SHAPE America's program councils carry out SHAPE America's mission by organizing task forces, carrying out and accomplishing work on behalf of the organization and communicating with the membership at large about the needs of
the profession and the resources that SHAPE America should provide.
SHAPE America currently has five program councils. Click on the council name to learn more.
- Health Education Council — Addresses the areas of health education teacher education (HETE), preK-12 school health education, and state/district health education administration.
- Physical Activity Council — Addresses the areas of lifespan physical activity, dance, sport, adapted physical activity, and outdoor adventure education.
- Physical Education Council — Addresses the areas of dance, physical education teacher education (PETE), preK-12 physical education, adapted physical education, and state/district physical education administration.
- Professional Preparation Council — Identifies and discusses needs/issues related to professional preparation for HETE and PETE, college and university instructional physical activity programs, academic content knowledge, and strategies for addressing the needs/issues related to those areas.
- Research Council — Addresses the areas of curriculum and instruction, exercise science, motivation and psychology, motor behavior and measurement, physical activity and health, sociocultural and social justice, and sport and coaching.
What do the program councils do?
The charge of each of the five programs councils includes the following:
- Advise and make recommendations to SHAPE America staff and the SHAPE America Board of Directors about appropriate programs, products and services related to the respective focus areas, considering overall impact, member benefit and return on investment.
- Provide recommendations to SHAPE America staff and the SHAPE America Board of Directors on existing programs, products, services, and activities in relation to the organization’s strategic plan and recommend continuation, revision or elimination. Help guide new initiatives through the review process and recommend task forces and ad hoc committees needed for completion.
- Build communication with related SHAPE America special interest groups (SIGs).
- Provide reports/updates prior to each SHAPE America Board of Directors meeting and/or upon request.
SHAPE America program councils primarily conduct their business through regular conference calls and email exchange. Council members begin their term in the month of the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo and end their term three years later, also in the month of the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo.