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Jeff Jacobs recently retired from Worcester Elementary School in the Methacton School District where he taught Health and Physical Education for 24 years. He also served as the K-6 Health and Physical Education Coordinator, and earlier the K-12 Health and Physical Education Department Chair. Prior to that, he served as the Assistant to the Headmaster and Health and K-12 Physical Education Department Chair at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania where he also coached wrestling. A graduate of Methacton High School, Jeff received his B.S. in Health and Physical Education from West Chester University, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Arcadia University and earned addition certifications from Immaculata University.
A SHAPE America District Elementary Teacher of the Year (Eastern District), Jeff has earned numerous awards and has presented at numerous staff development programs and workshops throughout the country. As an active member of the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (PSAHPERD), now SHAPE PA, Jeff currently serves on the Advocacy Committee. As an advocate he has served as a representative to several SHAPE America “Speak Out” Days in Washington, DC, has helped organize the PSAHPERD's "SPEAK Out for Healthy Kids" Days in Harrisburg, and made appearances before the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. Jeff has contributed to the proposed Academic Standards for Health and Physical Education, the Standards Aligned System and Model Lesson Plans for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Great Activities Newspaper, SHAPE America's Activity Share and most recently to The Essentials of Physical Education, a textbook published by Human Kinetics. As a full-time practitioner at Worcester Elementary School, Jeff was actively involved in many school events including Jump Rope for Heart, Field Days, Walk-a-thons, After-school Sports and served on several committees. He believes a quality physical education program develops important skills, enhances student learning and sets the tone for a healthy lifestyle. Besides serving on the HPE Program Improvement Committee (PIC) at PDE, Jeff is currently supervising student teachers at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. 
If you are interested in learning more about the HPE Program at
Worcester Elementary School, please click on the following link: Worcester Health & Physical Education Website. 
If you are interested in learning more about the Teacher
Certification Program at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, please click on the following link: WCU Department of Kinesiology |
How I Became a
Health and Physical Education Teacher Even as early as first grade I somehow knew that I was going to have a long-term relationship with Physical Education. I was inspired by Mr. Gould who was my PE teacher in Grades 1-6 at Trooper Elementary School. I never understood the scheduling, but if for some reason Mr. Gould wasn’t there, Mr. Curly taught our PE class. By the middle of first grade, I already knew that I wanted to be a "gym" teacher when I grew up.
However, within my very small world, becoming a "gym" teacher became a tremendous source of anxiety for me. I was so afraid that I would never be able to reach this goal. You see, Mr. Gould and Mr. Curly were at least 6 ½ feet tall. They were giants! And somehow, in my 6 year old mind, I drew what I thought was a logical conclusion; that being extremely tall was a prerequisite to teaching "gym." At that young age, I didn’t know any other people who were even close to their height. All I knew was that I had to do something about it and that I had better start now. So I hung from the top bars of swing sets and I dangled from tree branches. I even had my friends have tug-of-wars using me as the rope when we were wrestling around in the front yard. Obviously, it didn't work as I am only 5 foot 8 inches! But I did become a "GYM" teacher!
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