Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today congratulated Department of Education Director of Fitness and Physical Education Lori Rose Benson for winning the National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s 2007 Channing Mann Award, identifying her as the nation’s outstanding physical education administrator. Presented annually by NASPE, the award is the organization’s highest honor for physical education administrators and recognizes outstanding leadership and innovation in the field of physical education.

    “I am tremendously proud of the work Lori has done for New York City students,” said Chancellor Klein. “Since 2003, we have made great strides in improving the health of our students through a renewed focus on physical education in our schools. This award is a well-deserved recognition of Lori’s unwavering dedication to the health of our students.”

    “While this award singles me out, it is really an honor that belongs to my team and to the teachers and administrators across the city who have taken fitness education to an unprecedented level,” said Ms. Benson. “With the continuing support of Chancellor Klein and the Department of Education, we have made amazing progress, but we will settle for nothing less than instilling lifelong fitness habits in all of our students.”

    Ms. Benson has been Director of Fitness and Physical Education since 2003, when the Department of Education (DOE), under Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein, re-introduced the Office of Fitness and Physical Education in response to growing health concerns. Over the past four years, the DOE has implemented the grades K-12 Physical Best curriculum, which encourages students to improve their individual fitness level as they learn about the lifelong benefits of physical activity. The NYC FITNESSGRAM assessment, which is part of the Physical Best curriculum, is recorded in a report that provides teachers, students, and parents with information about students’ individual fitness levels and strategies for setting and attaining personal fitness goals. NYC FITNESSGRAM is being used in 700 schools and 500,000 New York City students and their parents will receive NYC FITNESSGRAM reports this school year.

    NASPE is a non-profit professional membership association dedicated to enhancing knowledge, improving professional practice, and increasing support for high quality physical education, sport, and physical activity programs through research, the development of standards, and dissemination of information.

    Ms. Benson grew up in Brooklyn and attended New York City public schools. She holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and an M.A. in Physical Education from Adelphi University.

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Contact: David Cantor / Lindsey Harr (212) 374-5141