2026 TAPHE - Waves of Wellness

This session is intended for the tasks of ONLY the planning and hosting team(s) of the Professional Association.

Join Astrid Kendrick, PhD for a full day session exploring teacher burnout and compassion fatigue. Through research informed strategies and practical tools, educators will gain insights into recognizing the signs of chronic stress, building resilience, setting boundaries, and developing sustainable well-being practices. This workshop offers actionable takeaways to support both personal wellness and a healthier school community.

Kamryn Robichaud This session will be focused on teaching Acrobatic Dance skills & progressions in Phys. Ed. Teachers will learn how to teach the various skills & progressions safely and how to help all kids feel successful when trying Acro for the first time!

Sharon Martin Boccia is a Parasport that can be played by anyone with or without a physical disability or mobility challenge. It is played recreationally and competitively. Boccia is a co-ed sport, it can be played one on one, in teams of three, or in pairs. Boccia is played indoors, on a court that is similar in size to a badminton court. Boccia can be played by everyone. What to expect from our session: Learn how to play Boccia with our experienced volunteers, try out the equipment and have a great time!

Ms. Kaitlyn Murray In this interactive session, participants will engage in ways to meaningfully include adolescent identifying female students more effectively in a Physical Education setting. Presenters will bring in current research, best practices and hands on experiences to help participants remove barriers in their Physical Education settings. Participants will be able to implement strategies immediately following this session to better meet the needs of their female identifying students.

Zachary Dickson This presentation will give PE teachers a base level understanding of what Parasports are, how they can be integrated into Phys Ed curriculums, and what resources are available to them to offer more accessible and inclusive learning environments moving forward.

Matt Smith Rookie Rugby brings non-contact flag rugby into elementary and middle school PE. This fun, inclusive program builds physical literacy, teamwork, and confidence through simple, game-based activities that align with curriculum outcomes and make rugby easy for any teacher to deliver.

Ms. Sandra LeBlanc Tims Classrooms offers a high quality, evidence-based program free of charge, to schools and community groups that serve youth from under-resourced and disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The program focuses on youth leadership and prosocial skill development and is intended for students, in grades 5 and 6. * The program is typically offered over several sessions but can be customized to meet school/community group needs. Tims Classrooms was intentionally designed around the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework. This framework was specifically built to support the school and classroom environment.

Mr Kevin Holland Barrington Municipal High School has started an interactive program that focuses on financial literacy and budgeting skills called “Reality Check”. All students in Grade 10 participate in the activity during early June as a complement to the financial literacy unit. The program takes approximately 2 hours during the afternoon of a regular school day. In “Realty Check”, each student will be randomly assigned a career, income and family status. They will also be given a monthly budget sheet to record their purchases throughout the event. Students then must visit a series of 18 stations to purchase household services/items until their budget is completed.

Erin Carter In this interactive session, focused on collaboration and discussion, we will share how our student chapter at StFX is building leadership skills and connections, along with examples from our experiences. Participants will engage in team-building activities that model the importance of building relationships and communication. They will also take part in small-group discussions to share any programs within their own schools that promote student leadership or student-led opportunities, as well as explore ideas that could be implemented. Participants will leave with ideas and strategies to support student leadership and create meaningful opportunities for students to take on active roles within their schools.

Sarah Reicker Boys today face increasing pressures from social media, online influencers, peer expectations, and harmful messages about masculinity that can impact their mental health, relationships, and sense of self. This session explores how schools can support healthy masculinity through evidence-informed approaches that foster emotional literacy, empathy, resilience, and respectful relationships. Participants will learn about Guys Work, a ten-week program that provides boys with a safe space to explore identity, emotions, mental health, media influences, consent, and social pressures while developing practical skills for wellbeing and positive connection.

Jillian MacNutt Incorporating music activities into your program can go way beyond your Dance unit. Music activities help students focus on a skill, automate before adding the next step, and monitor their part within the rest of the group, giving everyone something to do. This presentation will include activities appropriate for P-9 students. Adaptations and extensions provided. Come ready to have FUN and move!

Ani Bravo A practical guide for teachers to promote healthy habits while balancing life and teaching workload. Tips and tricks to create routines, productivity and keep motivation in their journey to a healthy lifestyle to avoid body burnout and promote longevity.

Jenn Moriarty Teaching in 2026 is not for the faint of heart. We will walk through what the speed bumps of life feel like and the tools we have to help us brace for impact. And when the impact feels bigger than we expected, what we can do not just to survive but thrive.

Linda Gallagher Join colleagues for a relaxing and engaging craft experience that highlights the important role leisure plays in supporting wellbeing. Participants will leave with both a finished creation and practical ideas for incorporating restorative leisure activities into their lives.

Kathryn Rand & Michael Janczyszyn CardiacCrash is an interactive, gamified CPR and AED learning experience led by a teacher or facilitator. It is designed to help students overcome their fear and reluctance to take action when they see someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. Students engage with a film that portrays an emotional cardiac arrest scenario, meant to reflect a true-to-life experience. Students participate in a team challenge where points are won by answering questions and putting learning to practice during hands-only CPR sessions. https://cardiaccrash.ca/pages/what-is-cardiaccrash.

Jonathan Young from Kitchen Party Cycles Build your confidence and keep your wheels rolling with this practical bike maintenance session. Participants will learn basic bicycle care and repair skills, including safety checks, tire inflation, fixing a flat, brake adjustments, and routine maintenance. Whether you are supporting a school cycling program or simply looking to expand your knowledge, this hands-on session will provide the skills and confidence needed to keep bikes safe, functional, and ready for the road or trail.

Retirement can feel a long way off, but the decisions you make today can have a significant impact on your financial future.
Join Brian Noble, former Chair of the Retired Teachers Organization Pension and Benefits Committee, for an informative session on life after teaching and understanding your pension. Brian will share practical information to help you take a closer look at your pension now, understand what you’re entitled to, and identify potential issues before they become problems later.
This session is an opportunity to ask questions, better understand your pension benefits, and make informed decisions as you plan for the transition from teaching to retirement.
Don’t wait until retirement to look at your pension. The time to understand it is now.

Megan Conroy Teachers would be given some basic Smashball Info, then we would learn by doing - leading the participants through some Smashball Activities.

Sharon Martin Boccia is a Parasport that can be played by anyone with or without a physical disability or mobility challenge. It is played recreationally and competitively. Boccia is a co-ed sport, it can be played one on one, in teams of three, or in pairs. Boccia is played indoors, on a court that is similar in size to a badminton court. Boccia can be played by everyone. What to expect from our session: Learn how to play Boccia with our experienced volunteers, try out the equipment and have a great time!

Nicole Spinney This presentation explores how integrating physical education with math and French enhances student engagement and learning. Through movement-based activities and games, students build numeracy and language skills while staying active, making lessons more interactive, meaningful and memorable across subjects.

Zachary Dickson This presentation will give PE teachers a base level understanding of what Parasports are, how they can be integrated into Phys Ed curriculums, and what resources are available to them to offer more accessible and inclusive learning environments moving forward.

Ms Remi Myers With a focus on giving educators the tools and experience to confidently integrate rugby into their PE curriculum, Rugby Nova Scotia will guide you through an introductory school session to show how easy it can be.

Ms. Sandra LeBlanc Tims Classrooms offers a high quality, evidence-based program free of charge, to schools and community groups that serve youth from under-resourced and disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The program focuses on youth leadership and prosocial skill development and is intended for students, in grades 5 and 6. * The program is typically offered over several sessions but can be customized to meet school/community group needs. Tims Classrooms was intentionally designed around the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework. This framework was specifically built to support the school and classroom environment.

Mr Kevin Holland Barrington Municipal High School has started an interactive program that focuses on financial literacy and budgeting skills called “Reality Check”. All students in Grade 10 participate in the activity during early June as a complement to the financial literacy unit. The program takes approximately 2 hours during the afternoon of a regular school day. In “Realty Check”, each student will be randomly assigned a career, income and family status. They will also be given a monthly budget sheet to record their purchases throughout the event. Students then must visit a series of 18 stations to purchase household services/items until their budget is completed.

Erin Carter In this interactive session, focused on collaboration and discussion, we will share how our student chapter at StFX is building leadership skills and connections, along with examples from our experiences. Participants will engage in team-building activities that model the importance of building relationships and communication. They will also take part in small-group discussions to share any programs within their own schools that promote student leadership or student-led opportunities, as well as explore ideas that could be implemented. Participants will leave with ideas and strategies to support student leadership and create meaningful opportunities for students to take on active roles within their schools.

Sarah Reicker Boys today face increasing pressures from social media, online influencers, peer expectations, and harmful messages about masculinity that can impact their mental health, relationships, and sense of self. This session explores how schools can support healthy masculinity through evidence-informed approaches that foster emotional literacy, empathy, resilience, and respectful relationships. Participants will learn about Guys Work, a ten-week program that provides boys with a safe space to explore identity, emotions, mental health, media influences, consent, and social pressures while developing practical skills for wellbeing and positive connection.

Jillian MacNutt Incorporating music activities into your program can go way beyond your Dance unit. Music activities help students focus on a skill, automate before adding the next step, and monitor their part within the rest of the group, giving everyone something to do. This presentation will include activities appropriate for P-9 students. Adaptations and extensions provided. Come ready to have FUN and move!

Ani Bravo A practical guide for teachers to promote healthy habits while balancing life and teaching workload. Tips and tricks to create routines, productivity and keep motivation in their journey to a healthy lifestyle to avoid body burnout and promote longevity.

Jenn Moriarty Teaching in 2026 is not for the faint of heart. We will walk through what the speed bumps of life feel like and the tools we have to help us brace for impact. And when the impact feels bigger than we expected, what we can do not just to survive but thrive.

Linda Gallagher Join colleagues for a relaxing and engaging craft experience that highlights the important role leisure plays in supporting wellbeing. Participants will leave with both a finished creation and practical ideas for incorporating restorative leisure activities into their lives.

Joe Bishara RCT & Lori Munro-Sigfridson This professional development session is designed to support educator wellbeing through gentle yoga-based movement, mindfulness practices, and crystal singing bowl sound therapy. Participants will engage in accessible movement, breath awareness, and guided relaxation activities that promote stress reduction, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and overall wellbeing.

Jonathan Young from Kitchen Party Cycles Build your confidence and keep your wheels rolling with this practical bike maintenance session. Participants will learn basic bicycle care and repair skills, including safety checks, tire inflation, fixing a flat, brake adjustments, and routine maintenance. Whether you are supporting a school cycling program or simply looking to expand your knowledge, this hands-on session will provide the skills and confidence needed to keep bikes safe, functional, and ready for the road or trail.

Ty Riddick How can we create more meaningful experiences in Physical Education? Participants will engage with both the theoretical and practical applications of the Meaningful PE framework through a progression of zone games. The MPE framework is student-centered and adaptable to your context. Whether you are dipping your toe into MPE, or ready to take the plunge, this session is for you

Brian DeMone This session is all about movement, laughter, and connection. With Brian’s guidance, you’ll dive into the colorful world of Omnikin, where oversized balls, fast-paced action, and creative games come together to build teamwork, fairness, and fun. From energetic classics, you’ll discover how easy it is to get every child involved.

Heather Beaton We will provide information on youth track and field and practical applications to include children with physical disabilities in track and field programming

Dr. Emily Bremer This presentation will introduce the quality participation framework including the six building blocks of autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning. We will provide an interactive opportunity for educators to co-develop strategies on how to support the quality participation experiences of their students experiencing disability within physical activity settings. We will also introduce positive behavioural approaches that can help to facilitate these experiences.

Ms. Jaz Barnett Are you thinking about ways to get your students to be more active during the school day? Are you wondering if your students want to move more in classes, intramurals, after school programs, or at recess? Join us for this session where participants will take part in a walk and talk regarding student engagement and physical activity. Participants will get to hear about best practices, research, and strategies on ways to get your student voices heard at school in a meaningful way. Come get some physical activity with us as we address this issue.

Ms Remi Myers With a focus on giving educators the tools and experience to confidently integrate rugby into their PE curriculum, Rugby Nova Scotia will guide you through an introductory school session to show how easy it can be.

Jace Ferguson Join us to explore Passport for Life, PHE Canada’s powerful resource for educators. Discover practical tools, sound pedagogical practices, ready-to-use resources, and other supports that can make planning easier, enhance instruction, and bring meaningful learning to life in your daily practice.

Ryan Fahey We will explore taking a student-centered design process when designing healthy school initiatives and provide an overview of student-led initiatives happening across Canada. Connecting with the Healthy School Standards and wise practices for youth engagement, we will storify the experiences from youth themselves while surfacing strategies and resources for engaging youth in meaningful ways.

Dr. Mickey Jutras This session is designed to support physical education teachers with little or no wrestling experience. The session will cover important safety considerations and introduce developmentally appropriate, safe, and engaging games to help teachers confidently introduce wrestling into their programs.

Jen McKenzie Looking to add fresh ideas and excitement to your physical education program? Join us for an active, hands-on session featuring a variety of engaging games and activities from Gopher. Participants will have the opportunity to learn, play, and experience new activities that promote physical literacy, teamwork, inclusion, and student engagement. Discover creative ways to use equipment, adapt activities for different age groups and abilities, and bring practical ideas back to your gymnasium. Come ready to move, have fun, and leave with a collection of games that can be implemented immediately in your physical education classes.

Julien Boudreau This presentation explores the dual role of a Physical Education teacher as both an educator and a coach, highlighting how these responsibilities complement one another while serving different purposes. Drawing on 20 years of experience coaching high school hockey, practical examples of activities and strategies will be shared, with a strong emphasis on the importance of the student-athlete. Participants will also have opportunities for discussion, allowing them to reflect, ask questions, and connect the concepts to their own teaching or coaching experiences.

Misty James Schools hold unique capacity to support physical activity, wellness, and belonging for students and families. Children spend a large portion of their day sedentary, and most meaningful activity occurs after school. Families seek affordable, accessible recreation, but urban areas face space-cost barriers while rural settings lack adequate facilities. Partnerships between schools, RCE’s and Municipal Recreation to remove barriers to community use of school spaces, can create sustainable hubs for wellness, recreation, and physical activity that boost student outcomes, strengthen school-community relationships, and contribute to healthier, more connected communities.

The presentation will explore the various programs available through the NSTU that may help NSTU members achieve their personal wellness goals.
Presented by NSTU Executive Staff Officer, Paul Boudreau.

Amanda McKay Take a break from the busy pace of the day and experience the benefits of creativity for personal wellbeing. In this hands-on session, participants will create their own gemstone bracelet while exploring the role of leisure, mindfulness, and self-care in supporting overall wellness. This relaxing and engaging activity offers an opportunity to connect, reflect, and leave with a meaningful reminder of the importance of making time for personal wellbeing.

Kathryn Rand & Michael Janczyszyn CardiacCrash is an interactive, gamified CPR and AED learning experience led by a teacher or facilitator. It is designed to help students overcome their fear and reluctance to take action when they see someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. Students engage with a film that portrays an emotional cardiac arrest scenario, meant to reflect a true-to-life experience. Students participate in a team challenge where points are won by answering questions and putting learning to practice during hands-only CPR sessions. https://cardiaccrash.ca/pages/what-is-cardiaccrash.

Ty Riddick How can we create more meaningful experiences in Physical Education? Participants will engage with both the theoretical and practical applications of the Meaningful PE framework through a progression of zone games. The MPE framework is student-centered and adaptable to your context. Whether you are dipping your toe into MPE, or ready to take the plunge, this session is for you

Brian DeMone This session is all about movement, laughter, and connection. With Brian’s guidance, you’ll dive into the colorful world of Omnikin, where oversized balls, fast-paced action, and creative games come together to build teamwork, fairness, and fun. From energetic classics, you’ll discover how easy it is to get every child involved.

Dr. Shannon Kell This session will explore team teaching in the physical education (PE) setting and its implications for teachers, learners, pre-service teachers, and teacher education physical education (PETE) programs as well as teacher wellness and retention. PE specialists who are implementing team teaching in a grade 5-8 school will share their learnings, collaboration processes, and challenges of a full year using the model. This pilot is the start of a case study research project collaboration between the school and the StFX B.Ed program. Participants of the session can contribute ideas, share experiences, and ask questions to inform their own practice.

Dr. Emily Bremer This presentation will introduce the quality participation framework including the six building blocks of autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning. We will provide an interactive opportunity for educators to co-develop strategies on how to support the quality participation experiences of their students experiencing disability within physical activity settings. We will also introduce positive behavioural approaches that can help to facilitate these experiences.

Ms Remi Myers With a focus on giving educators the tools and experience to confidently integrate rugby into their PE curriculum, Rugby Nova Scotia will guide you through an introductory school session to show how easy it can be.

Ryan Fahey We will explore taking a student-centered design process when designing healthy school initiatives and provide an overview of student-led initiatives happening across Canada. Connecting with the Healthy School Standards and wise practices for youth engagement, we will storify the experiences from youth themselves while surfacing strategies and resources for engaging youth in meaningful ways.

Dr. Mickey Jutras This session is designed to support physical education teachers with little or no wrestling experience. The session will cover important safety considerations and introduce developmentally appropriate, safe, and engaging games to help teachers confidently introduce wrestling into their programs.

Jen McKenzie Looking to add fresh ideas and excitement to your physical education program? Join us for an active, hands-on session featuring a variety of engaging games and activities from Gopher. Participants will have the opportunity to learn, play, and experience new activities that promote physical literacy, teamwork, inclusion, and student engagement. Discover creative ways to use equipment, adapt activities for different age groups and abilities, and bring practical ideas back to your gymnasium. Come ready to move, have fun, and leave with a collection of games that can be implemented immediately in your physical education classes.

In today’s digital world, helping students navigate online spaces safely is an essential part of health education. This session will explore current issues related to internet safety, digital citizenship, online relationships, privacy, cyberbullying, and healthy technology use. Participants will gain practical strategies, resources, and classroom-ready approaches to support students in making informed, responsible, and safe decisions online while promoting their overall wellbeing and digital resilience.

Julien Boudreau This presentation explores the dual role of a Physical Education teacher as both an educator and a coach, highlighting how these responsibilities complement one another while serving different purposes. Drawing on 20 years of experience coaching high school hockey, practical examples of activities and strategies will be shared, with a strong emphasis on the importance of the student-athlete. Participants will also have opportunities for discussion, allowing them to reflect, ask questions, and connect the concepts to their own teaching or coaching experiences.

Misty James Schools hold unique capacity to support physical activity, wellness, and belonging for students and families. Children spend a large portion of their day sedentary, and most meaningful activity occurs after school. Families seek affordable, accessible recreation, but urban areas face space-cost barriers while rural settings lack adequate facilities. Partnerships between schools, RCE’s and Municipal Recreation to remove barriers to community use of school spaces, can create sustainable hubs for wellness, recreation, and physical activity that boost student outcomes, strengthen school-community relationships, and contribute to healthier, more connected communities.

The presentation will explore the various programs available through the NSTU that may help NSTU members achieve their personal wellness goals.
Presented by NSTU Executive Staff Officer, Paul Boudreau.

Amanda McKay Explore a fun, hands-on activity that can spark meaningful conversations about personal hygiene, self-care, and overall wellbeing. In this session, participants will create a simple sugar scrub while discussing ways to integrate practical health education experiences into the classroom. Learn how this engaging activity can be used to support lessons on personal hygiene, healthy habits, and self-care while encouraging student participation, discussion, and skill development.

Joe Bishara RCT & Lori Munro-Sigfridson This professional development session is designed to support educator wellbeing through gentle yoga-based movement, mindfulness practices, and crystal singing bowl sound therapy. Participants will engage in accessible movement, breath awareness, and guided relaxation activities that promote stress reduction, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and overall wellbeing.