As president of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in 1986-87, Barbara Southwick oversaw a “grass roots” revision of the state-wide physical education curriculum. She also initiated a two-day Fitness Assessment Program in Albany to showcase physical education in New York State. More recently, she has helped re-write the Middle Country Schools curriculum and has assisted rewriting one in the Sag Harbor School District.
Indeed, Southwick has demonstrated a concern for students of all capabilities, an affection fostered during her Cortland years, since she began teaching elementary education at Middle Country Schools in 1968. For the past decade, she has taught adapted physical education in the district.
Through the years, Southwick has been at various times: a member of the New York Special Olympics Board of Directors, coordinator of the Suffolk County Special Olympics, a Games for the Disabled volunteer, a board member on the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, a member of the Town of Brookhaven Advisory Committee for the Handicapped, and active with the Games for the Physically Challenged.
In return, Southwick has received numerous merit, service and humanitarian awards, including the United Cerebral Palsy Sports Association Award, the Town of Brookhaven Youth Service Award and the NYSAHPERD “Amazing People” Award.
Southwick revealed a tenacity in earning her undergraduate degree at Cortland. A native of Bayside, N.Y., and a Bayside High graduate, the former Barbara Greene attended Cortland from September 1955 until June 1957, when she left school to concentrate her fulltime efforts on marriage and her family. She returned to Cortland in the summer of 1967 and, in 1968, earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.
“Coming back to Cortland after 10 years of raising three daughters was a difficult experience,” said Southwick, now a Selden Middle School teacher. “Utilizing movement education, then becoming popular, at the Campus School, and the strong program in adaptive physical education really helped me formulate my teaching strengths and philosophies upon entering the field.”
During her first stint at Cortland, Southwick competed on the gymnastics team. She has continued that early interest in gymnastics with workshops on the sport. In addition, Southwick serves as head bowling coach at Centereach High and assistant junior high track coach at Selden Middle School.
Southwick, who earned a master’s degree in special physical education from Adelphi University in 1976, has three daughters: Stacie, Stephanie and Synthea.
UPDATE: Captain of Golden Isles Tennis Team competing in two separate leagues (Broward County & North Dade) with 35 women roster; currently serving as chairperson of the newly expanded Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for the City of Hallandale Beach; babysitting often for Samantha (9) and Shane (4) Conner, eldest daughters' children who live in Hollywood, Fla. (2 miles away). She and youngest daughter, Synthea ('86) are both teaching in Hollywood.
UPDATE - March, 2015: Southwick retired in 1994 and began actively volunteering her time. She is the Gulfstream M.S. PSTA Treasurer, serves on their S.A.C., and often chaperone trips. In the City of Hollandale Beach, she has been on the Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for 10 years. She was the founding member of the Education Advisory Board that she was a part of for 6 years and was on the Police Athletic League Board for 5 years. Southwick continued to volunteer her time for 8 years by coordinating a Tennis Tournament for the Relay for Life and American Cancer Society earning the Top Money Maker Award in 2011 for the tournament.
