Physical Education and Health
The physical education department offers a comprehensive program promoting game play, movement exploration, and wellbeing. The program provides co-educational classes aimed at developing the whole student, emphasizing game knowledge, sport-specific skill development, life skills of cooperation, leadership, problem solving, sportsmanship, and community responsibility. The health education program offers both middle school and upper school classes that provide comprehensive life-management skills. The program focuses on understanding the individual’s role in personal health and community welfare. Students will be presented with, discuss, and explore personal and community health information to promote healthy life choices.
In the Upper School two semesters are required for graduation. The Wellness class is mandatory, and the remaining one semester of the requirement can be fulfilled by any of the following courses: Basketball, Core & Cardio, Dance, Soccer, Upper School Physical Education, Volleyball, Weight Training and Yoga. Other electives offered, but are not eligible to fulfill the Physical Education graduation requirement are: Global Health Science and Sports Management.
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(1/2 credit, required)
A semester-long course designed to provide students with the foundations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Those foundations include all facets of health: physical, mental, emotional and social. The course covers loss, grief, suicide, mental disorders and stress; self-esteem and how body image affects outlook on life. It provides basic knowledge regarding how drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse affects the human body. Students will study communicable diseases including sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Some noncommunicable diseases will also be discussed including, but not limited to cancer, CVD and diabetes. The following will also be included in the course; how to examine current health news and critique the information for its validity and applicability, consumer and decision-making skills and examination of personality as well as conflict resolution.
Open to students in grades 9-10 and to transfer students in grades 11-12.
Required.
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(1/2 credit)
Health Science will be offered as a follow up to Wellness, which is typically taken freshman year. This class will build upon topics and concepts covered in the first part of the course, such as nutrition and First Aid/CPR. It will also expose students to health issues such as genetic and chromosomal diseases, disability studies, autoimmune diseases and medical careers. Certifying the students in First Aid/CPR and bringing in various speakers from health/medical fields are the proposed activities.
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(1/2 credit)
Core & Cardio is a coed active course where students will explore low impact aerobic exercises, explosive cardio drills, power and resistance moves, plyometrics, stretching, meditation, and core & balance work. Students will track their progress through pre, mid and post data collections culminating in a report analyzing their personal results and experience. New skills will be introduced in areas that may not be familiar to give you an opportunity to accept the challenge and improve personal fitness and physical maturity. Core and Cardio may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education.
Physical Education uniform is required.Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The basketball course is designed to develop the student’s fundamental skills, court awareness, verbal skills, and overall understanding of the game through the introduction and active participation in group drills, individual drills, and classroom lectures. The student will begin to develop an understanding and desire to properly implement concepts and individual skills into game situations. Students will also learn how to manage stress, control distractions, and work with teammates. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The purpose of this course is to provide fundamental learning experiences for high school students in the area of sports management. Students will learn the daily operation of sports organizations, rules, laws, and the role of an athletic director. The course will focus on the history, rules, safety, ethics and overall daily preparation to operate sports at the high school, college and professional level. Students may be expected to attend sporting events outside class time to fully achieve expected knowledge level. Not eligible to satisfy Physical Education graduation requirements.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The soccer course is designed to develop the student’s fundamental skills, spatial awareness, verbal skills, and overall understanding of the game through the introduction and active participation in group drills, individual drills, and classroom lectures. Students will begin to develop an understanding and desire to properly implement concepts and individual skills into game situations. Students will also learn how to manage stress, control distractions, and work with teammates. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The course features a variety of components, including fitness, and various individual and team-sport activities. Students will have the opportunities to learn various games, the skills and rules of play to allow for cooperative game play while developing fitness components. Students may experience traditional games as well as non-traditional sport modules. Students’ health fitness components will be assessed by the PE Fitness Assessment, providing the student with clear results and understanding of their current health fitness status.This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The Volleyball Course offers the basic fundamentals that support the sport of volleyball. This course will help students develop individual skills, team complex skills and group cooperative attitudes that are conducive to learning. Physical conditioning allows students to work on perfecting their volleyball skills. New skills will be introduced to challenge and give students an opportunity to improve in all areas of the game. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
The importance of physical fitness has been established as a basic life skill. The students in this class will be introduced to the proper lifting skills and routines as a means of creating a healthy lifestyle. During this course, students will be introduced to the usage of equipment in the weight room. Students will be shown how to effectively stretch, and develop muscle strength. These basic skills of weight lifting and the fundamentals of proper lifting techniques are important for understanding exercise and how it affects an overall body-workout. We will, as a class, be using the Bigger, Faster, Stronger (BFS program). During the course of each day students run a short distance for a warm up. Students will have an opportunity to add to or change his/ her personal workout program in order to maximize their time in class. As the course continues each student will be required to follow the BFS workout program for the duration of the semester. Weight Training may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
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(1/2 credit)
Students will learn the main yoga postures, the impact of yoga poses on the body, breathing techniques, and mindfulness and relaxation methods. Students will acquire an understanding of yoga etiquette and terminology. This course can benefit the students by teaching them stress reduction techniques, helping them create a positive body image and enhancing their health and wellbeing while participating in physical fitness. They will cultivate community and learn to be a part of a noncompetitive class environment by valuing differences and yoga fitness practice. They will obtain the skills, understanding, and tools to maintain a regular yoga and mindfulness practice. The yoga curriculum is designed to complement the Physical Education offerings. Yoga may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education.
Open to students in grades 9-12.
Matthew LevinDirector of Middle School Athletics | Physical Education and Health Department Chair(305) 251-2230 ext. 255University of Miami - B.S.2017
William Gonzalez(305) 251-2230 ext. 254University of Havana - B.A.
Judi JenningsPhysical Education Department(305) 251-2230 ext. 249Springfield College - B.S.
Eric PerriStrength and Conditioning Coordinator(305) 251-2230 ext. 173Jackson State University - B.S.2015
