What is your WHY?

In this episode, Lori speaks with Christine Levy, Founder of Levy Educational Advocacy®, about PANS/PANDAS and how these conditions can impact a student’s learning, behavior, and emotional well-being. Christine discusses the importance of recognizing sudden changes, looking beyond behavior, and using meaningful school supports, including 504 Plans and IEPs, to support the whole child. Connect: www.levyadvocacy.com Free Resource: Seeing the Invisible Guidebook & Toolkit To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com. Remember to watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here.

In this episode, returning guest Michelle Rawcliffe talks with Lori about doing what is best for students in the Health Education classroom. Items discussed include listening to what students need/want, simplifying your teaching while making sure lessons are meaningful (including using the NHES), student-centered, skill-based lessons, and using no or limited technology.

Responsibility.org provides school health educators with evidence-informed resources to help prevent underage drinking. In this episode, Thomas Grane, Director of Educational Programs at Responsibility.org, describes these resources, including the organization’s newest lessons from their Responsible Teens program designed specifically for high school students. These lessons emphasize essential life skills that empower students to make informed, healthy decisions and navigate real-world situations with confidence. You can contact Thomas Grane at [email protected]. Remember to watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

This episode introduces fellow health educators from the Midwest who are passionate about and deeply committed to school health education. After sharing their backgrounds and areas of passion, guests Stephen Chapin, Matthew Hagedorn, and Ian Lacasse discuss the HPE Hangout podcast and their experiences in the field. Click here to watch this episode on the School Health Educators podcast channel. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

Health education closely aligns with the social and emotional learning (SEL) concepts embraced by many schools. In this episode, guests Michelle Rawcliffe and Emily Zien discuss the current work of SHAPE America’s National Health Education Council to update the 2019 Health Education/SEL Crosswalk. They explain that the goal of the updated document is to advocate for and support health educators in their efforts to teach social, emotional, and mental health content, while also developing students’ social, emotional, and mental health literacy skills. Michelle Rawcliffe, [email protected], is the Chair of SHAPE America’s National Health Education Council and the curriculum and content manager of CATCH Global Foundation. Emily Zien, [email protected], is a member of the SHAPE America Health Education Council. She has taught PE and Health in four countries (Qatar, Singapore, Italy, and USA) and was the 2025 Oregon SHAPE Middle School PE Teacher of the Year. Emily is a former Division I water polo student-athlete and a lifelong mover. Click here to watch this on the School Health Educators podcast channel. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

In this episode, Lori asks the question, “What is your why for teaching and supporting school health education?” She then shares her own answer, highlighting three reasons that inspire her work. Click here to watch this on the School Health Educators podcast channel. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

Before you dive into your next year of teaching health education, why not explore the School Health Educators’ Podcast? In this episode, Lori gives a quick, engaging roundup of every episode released so far this year, making it easy to discover the conversations, strategies, and teaching ideas that can inspire your classroom. Whether you’re looking for fresh lesson ideas or practical tips, you’ll find the perfect episode to press play on. Remember you can watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

Dr. Paula Youmell returns to the podcast to discuss how teachers can reset their nervous system over this or any school break. Her ideas include being in nature, eating real foods including healthy fats, getting sunlight and moonlight, and performing inner conscious connection activity (ex. doing yoga, breathing exercises, knitting, praying). Remember you can watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here. Email Dr. Paula Youmell at [email protected] and/or check out her website at:  https://www.paulayoumellrn.com/ Paula’s previous episode can be found here. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

Returning guest, Andy Milne, shares his summer reading recommendations for HE and PE teachers. The four books are: Ditching Weight Stigma (by Cait O’Connor), The Way of Excellence (by Brad Stulberg), Getting Real About Sex Ed (by Shafia Zaloom), and On Sports (by David MacFarland). Connect with Andy Milne through any of his social media accounts as well as at his website at www.slowchathealth.com. More information for the HPE Summer Book Club Recommendations is found at https://slowchathealth.com/2026/05/01/summer-book-club-2/ Remember you can watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.

As the school year comes to an end for many HE teachers, the summer provides us with time to recharge before another school year. In this episode Nicole Sheffer, SHAPE America’s Southern District Teacher of the Year for 2026, shares how she recharges to inspire others. Discussed ideas include professional development, connections with other educators, and supporting teacher morale. You can connect with Nicole Sheffer by emailing her at: [email protected] Remember you can watch this episode on the School Health Educators YouTube channel here. To be a guest on the School Health Educators’ Podcast or to contact Lori about other things, email her at [email protected] or check out her websites at: www.schoolhealtheducators.org and www.lorireichel.com.