Mind-Body Connection: National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and Mental Health Awareness Month | | |
May is a time to highlight the powerful connection between physical activity and mental health. High-quality physical education (PE) helps students build physical skills, confidence, and positive peer relationships. In health education, students learn skills to support their mental health, like how to identify and manage challenging emotions and stress, and seek needed support.
PE and health teachers can be trusted adults who help students feel safe, seen, and welcome in school, and can lead before- and after-school physical activity programs like CHAMPS that can improve student engagement and attendance.
- Did you know that in New York State, mental health lessons are a required component of health education in grades K-12? Learn more about how New York City Public Schools and the Office of School Wellness Programs support health education, physical education, and physical activity by reviewing Empowering Strong and Healthy Students: The NYCPS School Wellness Policy.
- Read below how assistant principals in Brooklyn South High School districts meet regularly at an in-person professional learning community to strengthen the physical education, health education, and wellness programs their students experience across their district schools.
School staff: For questions and support, contact your Office of School Wellness Programs borough team.
(Photo: Krisanne Johnson. Design by Office of School Wellness Programs.)
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Save the Date! Chancellor’s Day Professional Learning, June 4
Chancellor’s Conference Day is just around the corner! Stay tuned for details and registration information for a full day of live webinar sessions on physical education, health education, physical activity, and other school wellness-related topics on Thursday, June 4. Registration will launch in School Wellness Connection and the OSWP Professional Learning Catalog in May.
Educators will have the option to register for one, two, or three 90-minute, CTLE-eligible live webinars at the following times:
- Session 1: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
- Session 2: 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
- Session 3: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Check out our self-guided CTLE-eligible courses that can be taken anytime! Visit the Office of School Wellness Programs Support Center for additional information and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Building Administrator Community for Stronger PE, Health, and Wellness Programs
This school year the Office of School Wellness Programs (OSWP) partnered with the district leadership of Brooklyn South High Schools to relaunch an Administrator Professional Learning Community (APLC) focused on physical education (PE) and health education. This work is part of OSWP’s close collaboration with New York City Public Schools districts across the city to strengthen the delivery of high-quality PE and health education and expand access to school wellness programs across district schools. Professional Learning Communities for administrators are one way to do that, and interest in APLCs is rising across the city.
The APLC, originally launched in 2018 but paused during the Covid pandemic, brings together assistant principals who supervise PE and health education to strengthen their leadership practice, share best practices, and problem-solve around common priorities. Held bimonthly with facilitation support from OSWP, the APLC is a collaborative space for administrators to align on what high-quality PE and health education instruction looks like and how to effectively support their teachers.
Participants focus on key areas such as implementing strong PE and health education programs; aligning on instructional practices; and fostering safe, inclusive, and engaging environments for students. The APLC also builds administrators’ capacity to lead and sustain wellness initiatives, ensuring that this work is not only implemented now but also maintained over time.
Read what participants are saying about the Administrator Professional Learning Community:
- “Being able to sit down with people who actually get it...is huge. I love that we can throw a problem on the table, and someone else will say, ‘Hey, I tried this at my school, and it actually worked.’ It’s less about theory and more about helping each other survive and thrive in the gym....When we’re all on the same page, the program gets stronger for the kids.”
— Natalie De Sanctis, Assistant Principal, Edward R. Murrow High School (21K525)
- “I think (one of) the greatest impacts [of APLCs) will be the ability to norm best practices, build support, and network with our peers. Being a relatively small community has many challenges, but it also offers a great opportunity to create a more intimate and unified group.
— Anthony Odita, Assistant Principal, Midwood High School (22K405)
(Brooklyn South High Schools assistant principals at an Administrator Professional Learning Community session. Photo: Felicita Saldaña. Office of School Wellness Programs.)
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K-12 School Staff: Create Safe and Supportive Environments for LGTBQ+ Students
Research shows that LGBTQ+ students who can identify 11 or more affirming adults at school report feeling safer, attending school more regularly, achieving stronger academic outcomes, and experiencing a deeper sense of connection within their school community.
School staff: What can you do?
- Register for the upcoming webinar Build an Affirming Community with OUT for Safe Schools to learn about the OUT for Safe Schools® campaign, a national initiative that supports school-based staff to visibly identify as trusted adults to LGBTQ+ students.
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Grades K-12: Monday, May 4, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. (CTLE: 90 minutes)
(Image: OUT for Safe Schools® badge. Office of School Wellness Programs )
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March Madness in District 1: Elementary Basketball League Wraps Up the Season
CHAMPS student-athletes from elementary schools in Lower Manhattan wrapped up the inaugural District 1 Elementary Basketball League on March 13 at Basketball City in Manhattan. This first-ever league brought together students from P.S. 63 (STAR Academy), The Neighborhood School (TNS), P.S. 134, P.S. 15, and P.S. 20 for a friendly, action-filled competition.
The final game featured P.S. 63 (STAR Academy) and The Neighborhood School campus team versus P.S. 134, with P.S. 63/TNS winning the championship. Families, classmates, and educators came together to celebrate the students, and Superintendent Carry Chan offered encouraging remarks to players and families, making the event a memorable close to a successful first season.
(Photos: Office of School Wellness Programs.)
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Celebrating PE and Supporting Attendance: Community Building in PE
In addition to being National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, May starts with National PE & Sport Week (May 1-7). PE teachers, start the month by registering for one of our Community Building in PE series webinars. These webinars give teachers strategies for building trust, fostering inclusivity, enhancing peer relationships, and creating a positive and engaging classroom atmosphere, all of which support good student attendance.
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Tag us @nycpswellness and show us how your school community is celebrating National PE & Sport Week!
(Image: Courtesy SHAPE America.)
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PE Teachers: Register for the Last In-Person Soccer for Success Trainings for 2025-26
For several years the Office of School Wellness Programs has partnered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to train teachers to bring soccer to thousands of NYC students. Our ongoing partnership expanded this spring, just in time to harness excitement for the World Cup this summer!
Don’t miss this year’s last free, in-person trainings on the U.S. Soccer Foundation K-12 Soccer for Success School Curriculum. The curriculum is a standards-aligned resource that blends technical soccer skills with character-building activities. The Foundation also donated 5,000 soccer balls, so every educator who participates in the training leaves with a class set of soccer balls.
Educators will receive hands-on training from national experts and practice skills development and drills they can use with students immediately. Register now - limited spots remain!
(Soccer for Success training, March 26, 2026. Photo: Kristen O’Brien. Office of School Wellness Programs.)
Reminder: NYC FITNESSGRAM Deadline is May 15
NYC FITNESSGRAM is an annual health-related fitness assessment for students in grades K-12 that helps students and their families develop personal goals for lifelong fitness. Students complete the assessments in physical education class. The 2025-2026 deadline to enter student scores in the NYC FITNESSGRAM web-based application is Friday, May 15.
Visit the NYC FITNESSGRAM Pacing Guides for planning guidance and get answers to Frequently Asked Questions in the NYC FITNESSGRAM section of the Office of School Wellness Programs Support Center.
Physical Education Online Professional Learning Community
K–12 physical education teachers, join the Office of School Wellness Programs Physical Education team for the next Online Professional Learning Community (OPLC) session to connect, collaborate, and strengthen skills-based instruction across grade bands.
| | Move-to-Improve Monthly Moves | |
(Video: Move-to-Improve "Common Thread." Office of School Wellness Programs.)
Move-to-Improve (MTI), NYCPS’s classroom-based physical activity program for grades K–5 (and grade 6 in K-6, K-8 and K-12 schools), helps schools build a culture of movement all year long. Elementary educators:
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MTI Activity
Common Thread
Using Venn diagrams to have students compare and contrast? Review Venn diagrams with movement with Common Thread.
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Watch this Common Thread video to see a grade 4 class review Venn diagrams during a STEM lesson about NYC bridges.
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Cool Down
Balloon Breath
Have students mimic blowing up an imaginary balloon in this student-favorite cool down!
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Movement
Reverse Fly
Use this move to help students build muscular strength and endurance. The Reverse Fly can be done while standing or sitting, and students can modify their pace and intensity to their comfort level.
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Congratulations, 2025-2026 Move-to-Improve All-Star Schools!
The Office of School Wellness Programs congratulates the 95% of eligible schools that achieved Move-to-Improve All-Star status for the 2025-2026 school year! Physical activity and physical education help develop strong, healthy minds and bodies, and these schools are leading the charge for grades K-5/6. Thank you for your commitment to fostering active student learning and supporting a comprehensive physical education program. A special shout-out to the 363 schools citywide that trained 100% of their staff, going above and beyond the required 85% to achieve All-Star status.
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(Video: “Health Education: Addressing Youth Mental Health.” Office of School Wellness Programs.)
How Can Schools Promote Student Mental Health? Teach Health Education!
Schools can play a key role in promoting student mental health—and one of the most important tools we have to do so is health education. In New York State, schools are required to include mental health lessons as part of health education in grades K-12 (school staff: access the NYCPS Academic Policy Guides; parents/caregivers: access Health Education Requirements).
Check out the video Health Education: Addressing Youth Mental Health, for a look inside three NYCPS classrooms where health education lessons help students learn skills to care for their mental health.
What can school leaders and health teachers do?
Continue to use the New York City Health Education Scope and Sequence and recommended curricula to plan standards-based lessons, including in the Social, Emotional, and Mental Health unit:
Share mental health resources with students and families:
- For New Yorkers of all ages, NYC 988 is a free, 24-hour mental health resource accessible via phone call, text, or online chat.
Grades 9-12 School Staff: Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Professional Learning
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Office of School Wellness Programs has partnered with Coordinated Behavioral Care to offer a two-part Youth Mental Health First Aid webinar for school staff in schools serving grades 9-12. Youth Mental Health First Aid equips school staff with the knowledge and skills to recognize early signs of mental health challenges, respond with confidence and care, and connect students to the appropriate support. Register for both parts to learn practical tools and strategies to support student mental health and earn the Youth Mental Health First Aid certificate.
Keep Students Safe with HIV Lessons and the Condom Availability Program
Reminder: Complete Annual Required HIV Lessons for Students by June 5: New York State law requires annual instruction on HIV and AIDS for every student in grades K–12. This year, schools must report the number of lessons administered by June 5. To provide students with State-required HIV instruction, NYCPS offers Growing Up and Staying Safe: New York City K-12 HIV Education Curriculum. This digital curriculum is skills-based, student-centered, and comes with student-facing materials in Spanish and Chinese.
School administrators and educators, learn about the curriculum:
- Refer to the Teacher and Administrator Guide for information on how to program HIV lessons.
Questions? Contact your Office of School Wellness Programs borough team.
Grades 9-12 Staff: Get Trained in the Condom Availability Program: In schools serving grades 9-12, Condom Availability Program (CAP)-trained staff are available a minimum of 10 periods per week to assist students in Health Resource Rooms, which are safe, welcoming spaces where students can access resources and have open, judgment-free conversations about their health. High schools are required to have at least two NYCPS staff members trained to implement CAP. School staff can register below for upcoming, CTLE-eligible trainings.
Note: Staff must register and attend all three webinars within the same series to become CAP-certified and eligible to support their school’s Health Resource Room.
May Series 1:
May Series 2:
High school educators and school staff, visit the CAP section of the Office of School Wellness Programs Support Center for guidance, check out the OSWP Professional Learning Catalog, and reach out to your Office of School Wellness Programs borough team for questions.
K-12 Health Ed Online Professional Learning Community
Join fellow health education teachers for Online Professional Learning Community (OPLC) sessions, which provide opportunities to network, collaborate, and learn with your colleagues. OPLC participants share instructional practices to support one another in teaching skills-based health education at their schools. The session will include breakout room discussions by grade band (elementary, middle and high school).
| | Additional Partner Opportunities | | |
School Staff: Free Vaping Prevention and Treatment Resources for Students from NYC Health Department
In 2023, vaping (using e-cigarettes) was more than three times as common among youth ages 13 to 17 than smoking. Most vapes contain high levels of nicotine, which is addictive, and some popular devices now have as much nicotine as 300 to 600+ cigarettes. Nicotine can make it harder for young people to learn and can affect their mental health. Vaping can also expose people to cancer-causing and other harmful chemicals and heavy metals.
The good news? Most teens in NYC who vape want to stop. For a limited time, school staff serving grades 6-12 can request a starter kit of materials from the NYC Health Department to address youth vaping: Complete this form by Friday, May 8. The first 50 requests will be fulfilled.
School staff, youth-serving organizations, and families: To access prevention and treatment resources and learn more, visit nyc.gov/vaping.
Food Education Professional Learning Hosted by the NYCPS Food & Nutrition Education Team
Explore a vibrant lineup of May professional learning workshops designed to energize your teaching and strengthen school communities. This month’s sessions offer strategies that highlight how food connects to literacy, science, social studies, wellness, and student engagement. Browse the full Food Education Professional Learning Catalog.
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Schools: Prepare for Climate Action Day on May 20: Water!
NYC Public Schools’ Climate Action Days give school communities the opportunity to showcase the importance of climate education and environmentally sustainable practices. The fourth and final climate action day is Wednesday, May 20, and focuses on water. Start planning how to get your class or school outside to celebrate with lesson and activity ideas for all grade bands, and promote the day schoolwide with the Office of Energy & Sustainability’s communications materials.
(Image: Courtesy NYCPS Office of Energy and Sustainability)
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NYCPS Educators: Free NYCPS Yoga and Mindfulness Sessions
The New York City Public Schools Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program (YMTP²) offers free virtual yoga and mindfulness sessions for NYCPS educators. Sessions are scheduled from early morning through the evening and are facilitated by YMTP² graduates. These hour-long Zoom sessions support educator wellness and help train the program’s newest cohort. All NYCPS educators are encouraged to participate. Visit the schedule and register for a session.
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Educators: Free Student Running and Physical Activity Program from New York Road Runners
Rising New York Road Runners is a free running-based program that helps schools get students moving in fun and inclusive ways. Designed for teachers and school staff, it offers simple activities that help students from pre-K to grade 12 build confidence and enjoy being active.
Sign up and access easy, age-appropriate lessons that work in recess, afterschool programs, or classroom movement breaks. Activities require little equipment, and schools can also take part in special events and receive incentives, including equipment. For more information, access Frequently Asked Questions or contact risingnyrr@nyrr.org.
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