SUN VALLEY – Jack Burr says he retired as a teacher from the Washoe County School District in 2004, but one would never know it these days with all the energy he still displays when he’s around children. He can do jumping jacks, stretches and play tennis with 5- to 10-year-olds – and make it all fun with songs and chants.

Lately, Burr has helped out with keeping kids active in physical education at Sun Valley Elementary School three days a week, but budget cuts quickly have been paring down schools to their core mission of academics. Burr’s position has been supported by community donations but that money is rapidly becoming in short supply, if it’s not already gone.

“I’m at the mercy of fundraisers,” Burr said.

The school held a jog-a-thon in spring 2009, but it didn’t bring in enough money to support the PE program through June of this year. Other efforts and monetary gifts have come in but they’re still not enough to last the semester, said Sun Valley Principal Rhonda Van Deusen.

The school has received generous assistance from businesses in the community to keep the PE program alive, Van Deusen said. Hobey’s Casino contributed $1,000 and Kohl’s A-Team Award gave $500. In December, Sun Valley Optimist provided more than $3,500 of gifts for kindergarteners through third graders and Sun Valley Kiwanis members also volunteer their time and donate bikes for various raffles and incentive programs, she said.

Sun Valley Optimist most recently gave $500 to the school’s PE fund and the school itself hosted a McTeacher Night at local McDonald’s restaurants, which generated $450 specifically for Burr to continue leading the students in physical activities.

Sun Valley Elementary School kids only get one half-hour of physical education time in an entire school week. So when they’re excused to go spend time with Burr, they’re antsy to be outdoors and exercise and Burr ensures they’ll do more than just play sports. He brings in instruments he created himself to help with hand-eye coordination or balance.

“He teaches skills of different types of sports and he has rules and plenty of materials,” Van Deusen said. “It’s not just recess and the kids are not just running around the track. … It’s more skill-specific. They’re learning PE skills in an organized way.”

Burr starts off each class with some warm-up exercises and he makes it fun and engaging so that most students can follow along easily. He’ll count, sing, whatever it takes to motivate the kids and spark their interest in becoming active and developing healthy habits.

“This is the time for them to be out and let off some steam,” Burr said.

Burr said he is only one of two teachers in the district whose sole focus is on PE. That benefits Sun Valley as a whole, Van Deusen said.

“While the students are at PE, the teachers meet in grade levels to collaborate about student data, behavior, curriculum and lesson planning,” she said. “Without a credentialed P.E. teacher, not only would the students lose out on P.E., but the teachers would not have a regular time to meet as a grade level.”

She said research has proven that allowing those teachers that time to collaborate on a regular basis helps to increase student achievement.

It also gives the kids an outlet to use the energy they build up after spending so much time indoors.

“They need time to release,” Van Deusen said.

That was evident on Thursday when some students came flying out to the school’s blacktop area where a portion of the pavement has dots painted on it for kids to take position for warm-ups.

“I like Mr. Burr because he’s really fun and he keeps the school really fun and he likes people to play with his equipment,” said 9-year-old Kyler Marzan. “He keeps being nice to us. He helps us to get healthy and he tells us jokes.”

Marzan said his favorite game to play is Burr’s own “rocket launcher,” a long wooden stick with a bowl attached to it that launches a ball into the air when a student steps on the end of the stick.

Most kids, however, have a common favorite. The blacktop area has a slight slope where most of the kids can enjoy a rare treat: riding down the hill on circular scooters. The activity is safe as long as they remain seated but if they want to try it in a different position – say, on their knees – Burr makes sure they wear helmets.

On Thursday, some students made a chain and held hands as they all slid down the hill together.

Burr said his request is for the community to keep donating to the school so he can carry on his work with the kids.

Van Deusen said he provides an important service for the kids and the school staff and the children enjoy having him there.

“The kids love him,” she said. “He’s so patient. … The teachers, parents and kids appreciate all he does for him. He gives them a lot of self-esteem.”