Website launched and ambassadors announced as final touches are put on National Health and PE Day

Play equipment is getting dusted off, healthy lunches are being planned, and teachers and students from across Australia are gearing up to move the classroom outdoors for this year’s Health and Physical Education (HPE) Day on Wednesday, September 9, 2015.

National Executive Director from the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER), Ms Alison Turner, said the main aim of HPE Day is to highlight the importance of HPE to the learning and wellbeing of children.

“This year’s theme is Good for Schools, and we have developed and launched a dedicated website that is packed with information and great ideas designed to help schools, teachers and students come up with interesting and innovative ways to celebrate this important day,” Ms Turner said.

“We want to play a role in helping schools and teachers show children how safe and fun participation in Health and Physical Education can be, and demonstrate how it can improve overall learning and holistic development of students,” she said.

“Health and Physical Education in the Australian Curriculum helps children to become resilient, strong decision makers and proactive when it comes to their physical and mental health for the future.”

Accomplished long-distance runner, Steve Moneghetti, has been confirmed as an official 2015 HPE Day ambassador.

He has represented Australia at the 1986 Commonwealth Games where he won a bronze medal, as well as having competed in the marathon at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Atlanta, Barcelona and Seoul. In addition, he has won the Tokyo Marathon, the marathon at the Commonwealth Games and Sydney's iconic 14 km City 2 Surf four times in a row.

Mr Moneghetti is joined by global strategist and marathon runner, Holly Ransom. Ms Ransom was appointed chair of the G20 Youth Summit in 2014 by the Australian Prime Minister, and in 2012, she was the youngest person to be named in the list of Australia’s ‘100 Most Influential Women’ and became the world’s youngest ever Rotary President. In addition to preparing for her first Ironman event, she also mentors some of Australia's young sporting legends.

Rounding out this year’s ambassadors are Executive Director of the Australian Secondary Principals Association, Mr Rob Nairn and President of the Australian Primary Principals Association, Mr Dennis Yarrington.

Mr Nairn brings extensive experience from teaching Health and Physical Education at metropolitan and regional Senior High Schools in Western Australia for many years, while Mr Yarrington has been involved in education for over 30 years, working as a teacher, executive teacher, consultant and Principal.

“We have called on this formidable team of ambassadors to encourage schools to develop an active and healthy curriculum that will allow them to produce 21^st century learners,” Ms Turner said.

“The Active Healthy Kids Australia Report Card found that Australian school children ranked among the worst in the world for overall physical activity levels – with 80% of 5-17 year olds not participating in at least 60 minutes of exercise each day, so it is up to families, working with schools and the community, to tackle this major problem,” she said.

“Some of the activities being planned by schools this year include off-site excursions to do rock-climbing and aquatics, healthy cooking lessons, having everyone in the class wear a pedometer for the day for an activity challenge, and even a dance-a-thon.”

Parents also have an important role to play in getting their children more active, and this year will see the introduction of a ‘Parent Pledge’, which allows a parent or caregiver to commit to spending a minimum of 30 minutes with their children doing a physical activity or other healthy practice.

“Most children spend their waking hours sitting at school and at home and are often engaged with screen time, so we hope that parents also get involved and take their children to the park, walk or ride with them to school, play a game and do all they can to be positive role models,” Ms Turner said.

For further information about HPE Day go the hpeday.com.au, or to arrange a media interview, please contact:

Megan Mattin, ACHPER National Communications Coordinator, on 0402 243 220 or Adam Thomson, Leverage PR on 0430 420 120.

 ENDS

 About the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER)

The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER)is the leading professional association representing teachers and other professionals working in thefields of health and physical education in Australia. ACHPER’s purpose is to promote active and healthy living for all Australians, particularly young people, through education and quality professional practice. For further information visit www.achper.org.au.