Fran Speight

Fran Speight, Physical Education and Wellness Teacher

fspeight@newrootsschool.org, 607-882-9220

I am very happy to be here at New Roots. My interest in physical education stems from my belief that balance is at the root of movement, love and a sustainable life.  There are times when the balance between work and play and between individuality and community is a seamless, effortless flow.  Other times this balance is an elusive and a seemingly unreachable goal.  Physical education is an opportunity to begin to look at lifetime personal wellness and what this means for ourselves, for our community, and for our environment.  Physical education is really the starting point of everything else that students will learn or not learn.  If  students are aware of and attuned to their own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and are motivated to make choices to promote their own sense of well-being then they are also going to be ready and open to face other challenges of the day, week, month, year, decade and lifetime.  If students don't feel well,  don't have any sense of self, and have no idea how to make good wholesome choices to change the way they feel inside and out-then they cannot go on to the important work of helping to make our communities and our Earth well. Thus, physical education at New Roots is the work of helping students grow into their true selves through the context of joyful movement and centered breath while seeking to simultaneously inspire community and environmental wellness. 

Fran Speight earned a M.S.Ed. at SUNY Cortland in Recreation and Leisure Studies with an emphasis in Outdoor and Environmental Education, and a B.S. in Kinesiological Studies from University of Maryland, College Park. Fran has a NYS permanent teaching certificate in physical education k-12 and has over twelve years of teaching experience both as a physical education teacher at The Ivymount School and as a student activities teacher at Ithaca High School. Fran moved from Maryland nine years ago with her husband and children to open Turtle Dreams B&B and Tipi Campground in Mclean, NY.  Fran is certified in CPR, First Aid, Waterfront Lifeguarding, and Water Safety Instruction through the American Red Cross.  She is also a certified Laughing Yoga Instructor LOL.