PE perfection

MAT-SU — The Mat-Su Borough School District gets to brag about another one of its teachers being honored with a teacher-of-the-year award.

Picked by a group of her peers, Christa Hayes, a physical education teacher at Fronteras Charter School, is the Alaska Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Elementary PE Teacher of the Year.

Hayes was honored at the group’s annual conference in October.

During her career teaching in the Mat-Su Valley, Hayes has instructed pupils at Snowshoe, Iditarod and Larson elementary schools.

And she’s not new to the award scene.

Hayes was selected last year as a BP Teacher of Excellence for her physical education programs at Larson Elementary School.

In an interview Thursday, Hayes was humble but excited about her award.“It’s a very incredible honor,” she said. “Just being recognized by my peers and colleagues.”

Hayes, a native of Minnesota, has been a teacher in Alaska for 10 years.

She said her passion for physical education was born from her own experiences as a student.

“In elementary school it was old time,” Hayes said. “You lined up one at a time, did everything one at a time, everyone watched you. Just from that I didn’t enjoy PE.”

So she set out to change the way students learn about health and physical education, while having fun at the same time.

Couple that with her desire to teach health and wellness to the next generation, Hayes has made an impact wherever she teachers, colleagues say.

Just a few of the activities she jazzes up her students to participate in are Jump Rope for Heart, Field Day, Turn Off TV Week and National Physical Education and Sport Week.

Principal Karl Schleich, the principal at Shaw Elementary School, recruited Hayes to Larson Elementary when he was the principal there.

“She’s very deserving,” Schleich said Wednesday. “I see her as kind of a leader in a best practice sort of way when it comes to phys-ed and healthy living.”

Schleich added Hayes’ enthusiasm for the job seems to be contagious, and rubs off on her students every day.

“She’s a good role model herself,” he said. “She’s a healthy person and she’s very active.”

Hayes said she combines a mix of academics and phys-ed to not only teach students physiological lessons but keep them fit and healthy.

Her students could benefit even more during the school day from their teacher’s award. Hayes said her Teacher of the Year title will serve to motivate her more.

“This gives me more energy to pursue my passion for teaching.”

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.