P.B. Ritch Middle

Dave Senecal has been a physical education specialist in Paulding County since 1997. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Kennesaw State University and earned his master’s degree in Physical Education Curriculum and Instruction from Western Kentucky University. He opened Nebo Elementary school where he built a well-respected program and earned Teacher of the Year in 2012. He pursued an opportunity to open P.B. Ritch Middle School in Paulding County in 2012 and has built an award winning program there. Dave earned Teacher of the Year at PB Ritch Middle School in 2015. Dave is the current GAHPERD and Southern District SHAPE Middle School Teacher of the Year.  He has served as the volunteer elementary and middle physical education professional development coordinator for his district. In 2008, Dave was selected to be on a team of sixteen physical education specialists to write the current Georgia Physical Education Standards. Dave is currently serving on the Paulding County Wellness Committee to revise and rewrite the county wellness plan. Dave has served as recreation chair and VP of GAHPERD. Dave also received the 2010 GAHPERD Recreation Specialist of the Year award. He has served on the Southern Off-road Bicycle Association (SORBA) executive board and served as president of the non-profit mountain bike club Paulding SORBA for 6 years. Dave has been instrumental in the design and installation of 20+ miles of recreational trails in and around Paulding County.

Dave has been able to secure multiple grants that have led to classroom sets of equipment that allowed many middles school students to experience activities that they would otherwise never have had the opportunity to experience in their community such as rugby, disc golf, longboarding, circus arts and mountain biking. Dave has presented at several local, district and state workshops. Dave and his wife also own a dance school that teaches over 300 students on a weekly basis. In his spare time Dave enjoys the following in no particular order: Road Cycling, Mountain biking, Bicycle Repair and maintenance, Trail Running, Paddle Boarding, Paddle Packing, Adventure Racing, Wilderness Survival, Nutrition/Human Performance, Outdoor Cooking, Hiking/Backing, Camping, Trout Fishing, Team Building/Problem Solving, Trail Design and Construction, Orienteering/GPS/Mapping  and INVENTING