, even if your school has participated in the program in past years. For support completing an application, email openstreets@dot.nyc.gov; for school-specific questions and additional internal support, email outdoorlearning@schools.nyc.gov.
(Photo: Open street activities at P.S. 18, Bronx. Courtesy Open Streets.)
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