OMS educator named

Amanda Flohrs, who teaches physical education and health at Owatonna Middle School, has been selected as the Minnesota Society of Health and Physical Educators’ Middle School PE Teacher of the Year award.

As the state winner, Flohrs will be able to submit materials to be considered for the Central District Teacher of the Year, then the SHAPE National Teacher of the Year.

“I saw a need with the special ed kids,” she told the Steele County Times last year, in a story about Unified PE, a program she and a colleague proposed. It brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together in a meaningful and inclusive setting.

The special needs students “were in the building, but always off in their own little area,” Flohrs said. “In the lunchroom, they always sat at the same tables, but by themselves. I wanted to bring everybody together.”

In January 2023, she and Heather Elfering, who teaches Developmental Adaptive Physical Education, or DAPE, developed and taught the district’s first Unified PE course.

General education students begin the class with 30 minutes of classroom instruction where they learn about leadership, disabilities, inclusion, communication, perspective-taking, and more. Following this, students eat lunch together to build social connections, then engage in 58 minutes of physical activity in the gym. Throughout the first two years, students participated in activities such as archery, climbing, soccer, swimming, fishing, and floor hockey.

The success of this class exceeded all expectations, Flohrs said in her submission for the state SHAPE award.

What started with simple hallway greetings evolved into students sitting together at lunch and forming lasting friendships beyond the school setting. At the end of the year, one student shared that while they had enjoyed the Water Works elective, Unified PE was the class that would stay with them forever.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to see how this course created a ripple effect of inclusion, proving that meaningful change is possible when we are willing to try,” she said.

Due to the overwhelmingly positive response, the program has expanded to two sections at the middle school this year, and a new Unified PE class at Owatonna High School.

“This growth reflects not only student interest, but also strong district and community support for inclusive physical education programming,” Flohrs said.

She has also designed and taught unique electives such as Water Works, which features aquatic activities including swimming, paddle boarding and even scuba diving. In collaboration with local organizations, the classes provide students with experiences beyond traditional PE settings.

Flohrs created a climbing program through community education and led classes for a range of participants, including parent-child groups, middle school students, adult women and couples.

In addition to her academic instruction, Flohrs serves as a mentor to new educators, has guided multiple student teachers and written several grants for equipment used in classes.

She has been a volunteer coach for the OHS trap team; fourth-grade volleyball team; 10U traveling softball team and is completing training to become a 4-H chapter leader.

The awards ceremony will take place during the MNSHAPE State Conference Nov. 2 at Lakeville South High School.