Massachusetts association for health, physical education, recreation and dance Inc.

Mary is the Program Chair of the Skills-Based Health/Social Emotional program at Cambridge College where she is responsible for delivering quality programs for students seeking a Master of Education Degree, a certificate for School and Community, and online health and physical education certificates.


Mary has served on the MAPHERD Board of Directors in several capacities and enjoys working on important issues with this very talented and dedicated group of professionals.
She is also a health education consultant and has helped many Massachusetts districts transform their curriculum from content based to skills based.


Mary is the author of Skills-Based Health Education, first and second editions, published by Jones and Bartlett. The texts are used to train pre-service and in-service professionals how to teach skills-based health/SEL. Her third text, Teaching SEL in the Health Classroom will be available in the spring of 2021.


Mary presents at the annual MAHPERD and SHAPE America conferences and has designed and presented several SHAPE America skills-based health education webinars. She served as the Chair of the SHAPE America Task Force on Social Emotional Learning and is a member of the SHAPE Health Education Council.

School Health Education speaker on:

• Professional development
• Curriculum and assessment
• Alignment with state and national standards
• Unit and lesson development
• Pedagogical practice

With over 25 years of experience in education, leadership, and coaching, Dr. Erica Pratt has dedicated her career to fostering the growth and development of both students and educators. Dr. Pratt believes that education extends beyond the classroom, and she works tirelessly to create programs that support the holistic well-being of students and faculty. Her expertise is in pedagogical practices in Health and Physical Education and she has a passion for cultivating positive learning environments that empower individuals to achieve their full potential.

Throughout her career, Dr. Pratt has focused on key areas including curriculum construction, youth development, and teacher professional development, with a deep commitment to promoting lifelong physical activity. Her international experiences, including leading study abroad initiatives, have further enriched her perspective, enabling her to work effectively with diverse populations and bringing a global understanding to her approach in education. These experiences have earned her recognition as a leader within her field, where she is respected for her innovative strategies, research-driven insights, and commitment to continuous growth.

Whether speaking on professional learning, youth programming, or practices for enhancing health and wellness in educational settings, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a forward-thinking approach that leaves a lasting impression.

Presentations-Areas of Expertise:

• Professional Learning and Development
• Youth Programming and Leadership
• Curriculum Development in Health and Physical Education
• International Education and Study Abroad
• Research and Evidence-Based Practices in Education

Kathleen Brophy retired in June, 2024 after spending 31 years in public education. The last ten years have been focused on educator and student well-being, and the emotions that affect educators. Kathy has been recognized for multiple teaching awards for her advocacy, passion and innovation. When she isn’t working with educators, you can find her either on the dance floor or talking with folks on her podcast, Little Victories. She loves a good practical joke, and appreciates the small unexpected moments that she shares with her family.

Rhythm and Respect
Looking for relevant and meaningful skills/content to enhance or add to your physical education & health curriculum?

Partner dance, mindfulness, play, connection, consent and healthy relationships have been the majority of my work as a Health and Physical Educator for 31 years. Let me help you find ways to also integrate any or all of these themes into your high school curriculum.

I can work with your staff and/or students:

• Partner dancing, (salsa, swing, hustle, foxtrot, merengue)
• Breath work, mindfulness practices, connecting time activities
• Experiential activities to incorporate consent, healthy relationships and self defense

Experience:
2024-Present: K & A Connecting, LLC

• Various Cities/Towns
• Co-creator/instructor/facilitator
• Teach professional development (PD) courses and PD workshops focused on teaching educators self-care techniques such as mindfulness practices, yoga, and dance, with the goal of educators becoming more aware of their emotions and managing stress.
• Develop and implement curriculum for two 25 hour courses (2 graduate credits)
• Enjoy every minute of these experiences with my co-teacher and the participants!

  2015-Present Be Your Own Color and Dance with Joy

  • Continue to incorporate dance wherever and whenever I can
  • Follow her Lead

  2007-2024 Power Up / Personal Safety
  Confidence-Power-Safety: This semester class will give you the skills to take control of your life. We teach you to stay calm and focused, and to appropriately respond in the moment of fear and intimidation. This class will help you negotiate peer culture and offer skills to address bullying, while also teaching you to manage your body’s natural response to stress. Topics we will cover include: boundary setting, assertiveness, relationships, dating safety, and assault. You will practice your verbal and physical skills through simulations with a padded assailant. This course offers experiential learning in a safe and supportive environment and culminates in an all day retreat.

  • One of two schools in the state to offer this class
  • Power Up 2016

  2015-2024 Self-Care for Students
  A class focusing on teaching students self-care techniques such as mindfulness practices, gentle stretching, yoga, and partner dancing, with the goal of students becoming more aware of their emotions and managing stress.

  TESTIMONIALS & ARTICLES
  Reach Beyond Domestic Violence Gratitude
  Thank You from Impact Boston Self Defense

  Student Voices:

  “My favorite part about Ms. Brophy and her class was how responsive, sympathetic, and kind she was to her students. She always made sure that everyone was ok, and that they had what they needed, and that they were able to be the best and happiest version of themselves. She listened to her students and was eager to understand how they felt. While I met her my Sophomore year in Health class, she recognized me on the first day of Self-Care in Junior year and that made me feel like a friend. Her class has taught me that no matter what you believe, who you are, where you come from, or what is affecting you right now, we all have a role in taking care of ourselves and others.
  Thank you, Ms. Brophy” ~WHS Student~

  “Ms. Brophy was wonderfully patient and accommodating, letting me take things slow or stay on my own on days when I was having a difficult time and always making sure everyone was getting the attention and time they needed” ~WHS Student~

  Educator Testimonial:

  “I want to share the amazing experience I had with my students when Kathy Brophy came to teach a merengue/salsa class to my Spanish 5 students. We had just finished a unit on the Dominican Republic. I told my students that part of the Dominican culture was dancing. I asked Kathleen if she could do a class for me and I could not stop thanking her for granting me her time to do this class with my students. I only got positive feedback from my students and they wanted to repeat the experience. It was so amazing to see my students’ faces smiling and having so much fun after those two difficult years of COVID. Thanks Kathy so much for helping me teach my students part of my culture. I feel like students are open and ready to experience other cultures if we give them the opportunity and that day you made it happen. For ever thankful, I will always remember the great time we had. Thanks so much.”

  Luz Barrientos
  Spanish Teacher, Ed.D

  Presentations-Areas of Expertise:

  • Dance
  • High School Curriculum
  • Mindfulness
  • Consent and healthy relationships
  • Self-defense

Hillary Glencross is a passionate educator and advocate for excellence in physical education. As a professor in the Sport & Movement Science Department at Salem State University, she inspires and prepares the next generation of physical education teachers, weaving together innovative practices and a deep commitment to inclusivity.

With nearly a decade of teaching experience at Watertown High School, including five impactful years focused on middle school adapted physical education, she brings real-world expertise to her students. Her work emphasizes the power of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and thoughtful modifications, ensuring every student can thrive in physical education, while also incorporating technology into the gymnasium. Beyond the classroom, she is a driving force in the profession, co-chairing MAHPERD’s Council of Future Professionals and a member of Shape America’s Professional Preparation Council.

Known for her love of unit and lesson planning, creative assessment strategies, and advocacy for student-centered learning, she inspires peers and future educators to embrace physical education’s dynamic and inclusive potential.

Presentations-Areas of Expertise

• Secondary curriculum
• Assessment
• Technology in Physical Education

Dr. Tina M. Bozeman is a distinguished educator and curriculum leader with over 31 years of experience in health, wellness, and physical education. Dr. Bozeman is known for her unwavering commitment to student success, teacher support, and the advancement of health education and physical education programming. Throughout her career, Dr. Bozeman has been a leader in advancing state academic standards, improving pedagogy, and advocating for the integration of health and wellness education into the broader curriculum.

Dr. Bozeman’s pioneering efforts include becoming the first high school lifetime wellness and physical education teacher in Tennessee to achieve National Board Certification in 2005, a historic accomplishment that underscores her commitment to excellence in education. Her doctoral work at Middle Tennessee State University further solidified her expertise and dedication to advancing the field.

Currently, Dr. Bozeman’s work focuses on equipping educational leaders and practitioners with the tools needed to create safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments. Dr. Bozeman is recognized for her innovative approach to curriculum development and her advocacy for the critical role that health and physical education play in student success. She has contributed to a variety of professional development initiatives and has worked with school districts throughout Tennessee and Massachusetts to enhance the quality of health and wellness instruction.

Presentations-Areas of Expertise:

• Leadership
• Pedagogy
• Advocacy
• Safe & Inclusive Learning Environments

Passionate! That’s the word that sums up Barbi Kelley’s approach to the importance of physical education and health.  Barbi has spent most of her career advocating for improving the quality of physical education and health. Barbi earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 1983.  She then completed her Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching Physical Education, at Teachers College – Columbia University, NYC in 1984.

She began her teaching career in her hometown of Turners Falls, Massachusetts where she taught Elementary Physical Education for the Gill – Montague Regional School system from 1984-1988. Within the first two years she developed a proposal that resulted in students increasing physical education from one day a week to two days a week.  In 1988-1992, Barbi worked as Assistant Physical Education Director at the Jewish Community Center in Worcester, Ma. This experience allowed her to develop programs, and train and supervise staff, which helped her get the perspective of both recreation and physical education programs.  Next, Barbi returned to teaching Elementary Physical Education at Hildreth Elementary School in Harvard, Ma.  She spent the next 30 years there and was the Health and Physical Education Department leader for the past 7 years. One of her proudest accomplishments was working with administrators and school council to add elementary and middle school health programs resulting in a comprehensive Pre-K-12 Health and Physical Education program.

Over the course of her career, Barbi has given many professional development presentations on authentic assessment, educational gymnastics and teaching using the movement approach to a variety of schools throughout Massachusetts, as well as at state and national conventions.  She also was an adjunct professor for Fitchburg State University where she developed a graduate level course titled, “Using Authentic Assessment in Physical Education” which she taught for various school systems in Massachusetts and Vermont. Recently, for Salem State University she was an adjunct professor co-teaching  an Elementary Physical Education Methods course, and also  a Program Supervisor for student teacher candidates. Being able to share her love of physical education with future professionals has made the retirement process a little easier.

The MAHPERD Board is like family to Barbi. She has served on the MAHPERD board for the past twenty-six years. Barbi is proud to have the opportunity to work and learn from so many dedicated and hardworking professionals who are passionate about quality physical education, health, recreation, and dance programs in Massachusetts. Her service on the board includes many roles, such as President in 2018, Vice-President of Physical Education, Outstanding Future Professional Awards Chair, Teacher of the Year Chair, and numerous committees. She also served on the Eastern District Advisory board as a representative for MAHPERD for many years.
Barbi was greatly honored to receive the 2024 MAHPERD Joseph McKenny Award, the 2020 MAHPERD Service and Leadership Award, the 2004 Eastern District Elementary Physical Education Award, the 2003 MAHPERD Elementary Physical Education Teacher of The Year Award and the 2002 MAHPERD Honor Award.  Since retiring in 2022 Barbi continues to present and enjoys sharing her passion of elementary physical education with others.

Barbi presents on:

• Elementary Curriculum
• Assessment
• Advocacy