Coach Katie Rocks Portland

  1. Updates

Congratulations to our February Portland Program Coordinator of the Month, Coach Katie!

Every day at Rigler Elementary, Coach Katie is a force of play. She runs six class game times, four recesses, and an after school program. Yet Katie still finds time to develop creative, colorful, fun structures and systems for every single component of program.

Katie’s bulletin board is off the hook. It includes announcements for recess, a tournaments section and a junior coach highlight section. She has rules posted for every game at recess, a traveling after-school program and recess expectations board. In addition, she’s implemented a school-wide incentive system for positive behavior, and she paints her playground regularly with paw prints, rock paper scissors, and lines.

Katie consistently is adding to her program and never settles for average. She gives suggestions, regularly adds to the program coordinator website, shares her equipment, helps to facilitate first year trainings, runs games at school staff meetings, leads her school assemblies — all with the energy of a 10 year old and with a smile on her face.

Katie recently organized and ran a school wide ‘Jump Rope for Heart’ fundraiser, which was a huge success. Katie has become such an integral part of the Rigler community that even teachers use extra time with Coach Katie as an incentive. When teachers are struggling with those challenging students, it is often Katie they call for assistance in the classroom.

Katie really is a “super coach” and she does it all with some serious SWAG!

Booty bump, double hi-five, and a whoosh clap to you, Coach Katie. YOU ROCK!!

More Updates


January 10, 2023

Understanding the Complex Simplicities of Play ›

Play is a behavior that is natural and has existed for thousands of years and across species. It combines a set of made-up rules or norms and a willingness to…

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February 4, 2022

Believe in Me Foundation Visits with Playworks ›

Julie Wukelic, from the Believe in Me Foundation for Kids, visited with our ED Asia Wisecarver and SC Paige Evans last week. Playworks PacNW was recently rewarded with a $5,000…

August 24, 2021

Playworks Founder Jill Vialet Publishes ‘Why Play Works’ ›

Play brings out the best in every kid. Over the course of 25 years since Jill Vialet founded Playworks, she and her colleagues, as well as researchers and play experts,…