SUBJECT: Approval of Position Paper on Safety Concerns in Physical Education Classes Grades PreK-12

Science at Grand Valley State University to provide teachers and administrators with fundamental recommendations regarding safety concerns and practices for conducting physical education classes in grades PreK-1.2. This position statement and recommendations were developed after reviewing research journals, physical education preparation textbooks, principles of safety, safety guidelines from American and Canadian professional physical education associations, as well as input from reviews (Abreu et aI, 1999; Dougherty, 1993). It is our expectation that this position paper will help raise awareness and understanding of safety issues and that the implementation of these recommendations will decrease the risk of unintentional injuries for students in the class setting. This paper will be made available to school personnel and the general public on our website. The Safety Guidelines will be an important tool for physical education staff as they work to further their professional development hrough a more detailed understanding of fundamental safety recommendations and legal liability to reduce unintentional injuries during physical education and physical activities