Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Debra Duardo congratulates extraordinary local educator Robert Schmidlein, who has been honored as a winner of the SHAPE Teacher of the Year Award Western District. Robert Schmidlein teaches at Monroe High School in North Hills, CA, which is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District and has been recognized as High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year. 

The SHAPE Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding performance and the ability to motivate today's youth to participate in a lifetime of physical activity. Founded in 1885, SHAPE America serves as the voice for more than 200,000 professionals in those disciplines across the United States.

“Congratulations to an amazing local teacher who has created and delivered innovative physical education practices for healthy lifestyles to children that are beneficial today and will last a lifetime," Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Debra Duardo. “Robert Schmidlein is helping where it counts the most, by enriching the daily lives of our students, and we are honored to recognize his exceptional work and commitment.” 

The Western District honorees were selected after an extensive process that included consideration of more than a dozen local educators. Schmidlein will now be considered for the SHAPE America national awards to be announced during SHAPE America's 2023 National Convention & Expo planned for this Spring.

SHAPE America has defined excellent in physical education through National Standards for K-12 Physical Education and helped develop the National Health Education Standards with discipline areas including biomechanics, dance, exercise physiology and fitness, health, leisure and recreation, measurement and evaluation, motor behavior, pedagogy, physical activity epidemiology, psychology, sociocultural aspects of physical activity, special populations, sport management, and sports medicine.

SHAPE America – the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) serves as the voice for 200,000+ health and physical education professionals across the United States. The organization’s community includes a diverse membership of health and physical educators, as well as advocates, supporters, and 50+ state affiliate organizations. Since its founding in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education. For decades, SHAPE America’s National Standards for K-12 Physical Education have served as the foundation for well-designed physical education programs across the country. Additionally, the organization helped develop and owns the National Health Education Standards.