When you meet Robyne Petitt, a health and fitness teacher at Rummel Creek Elementary (RCE) School in Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD), you immediately realize how much she loves her job.

“I feel energized teaching my young students the importance of developing healthy habits by fostering a love of movement and balancing it with proper nutrition,” she said.

Petitt teaches three gym classes daily and constantly looks for ways to infuse creativity into the lessons, introducing students to nontraditional physical education activities such as bowling, rollerblading, tennis, and even pickleball.

“Every student should have the chance to move, play, learn, and have some fun while doing it,” she said.

For Petitt, physical education is more than just exercise—it’s about acquiring life skills that benefit students in various aspects of their lives.

“Through creative games and activities, students unknowingly develop teamwork, perseverance, and an appreciation for inclusivity, which is critically important for their overall development,” she said.

During Inclusion Week, for example, students in Petitt’s class host their version of the Paralympics to help them better understand each other’s differences, cultivate acceptance, and build empathy.

In addition to physical fitness, Petitt teaches her students about nutrition and how the two go hand in hand.

“We talk about the importance of eating enough lean protein, healthy carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables,” she said. “But I also want to make sure they know they don’t have to be so regimented that they can’t indulge in a treat now and then.”

Petitt’s dedication to health and wellness goes beyond what she teaches in the classroom. As a board member of the Spring Branch Health and Fitness Teacher Association, she collaborates with colleagues to support one another and strengthen their respective programs.

“The tight-knit community and open exchange of ideas are things I have always enjoyed about teaching in SBISD,” Petitt said.

Petitt’s commitment to growth doesn’t stop with teaching. She recently earned her master’s degree from Lamar University and aspires to one day become a principal.

“I believe that as educators, we should always be learning and growing—just as we encourage our students to do. Earning my master’s degree was a step toward my goal of becoming a principal, and I hope to inspire others to continue pushing forward in their own journeys,” she said.

Despite her busy schedule, Petitt understands that leading by example is just as important as her lessons. She prioritizes her health by exercising before or after school and nourishing her body with nutritious food.

Her enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication to helping students with their fitness extend far beyond the gym. Whether she’s introducing a new activity, teaching the importance of balance in nutrition, or inspiring her colleagues, Petitt’s impact is evident—she is shaping a generation of students who view health and wellness not as a chore but as a lifelong, enjoyable journey.

#SBISDProud

It is kind of amazing that just 28 days ago, the second graders at Meadow Wood Elementary planted tiny lettuce seeds into fibrous pods. Each pod was placed on a rack that was inserted into a hydroponic growing chamber, created by Fork Farm, located in the corner of the cafeteria.

For the next four weeks after the planting, staff members of the School Nutrition Services (SNS) team in Spring Branch ISD came back to the school to lead the second-graders in lessons about where food comes from, what is needed for growth, the types of farms where food grows, parts of the plant, pollinators, and composting.

By the harvest day at the end of the month-long growing cycle, the pods in the racks were full of lush lettuces, each with long roots that had been in the nutrients and water inside the Flex Farm tank. No soil was needed!

For the harvest day lesson, Assistant Director of SNS Maggie Mae Kennedy discussed with the students the meanings of vocabulary words ripe and harvest. She also read them a story about the many types of food that come from harvests, as well as the need for cleanliness and storing the food properly.

Eating Their Efforts

When asked how likely it would be for them to try eating the lettuce they helped grow this month, one second-grader said, “We put effort into it and now we want to put that effort into our bodies.”

Each student got to remove a lettuce plant from the growing frame and add it to a harvest bin to be delivered to the cafeteria staff to prep for serving salads to the second graders during lunch period two days hence.

“It feels fresh,” said a second-grade boy while observing his harvested lettuce plant with its 10-inch roots.

SNS dietician Liz Lofgren LC polled the second graders about what they liked in their salads so she could build a menu for the Meadow Wood School Nutrition staff to follow when serving the harvested lettuce two days later. Salad toppings such as carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, croutons, and even steak and chicken were mentioned by the students. When asked what kind of dressing they preferred, the majority voted with a show of hands for ranch, with Caesar and avocado-lime dressings coming in second and third.

Lofgren immediately began ordering the hoped-for ingredients from the SNS suppliers so everything would be ready for serving the “home-grown” salad to the Meadow Wood second-graders.

Even for Breakfast

Another student said she didn’t really like salad, but admitted that it would be worth trying what they had grown and harvested because, “Sometimes if you try a new thing, you find out you like it.” She said it was possible she might start eating salad every day, even for breakfast!!

As the students filed out of the cafeteria after harvesting the lettuce, they got high fives from Kennedy and Lofgren for helping to grow the produce. Some were heard singing, “Bye, bye lettuce! Bye, bye lettuce!”

The next stop for the hydroponic Flex Farm unit is Housman Elementary, where a new “crop” of second-graders will have the joy of growing a salad while learning how and where the food they eat originates!