CCSD Teacher Wins Top State Award for Physical Education Programs

A Cherokee County School District teacher has earned the top state award for school physical education programs!

The Free Home Elementary School program, led by teacher Coach Keith Furstenberg, has earned the Award of Excellence in Physical Education presented by the Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

The annual award honors the most exemplary physical education program offered in Georgia public schools.  Judges review PE program activities that were conducted in the immediate past school year to determine the winner.

“Keith’s performance as an educator, role model and community leader is evident,” said Amy Aenchbacher Martinez, the association’s awards chair.  She also praised his “dedication to his students, peers and professional association.”

The 2020 Georgia winner of the national Sanford Teacher Award, Coach Furstenberg’s numerous honors also include being named Free Home’s 2019 Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year for a previous school and Forsyth County’s Environmental Educator of the Year – two times.  He has more than 25 years of experience teaching PE, art and special education.

Coach Furstenberg is known among his colleagues districtwide for his creative in-class and after-school programs and for his success in earning competitive grants to support those programs.  His most recent grants have included a 2023 PHIT America Play Pickleball grant for equipment and curriculum to begin teaching and playing pickleball and a 2023 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Classroom Grant to fund his STEM Rocket program.  His successful Marathon Kids fitness club also was featured this summer in Brooks Running’s new national campaign.

Coach Furstenberg will be honored at association’s annual convention in Athens in October.  He also will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower at the School Board’s October meeting.

“Congratulations to Keith – this is just the latest feather in his impressive collection of top accolades, which all speak to his strong dedication to his profession, his school and his students,” Dr. Hightower. “We believe PE programs greatly benefit our students’ health and wellbeing, and Keith is a leader among his peers statewide and nationally in providing innovative and engaging lessons.”
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Coach Keith Furstenberg at the Free Home ES Rocket Run this week.