The Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

1

• The Alabama State Association for Health,
  Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
• Proudly Honors Alabamas National Board Certified
  Physical Education Teachers
• Update 2/2008

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National Board Certified Teachers

• Emily Pharez
• Leslie Thorn
• Kristie Andres
• Teresa Brown
• Scott Burnett
• Linda Hatchett

• Chris Hernandez
• Susan Jackson
• John Phillips
• Allen McGowan
• Debbie Williams

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Emily Pharez

• Emily Pharez is a teacher at J. Larry Newton
  School in Fairhope, Alabama. She has been a
  teacher for 20 years 18 of those years have been
  in Baldwin County, Alabama. She has been married
  to her husband Richard Pharez for 18 years and is
  the mother of two boys, Tyler 12 and Garett 10.
  Emily has been a member of the Alabama State
  Association for Health, Physical Education,
  Recreation and Dance board of directors since
  1999 serving in numerous positions and is
  currently the President. She has been honored as
  Newton Schools Teacher of the Year in 2000, the
  ASAHPERD Dance Educator of the Year in 2002 and
  the Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the
  Year in 2004. In 2006 she was the ASAHPERD Middle
  School Teacher of the Year, and was awarded the
  Southern District Middle School Teacher of the
  Year. In March 2007 she was selected as the
  National Middle School Physical Education Teacher
  of the Year.
• Ms. Pharez is involved as a troop leader in Cub
  Scouts and Boy Scouts. She is a Sunday school
  teacher and youth group leader at her church.
  Each summer she directs a Cub Scout day camp for
  150 local cub scouts. Emily also finds time to
  stay physically fit by competing in triathlons
  and just recently finished riding 150 miles on
  her bicycle to raise funds to find a cure for
  Multiple Sclerosis. Her colleagues say this about
  her Coach Pharez has a constant commitment to
  students and to teaching excellence. This is
  evident in the respect she has earned at J. Larry
  Newton School and in Baldwin County and around
  the state. She feels a true calling to her
  profession and our school has been blessed to
  share in her excellence.

4
Leslie Thorn

• Leslie Thorn is an Elementary Physical Education
  Teacher at Forest Hills Elementary School. She
  has been teaching 13 years and has teaching
  experience in grades K-8. She has a Bachelors
  and Masters Degree in Physical Education from the
  University of North Alabama and has coached
  Volleyball, Basketball and Softball. She is
  married and has 4 children. Her school was
  selected to be a Physical Education Center for
  the state of Alabama in 2002. She was voted
  teacher of the year for Forest Hills in 2000 and
  2004, and was selected as the 2004-2005
  elementary teacher of the year for Florence City
  Schools. In 2005 she was nominated for the
  Disney Teacher Award Program. In December 2006
  she received her National Board Certification and
  the following summer served as a Master teacher
  with the State Department of Education where she
  helped develop the K-8 physical education
  curriculum for the state. She is currently
  serving as District 7 representative for the
  Alabama State Association for Health, Physical
  Education, Recreation and Dance.

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Kristie M. Andres

• I am in my eighth year of teaching elementary
  physical education at Fairhope Elementary School
  in Baldwin County. I was a scholarship athlete at
  Mississippi State University where I played
  volleyball and softball while studying Sports
  Management. At the age of 35, I obtained my
  teaching certificate from the University of South
  Alabama and am now pursuing a Masters degree in
  Health.
• I have been honored as the 2006 ASAHPERD
  Elementary School Physical Education Teacher of
  the Year, Fairhope Elementary TOY, Baldwin County
  Middle School Volleyball Coach of the Year, and
  received the Cliff Spanier award for my
  commitment to nurture and mold young lives. My
  program has been featured in Sports Illustrated,
  highlighted in Prevention Magazine, and
  recognized in the Centers for Disease Control
  publications. I am DBAE Certified, a member of
  the Baldwin County Child Nutrition Committee, and
  am a partner with Thomas Hospital in their
  ShapeDown program, which provides nutrition
  education to families of obese children and
  children at risk of becoming obese. I have
  written and received numerous grants to improve
  and progress the physical education experience
  for my students.
• My mother is my biggest supporter and fan, Mom
  has been a constant encourager. She taught me to
  work hard, play hard, and to always give my very
  best. I am married to James Andres and have a
  daughter, Kirstie Kelley, who plays volleyball
  and soccer at Fairhope High School. Their
  favorite family hobby is SCUBA diving in the
  islands.

6
Teresa Brown

• I have an Associate in Science, Health and
  Physical Education degree from John C. Calhoun
  Jr. College. I was chosen Outstanding Physical
  Education Major at John C. Calhoun College in
  1985. I graduated from Athens State College in
  1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Education in
  Physical Education. In 1994, I received a Master
  of Arts in Education, specializing in Exercise
  Physiology from the University of North Alabama.
• I have been teaching in the Morgan County School
  System for 19 years. The first four years, I
  worked as a physical education aide and then was
  employed as a full time teacher in 1991. I
  presently teach kindergarten through fourth grade
  at Danville-Neel Elementary School.
• I have been a member of ASAHPERD for 22 years.
  I had the great honor of being selected as
  Alabama Elementary Physical Education Teacher of
  the Year in 2003. I have represented the physical
  education program of Morgan County Schools on the
  Advisory Board of Counseling and Health. I have
  volunteered and worked with Special Olympics and
  served as liaison for the United States Tennis
  Association in Morgan County. I have conducted
  Jump Rope for Heart, Hersheys Track and Field
  events and coordinated Red Ribbon Week
  activities.
• I have been married to my very supportive
  husband for 32 years. We have one daughter,
  Amanda Brown Nelson, who teachers in the Decatur
  City School System.

7
Scott Burnett

• Growing up in Mount Olive, Alabama I was always
  involved in sports. When I attended Auburn
  University in 1996, I continued playing in
  intramural sports. It was during this time of
  deciding a major I realized I had always enjoyed
  organizing and playing games with children in my
  neighborhood and within my family. This love led
  me to pursue a Bachelors of Science in Physical
  Education. During internships at various schools
  in Alabama, I found myself drawn to teaching
  younger children who were just beginning sports
  and games. While I continued schooling to receive
  my Masters in Education, I had my first teaching
  position as an aide to the physical education
  teacher at Auburn Elementary, which confirmed
  that my career decision had been the right one.
• After I received my Masters, I accepted a
  physical education teaching position at Eastside
  Elementary in Chambers County, where I taught for
  a year and was challenged to grow in every area
  of teaching. This is my fifth year teaching at
  Paine Elementary in Trussville. During these past
  years I have developed the teaching style that
  seems most natural and fun for my students and
  me. Ive learned to create engaging lessons with
  technology as a key component, and Ive become
  more adept at organizing programs and fundraisers
  that include the community. Last year I completed
  my National Board Certification, which encouraged
  me to better evaluate my methods of teaching and
  to focus on improving them for the advantage of
  my students and myself.

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Linda Hatchett

• I have been teaching for 31 years in the Mobile
  area.  I enjoy not only teaching elementary
  students, but mentoring college students and
  young teachers to become strong advocates for
  quality physical education.  I have served in
  several capacities on the ASAHPERD Board of
  Directors, including Secretary, State Newsletter
  Editor, Recreation Vice President, and Joint
  Projects Director.  I also served as Vice
  President of the Recreation Division on the
  SDAAHPERD Board of Directors and the Southern
  District Representative on the Physical Best
  Steering Committee.
• Awards Received
• District I Teacher of the Year (Alabama Teacher
  of the Year program)
• Runner-up in the Jacksonville State Teacher Hall
  of Fame
• ASAHPERD Elementary Physical Education TOY
• ASAHPERD Recreation Professional of the Year
• ASAHPERD Honor Award
• 2005 Who's Who Among America's Teachers
•  
• I officiate Volleyball and Fast Pitch Softball
  on the High School and Collegiate level.
• I have directed summer day camp programs for the
  past 29 years, with the largest summer being last
  summer with 892 children registered.  At my
  school, I sponsor Juggling, Jump Rope, and
  Healthy Heart Kids' Fitness Clubs. 
•  
• I recently received a 10,000 Champions for
  Healthy Kids grant from General Mills and a
  5,000 grant Physh Ed Grant from the Future
  Fisherman Foundation.

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Christine Hernandez

• I graduated from Troy State University in 1990
  with a B.S. Degree in Health Education and Sports
  Medicine and immediately accepted a graduate
  assistant position at the University of South
  Alabama while I completed my M.S. Degree in
  Exercise Physiology. Upon graduation I accepted a
  position in the Sports Medicine Department at the
  University of South Alabama working as the
  Assistant Athletic Trainer and teaching Athletic
  Training Clinicals. It was during this time that
  my interest in teaching began to develop.
  Although I enjoyed working with college students
  and athletes the schedule was grueling and I had
  a small child that I needed me at home more.
• I went back to school, earning my N-12 Teaching
  Certificate in Physical Education from the
  University of Mobile. Immediately upon
  graduation, I began teaching at St. Pius X, a
  school in the Mobile Archdiocese. After a year,
  working with grades K-8, I realized that middle
  school was my passion and I sought a position in
  the Mobile Public School system working with
  grades 6-8. While at Adams Middle School I built
  a physical education program that was student
  centered. Students developed the discipline
  process, managed the class procedures and
  participated in the curriculum development. After
  five years, my physical education program was
  publicly recognized when I was named Mobile
  County Middle School Teacher of the Year. It was
  also during this time that I received my National
  Board Certification in early adolescent through
  Young Adult. Although I was the first among my
  peers to obtain NBCT in Alabama I recognize the
  high caliber quality of the other teachers
  currently holding the certificate and find myself
  very grateful to be in a professional
  classification with them.
• I have left the teaching profession temporarily
  to pursue my Juris Doctorate in Law. I will
  graduate in December of 2006 and hope to return
  to the field of education on a different playing
  field as a legal scholar and advocate for
  Alabama Teachers.

10
Susan Jackson

• I earned my Bachelor of Science degree and an
  Education Specialist degree from the University
  of Montevallo. I earned my Master of Arts degree
  from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
• I taught elementary physical education at
  Childersburg Elementary (Talladega County) and
  Valley Elementary (Shelby County) Schools. I was
  awarded the ASAHPERD and SDAAPERD Elementary
  Physical Education Teacher of the Year.
• I served on the ASAHPERD Board of Directors as
  Joint Projects Coordinator and Vice-President of
  the General Division. I have been Jump Rope for
  Heart Chair with SDAAHPERD. I also presented at
  state, district and national conventions for my
  peers.
• I received my National Board Certification in
  Early and Middle Childhood Physical Education in
  2004.

11
John E. Phillips, Jr.

• I was born in Birmingham, AL in 1974, and
  graduated from Shades Mountain Christian School
  in 1992. I then attended Samford University on a
  Track and Cross Country scholarship and graduated
  in 1997 with a B.S. in Physical Education and a
  B.A. in Journalism. I received my Masters Degree
  in Education from the University of Montevallo in
  2002. I was employed by Mountain Brook Junior
  High in 1998 and have been teaching Physical
  Education there for the past nine years. I
  currently coach Cross Country, Basketball and
  Track at the Junior High.
• I have been a Presenter and Presider at the
  ASAHPERD Fall Conference and have held the
  offices of Adapted Council Chairman, Athletics
  Chairman, and Vice President Elect of Physical
  Education. I have served on the State Fitness
  Assessment Committee and was recognized as
  ASAHPERD Middle School Teacher of the year in
  2003. I served as President of the Metro South
  Sports League in 2004 and 2005 and was named
  Metro South Coach of the Year for Girls
  Basketball in 2006. I obtained National Board
  Certification in Physical Education Adolescence
  through Young Adulthood in 2005. I currently
  reside in Birmingham with my wife, Shanna,
  daughter, Emma Grace and son, Bennett.

12
Allen McGowan

• I was born and raised in Birmingham. I
  graduated from a small private high school named
  Berney Points Baptist School in 1983. My wife
  and I have two daughters and have been married
  for 13 years. It has been a joy to be able to
  teach both of my daughters in their physical
  education classes and watch them interact in our
  school setting.
• I graduated from the University of Alabama at
  Birmingham in 1993 with a Bachelors of Science in
  physical education. I currently teach physical
  education at Oak Mountain Elementary School and
  coach basketball at Oak Mountain Middle School.
  I have taught at Oak Mountain for 14 years. In
  2004, I was awarded the ASAHPERD Elementary
  Physical Education Teacher of the Year for the
  state of Alabama.

13
Debbie Williams

• I was born in Birmingham. I attended the
  University of Alabama where I played in the
  Million Dollar Band, enjoyed a variety of
  intramural sports and taught dance and gymnastics
  classes. I graduated in December 1981 with a
  major in Physical Education and minor in
  Biology. In 1982, I began teaching physical
  education at Concord Elementary School in
  Jefferson County. That same year, I married to
  Pat Williams. We have three children, Patrick,
  Nate and Emily.
• I earned a Masters degree at UAB in 1985. taught
  and coached gymnastics and track field at the
  secondary level for five years, and then returned
  to elementary physical education. In 1997, I
  completed an Educational Specialist Degree at the
  University of Montevallo. During the 25 year
  career, I have been involved in ASAHPERD, Jump
  Rope for Heart, Alpha Delta Kappa, grant writing,
  workshops presentations, mentoring and various
  educational leadership positions and committees.
• I currently hold the position of Physical
  Education Resource Supervisor for Jefferson
  County Schools