Special-needs teacher gets award

Beverly Martin was also recognized by the association in 2005.
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- A teacher employed by Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV has been named Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
Beverly Martin, who serves as the physical education teacher for more than 150 pupils that attend one of the many Intermediate Unit programs in Mercer, Lawrence and Butler counties, was honored at the association's recent annual convention.
The award is for teachers who provide adapted physical education activities to children with disabilities in the school setting.
This year, Martin also teaches district special-needs pupils in both New Castle Area and Sharon City school districts.
Martin, who lives in Butler County, has been a teacher with the Intermediate Unit, which provides educational and consulting services to public schools in the three counties, for 23 years. In 1992, she was chosen by her colleagues to receive the Intermediate Unit's Annie Sullivan Award, an honor given annually to a teacher who has made an impact not only in the classroom but in the community.
Positive attitude
"I love my students," Martin said. "No matter what the problem is, you can always find a way to accommodate them. Each group of children has provided me with something rewarding, and my job has been very rewarding to me."
Martin also consults with regular physical education teachers to design accommodations for pupils with special needs, working with teachers to modify lessons so that a child with disabilities is able to be successful and participate in the benefits of the lesson.
The Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance recognized Martin in 2005 with its prestigious Professional Honor Award for her work on the organization's Adapted Activities Committee. She was the project leader for the development of two manuals for adapting physical education to special-needs pupils.