NAME:
Mrs. Cindy Clifford
SCHOOL:
St.Denis /St.Columba School
CLASS:
Physical Education - Grades 1-8
SCHOOL PHONE:
(845)227-7777
Mrs. Clifford made the decision to become a teacher in the field of
Physical Education when she was in the seventh grade. She made that decision
because of the connection she had made with her Phys.Ed. teachers
(especially Mrs. Darcy) and the connection she was making with sports in
general. She took advantage of the opportunity to play Field hockey, Soccer,
Softball,Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball and train extensively on a
professional trampoline. Most of these sports were either after school or
interscholastic. In High School she played basketball and went out for the
track team. There was not a girls team so she, and a handful of other
girls, practiced with the boys. She was then chosen to be a cheerleader and
did that for the remainder of high school.
College offered additional sports opportunities where she participated and
competed in Field Hockey, Basketball,Tennis, Swimming, Water Stunts and
Diving, Rugby, Volleyball, Lacrosse and Track and Field which led to
additional team competition and the drive to pursue a career in the field of
health and fitness. She was awarded her Bachelor degree from Springfield
College in HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION,RECREATION AND DANCE for grades K-12
and continued her education at Queens College in Exercise Physiology.
After 13 years of working in, managing and designing corporate Fitness
Centers she began to plan a family and chose to leave her full time job and
dedicate her time to being a full-time mom. When her children were old
enough to go to school she made her way back to teaching in the school
system
The 2009-2010 school year will be her twelfth year at St. Denis/ St Columba
School.
She teaches conventional activities as well as non-conventional activities
designed to build teamwork skills and problem solving skills. Her interest
is to offer information about health and fitness and provide an atmosphere
in her classes where each student has the opportunity to participate and
find a level of success. Every student may not be an athlete but every
student can succeed.
Mrs. Clifford and her husband have two children of their own, a son and a
daughter, one starting college and one in High School.Both are actively
involved in sports.
She looks forward to a terrific school year and welcomes questions, feedback
(both constructive and positive)and comments from both students and parents.
She enjoys the outdoors and most creatures of nature, especially frogs and
other reptiles.
Mrs. Clifford’s mission is to offer an atmosphere where all students can
participate and find a level of success. Students will be able to do
traditional activities such as basketball, volleyball, soccer and kickball
as well as a variety of other activities that will work their brains and
their bodies sometimes through non conventional games or problem solving
and team building activities.
Students do not have to be good athletes to succeed in Phys. Ed. She is
looking for participation, willingness to try new activities, team work,
cooperation and problem solving as well as respect for one another. Students
that are obviously good athletes have the opportunity not only to do well
themselves physically but are in a great position to lend a helping hand to
a classmate that the activity may not come to as easily.
