Physical Education - by Lisa Best
Our Physical Education program encompasses all areas of wellness and health. Every class focuses on teaching our students how to take responsibility for their own physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Every sport is taught throughout the school year through a non-competitive approach. Therefore, competition is not the focus of our physical education program. Instead our program is focused on learning new locomotor skills, improving existing locomotor skills, eating healthy, having fun, and practicing core virtues.
In the beginning of the year, 2nd-8th grade underwent a fitness assessment. The assessment tested their strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. This initial assessment allows the students to observe their strengths and weaknesses within these three components of fitness. The assessment gives them a clear picture of health goals that they can focus on throughout the school year. The students are then taught about goal setting. Each class is taught proper nutrition and the importance of making healthy choices within their diet, as well as, practical core virtue lessons which guide the students in taking responsibility for the way they treat themselves and others. This wholistic physical health education program provides enough practical feedback to the student, so that they may create four personal health goals throughout the school year. Every two months they are able to reflect upon their goals and observe the health benefits that have resulted from their efforts. At the end of the school year, they will undergo the same assessment to show their growth in their physical fitness.
Our amazing middle-school students are ready to take on more leadership within our school community. During inclement weather days, they have started to embark upon a new leadership curriculum called “Habitudes”. This curriculum focuses on how to build a solid inner foundation of virtue. As they grow in virtue, they grow in a sense of inner worth and value. This foundation is an integral part of becoming a valuable leader in their relationships to the world.