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Peebles Elementary
Health and PE teacher
Christopher Jackson named
2018 Elementary Physical
Education Teacher of the Year.
BY NICOLE TAFE
P
eebles Elementary Health and
Physical Education teacher
Christopher Jackson was
named the Elementary Physical
Education Teacher of the Year at the 97th
annual Pennsylvania State Association for
Health, Physical Education Recreation
and Dance, Inc. (PSAHPERD)
convention held in Seven Springs in
November.
Jackson, 45, lives in McCandless
with his wife Lisa and two children—
Benjamin and Jonathan. He earned
his BSc (Hons) in Movement Science
from Liverpool University in the United
Kingdom, and a Master of Science
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in Exercise Sciences at West Chester
University, where he also earned his
teaching certification in 2001.
Jackson has been a teacher for 17
years for grades K through 6, with 2½
additional years teaching at West Chester
University as an adjunct professor. “I
teach grades K through 5 at Peebles
Elementary School and love working at
NA because I work with so many like-
minded H & PE professionals,” he says.
“I chose to become a teacher because
I didn’t want to fix disease, I wanted to
be a part of the prevention of disease,”
he continues. “It’s important to me to
help our staff, community and students
icmags.com
understand why it’s so important to be fit
for life. I believe healthy, active students
make better learners.”
At NA, Jackson is a part of the Tiger
Strong Live Long committee that works
toward a common goal of helping staff
learn about healthy choices. He also leads
the Peebles Elementary wellness team—a
group that’s written grants to get a tower
garden and alternative standing desks,
along with organizing a nutrition carnival
and weekly morning walking club for the
school.
Over the past four years, more than
400 Peebles students have participated
in an after-school Pittsburgh Marathon