A Portage Life in The Spotlight: Cheryl Girman

A Portage Life in The Spotlight: Cheryl Girman

When thinking about school, images of classrooms, desks, and textbooks quickly jump to mind. However, one of the most important classrooms in a school lacks all of those traditional bookish tools - the gym. Cheryl Girman leads physical education classes at Fegely Middle School, and knows that PE is essential to keeping kids active, healthy, and engaged with their peers.

Girman, a Butler University graduate, knew early on that she wanted to work with people. Coming from a family of educators, going into teaching seemed like the best fit. She did sports and studied physical education in college, and never entertained the idea of a research profession even while earning her Master’s degree.

“I remember even when I was working on my Master’s they said, ‘oh, you should go into research or blah blah blah,’” recalled Girman. “I thought about it and went, ‘are you kidding me?’ being in a library and researching, not even interacting with people? No way!”

Born and raised in Portage, she initially wanted to stay in Indianapolis after finishing school. Her mother persuaded her to apply to the Portage School System, where she landed a position that she has kept ever since. She floated through several schools in the system, doing coaching, PE, and leading health classes, but settled in at Fegely.

“I enjoyed all of them, but I felt middle school was the best fit for me,” she explained “Like with elementary, you’re running around at two or three schools and you don’t feel as close with the kids or staff. Whereas at one building you’re like family, especially at Fegely, which you might’ve heard called ‘the Fegely Family.’”

Girman loves just about everything there is to being a PE teacher. From her own childhood up until today, she’s appreciated sports and physical activity, believing there is something in the class for everyone. One of the highlights of her role however, is that she gets to teach all the grade levels at Fegely.

“I get to see sixth, seventh, and eighth graders,” Girman said. “I have some kids three years in a row, and I get to see them mature and grow. I get to watch them find successes, whether it be running a mile or improving on their curl-ups and push-ups. Those are just some of the things that make it enjoyable and worthwhile for me.”

Being able to form a strong bond with her students and trying to be a positive influence is something Girman highly values. Though she no longer coaches, she still makes an effort to help and support students even outside the classroom.

“I still officiate volleyball,” she said. “And I volunteer with different sports to be able to see them, or just attend events even if I’m not helping because that means the world to kids. Whether they’re involved in athletics, singing, or playing an instrument, they need that positive reinforcement.”

Girman is also big on the value of family. This family includes her husband, two kids, and sisters. Both her and her husband’s families placed strong importance on the family bond, something she continues with her own.

“I think we both came from families that were close and respectful of each other,” said Girman. “They saw the importance of family, so we love to be with our family as much as we can, whether it be going up to the dunes or on little excursions to Michigan. Everybody has their own interests, but we all realize how important family is.”

Having lived in the Region all her life, Girman appreciates the things that make Northwest Indiana the place that it is, like the seasonal changes.

“I like the changes in the season,” she said. “I love the fall, and I don’t hate winter. I love that it snows around Christmas, and the spring is beautiful when it comes.”

Strong values, a passion for education, and her love for family are all parts of what makes Girman such a great educator and positive force in the community.