BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Bill Specht, an Adapted Physical Education teacher for the Baldwin County School System, has been selected by the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance as the Outstanding Middle School Teacher of the Year.

Specht began teaching physical education and served as athletic director at St. Benedict School in Elberta in 1999. In 2003, he joined the Baldwin County School System.

At both the Catholic and public schools he quickly established himself as an exceptional physical education teacher at all levels, teaching pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. He now primarily works with students with disabilities in 15 Baldwin County schools. After working 16 years as a Recreation Therapist Specht says, “it was easy transitioning to education.”  Super Special Soccer Saturday for disabled children, Super Special Summer Bowling, and Super Special Adapted Swimming are programs that he created and ran after school, on Saturdays, and in the summer.

Additionally, in the summer he volunteers at Hermano Pedro, an orphanage for 60 wheelchair bound children in Antigua, Guatemala. He also organizes groups to go with him. Specht began working with disabled children in 1969 while serving on active duty in the Air Force.

 He served four years of active duty and twenty five years in the reserves as a medic, retiring in 2004. Specht’s philosophies are, “think outside of the box” and “Just because it is physical, doesn’t mean it is education.” Treating all students, regardless of their behavior, intellectual level, or physical limitations with respect and dignity is paramount to him. 

Patience, tolerance, and a sense of humor are qualities for which he is most often recognized, as well as, his knowledge and expertise beyond the scope of physical education. As the result of his “thinking outside of the box” philosophy, he has invented several adapted sports apparatus for archery, T-ball, basketball, and golf putting. Specht’s commitment to education, his community; his innovative thinking and problem solving, enthusiasm for his work and his boundless energy are many of his qualities that identified him as one of Alabama’s best.

Specht received the award Nov. 6 in Birmingham, at the Alabama State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Fall Conference.