UMPI, UMF partner to expand school health, phys ed training for growing field

Courtesy / University of Maine at Presque Isle A new University of Maine at Presque Isle and University of Maine at Farmington partnership will expand physical education and school health offerings, with the goal of increasing graduates’ marketability.

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By Staff

In a partnership designed to meet the needs of schools and educators throughout the state, the University of Maine at Presque Isle is working with the University of Maine at Farmington to expand physical education and school health offerings.

UMPI faculty will provide online coursework in physical education to UMF students and UMF will deliver online school health coursework to UMPI students, according to a news release.

At UMPI, the partnership will allow students in the physical education program to earn a credential to teach health classes in public schools in addition to a bachelor’s degree in physical education.

At UMF, the arrangement will allow students in its school health education bachelor’s degree program to complete a physical education concentration.

"With UMF's help, this will serve as an excellent new credentialing opportunity for our students who want to earn their school health concentration and we are excited to be able to reciprocate by providing UMPI physical education courses for UMF students seeking PE certification,” UMPI President Ray Rice said in the release.

“It's an excellent example of how collaboration can be leveraged to better meet workforce development needs."

The partnership creates the first opportunity in Maine for a student to study on a single University of Maine System campus while completing coursework for school health education and physical education.

“Today, more than ever, teachers are critically important to Maine students, families and the fabric of our state,” UMF President Edward Serna said in the release.

For the school health credential, UMPI PE students can take eight classes with UMF faculty online. Courses will range from child and adolescent health to substance abuse and prevention. Students can achieve certification in school health after passing the praxis exam and completing one year of experience teaching.

Similarly, for the PE credential, UMF students will take eight classes online through UMPI, from motor learning to adapted PE to organization and administration of PE. Students will be able to earn their certification in physical education after passing the praxis exam and completing one year of teaching experience. Both credentials are available completely online.

“This School Health credential will make our graduates very marketable to a superintendent or principal in terms of what they would be able to offer as an employee,” Barb Blackstone, UMPI’s Dean of the College of Professional Programs, said in the release.

“Having the ability to teach both physical education and health is a depth and breadth that many education students don’t have when they go into the job field. But most principals are looking for dual certified teachers so this is a pathway that will set our education students up for greater success.”

Leo Saucier, UMPI coordinator of physical education, explained that two years ago, when he took on the coordinator position, he reached out to schools throughout Maine to see how many physical education positions might become available in the next five years.

“I learned that there would be about 80 positions coming open in that time and really became conscious of the serious workforce development needs in the state,” Saucier said. “Because there’s such a strong need for PE educators in Maine, existing educators have been going back to school to get their PE certification. That’s really what started this collaboration.”

Saucier said he has about eight current teachers taking UMPI PE courses online. He’s worked to accommodate the students by offering asynchronous classes and directed studies when needed. Several of the students will qualify for their PE credential after this semester.

“This is a great opportunity for us to collaborate with our colleagues at UMF and bring two good programs together,” Saucier said. “It makes our students much more attractive job candidates.”

In October, the University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Maine at Augusta announced their formation of the UMF/UMA Nursing Partnership. The collaborative program is sited on the Farmington campus but offers a UMA bachelor of science degree in nursing to help meet the statewide and national demand for the professionals.