Carrie Flint, Adapted Physical Education Specialist

CARRIE FLINT is an award-winning physical education teacher and national presenter from California.   She is known for her passion and advocacy for quality physical education and the importance of creating a safe and positive learning environment for all students.   

Carrie draws from her vast teaching experience, for she has taught in numerous schools and districts; all grade levels all populations for over 25 years.   She has taught 1000’s of students and given 100’s of trainings and presentations in local, statewide, and national settings sharing her Musical PE program and teaching expertise on class management, student engagement, and growth mindset.  Carrie also brings awareness to mental illness as she shares her experience as an adapted physical educator and her journey as a mother that fought a school district for support and services for her own son.   

Carrie has served on the committee for the California Physical Education Curriculum Framework and the committee to revise the California Adapted Physical Education Guidelines.  Carrie and her colleagues were awarded the California Exemplary Adapted Physical Education Program Award in 2007.  Carrie is the owner of Musical PE Plus and master trainer for Peaceful Playgrounds.

Carrie is the author of 6 books on Physical Education and has her own “Brain Break” CD “Get’em Up, Moving, and Learning”.

Sessions:

Cross Curricular Activities: Gross Motor Skills AND…

Session Description:

Research has shown that students learn best when they are fully engaged. This presentation is all about ACTIVE LEARNING and how you, the physical educator, can collaborate with classroom teachers and demonstrate that movement and academics can go hand in hand. A variety of cross-curricular ideas and activities will be presented. This session is packed with multi-sensory lessons that promote ACTIVE LEARNING opportunities. 

 Learning Objectives:

• Explain the difference between Active and Passive Learning.
• Discover many creative ways to incorporate academics and still teach a standards-based physical education lesson.
• Create collaborative lessons with classroom teachers incorporating a theme, topic, or special event.

MINDFULLY USING MUSIC IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Session Description:

Hear the Beat and Move Your Feet. The concept of using music in PE is not a new one; YES! It is motivating! However, mindfully selecting your music can greatly enhance student outcomes for fitness, movement, gross and fine motor skills as well as emotional/social experiences.

Participants will be given strategies to deliver content utilizing multiple modes of learning and intelligences of learning that incorporates music throughout.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the depth that music can have to enhance learning opportunities for all students.
• Apply the given strategies of selecting music that compliments the activity to increase motivation and engagement.
• Create lessons utilizing a lesson plan formula that highlights music as an integral component of the learning process as opposed to an afterthought.

Keynote:  Understanding Both Sides of an IEP Table

Attending an IEP meeting is often overwhelming for participants and, at the same time, “just a meeting” for others. This presentation focuses on the objectives of an IEP meeting, understanding your responsibilities as a team member, and recommendations on how to be a contributing participant. I also will be sharing my personal experience as an APE teacher and as a parent. 

Bryan Wickoren

Connor Rodrigo

Connor Rodrigo is an Adapted Physical Education Teacher in Greeley-Evans School District 6. Former Camp Abilities Sports Specialist. Master’s Degree in Adapted Physical Education from the University of Utah. Bachelor’s Degree in  Physical Education from Northern Arizona University.

Session Title: Teaching Empathy Through Blind Sports

In this session, we will introduce you to the Paralympic sports of goalball and 5-a-side soccer. Join me to get hands-on experience playing different variations of these sports while learning a variety of strategies for teaching classes of all sizes and abilities

Kelly Kennedy

Kelly Kennedy is the 2016 SHAPE Central District and 2015 SHAPE Colorado Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year. She is in her 31st year of teaching and works for the Greeley-Evans School District 6 in Colorado to provide quality physical education services for students with disabilities, grades K-12. She also provides community recreation opportunities for her students such as adapted aquatics and Special Olympics bowling, basketball, snowshoeing, and track and field. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with licensure in Adapted Physical Education from St. Cloud State University, a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Adapted Physical Education from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville and an Education Specialist degree in Administration from the University of Northern Colorado.

Session Title: I am Autistic…You are Just Weird

This session will provide strategies and tools to help Adapted Physical Education teachers meet the needs of students with autism in their physical education settings. Participants will be able to enhance their toolbox with instructional strategies, implement techniques for challenging behaviors, and increase communication using visual supports for active participation.

Kendall Chitambar

• RMTC Founder, Director of Tennis
• Directly oversees all aspects of the RMTC teaching program
• 5430 Kids Tennis Foundation Founder
• Former ITF professional player
• Former #5 Men’s Open – Florida
• Former #1 35’s & 40’s – Colorado
• Studied Computer Science & Mechanical Engineering, Norwich University, Vanderbilt University, University of Colorado-Boulder
• USPTA (Elite Professional)
• PTR Master of Tennis – Performance
• PTR Master of Tennis – Junior Development
• International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA) – TPT Certified
• USTA/USPTA/PTR Wheelchair Tennis Certified Coach
• USTA National Wheelchair Committee Member – 2 years
• USPTA-Intermountain Board of Directors, 2016-2019
• USTA Net Generation Junior Wheelchair Regional Provider – Intermountain Region
• USTA Net Generation certified/verified Coach
• Over 30 years of coaching experience at all levels from pre-K to Pros & age 2 to 96!

Session Title: Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair Tennis is a fun and exciting sport that I can’t wait to share with all of you! There is a great need to introduce more teachers, coaches, and players to the world of wheelchair tennis. Join me in this session to get hands-on experience leading drills and games for all ages.

Seth Krebill

Education

Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, Colorado Mesa University

Seth has been involved with Special Olympics Colorado in several different aspects for over 15 years. He first started as an event volunteer, then coach of a local program, and then was hired as a staff member in 2018. Seth worked to promote youth programs in community and school settings as the Young Athletes Coordinator in the Denver-Metro area. He was then transferred back to his hometown of Grand Junction in 2019 as the Western Region Unified Champion Schools Manager to help implement and sustain inclusive school programs across the Western Slope.

Seth is a Colorado native who enjoys being active, volunteering in his community, and spending time with family.

Session Title: Special Olympics Colorado-Unified Champion Schools

Engaging schools in Unified programming and providing inclusive materials

Casey Torbet

Education

Bachelor’s in Molecular Biology with a minor in Human Biology and Kinesiology.  

Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the Colorado School of Public Health with a concentration in Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles.

Casey’s passion for working with the Intellectual Disability (ID) community came from her time as a Health Intern in 2020 for Special Olympics Colorado. As an intern, she learned why health is so important for the ID community by working on virtual wellness programming and helping to revise and expand Special Olympics Colorado’s school health curriculum, Healthy LEAP. Being able to combine her love for sports and health while helping an amazing community brought Casey to this organization.  

In Casey’s spare time, she enjoys playing sports, working out, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Session Title: Special Olympics Colorado-Unified Champion Schools

Engaging schools in Unified programming and providing inclusive materials

Dave Westdal

Dave teaches at Fletcher Miller. His school is for the most impacted populations in the JEFFCO School District in Colorado.

Session Title: Boccia and Bocce for EVERYONE

Boccia and Bocce is a great game that can be available to EVERYONE! Join me in this session to learn about how I teach this sport to my students to make it inclusive to them and their families.

Jack Pulte

I am currently a student at Weber State University, I also coach football here. I have a passion for working with kids with a disability or kids who may need adaptions. I feel as though I can connect with them. I went through TBI while in training for the Army, and I have used that part of my story to impact others and help me grow as a coach and educator. I led a Special Olympics basketball clinic for 4 years in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. I have also coached high school football for 3 years, in addition to working at a CrossFit gym mainly prioritizing my time in leading our kid’s classes. I have a passion for teaching and coaching. My personal philosophy is that everyone deserves an opportunity to be active.

Session Title: What I learned from working with students with disabilities

I will talk about my experience working in college athletics and how I used my experience in that and carried it over to the classroom with my students who have disabilities. I don’t call it their disability I call it their superpower. I will discuss what I have learned as a young teacher and bring some of my ideas to all of you, which I think will be a huge positive in helping students In the future. I will also discuss my time as a head clinic director for Special Olympics and what key things I did there to help every student and athlete feel a part of it and how they all experienced growth!