Physical Education Classes Reflect Wellness Campaign
Students should expect to sweat more in Huntington School District physical education classes this year. Teachers are including additional fitness and movement activities in their lessons and stressing more vigorous participation by all students.
The district's wellness campaign has reached into physical education classes as teachers have been discussing increasing the fitness component in daily classes over the past two years. There will even be more fitness testing to measure the progress of students on a year-to-year basis.
Teachers are routinely incorporating stretches, exercises, jump roping and either sprinting or middle distance running activities into their lessons. Some teachers are getting into target heart rates and some are pointedly stressing the many positive benefits to a regular program of exercise.
Huntington High School and J. Taylor Finley Middle School have weight training facilities and the high school has an aerobic fitness room. The Huntington Booster Club financially supported renovations to both high school rooms.
Any opportunity to incorporate hints about good nutrition and healthy eating are seized upon. Teachers ask students about their snacks and lunch choices and help the youngsters understand the role food plays in helping a person feel good physically, if not mentally, too.
Physical education department members are also moving to formalize to some degree their assessments. Teachers share such assessment information on a monthly basis with Georgia McCarthy, district director of physical education, health and interscholastic athletics. Some teachers use rubrics for each unit. For example, in soccer students might be assessed on their dribbling, passing, kicking and throw-in skills, to name just a few.
Idle time is being kept to a minimum. There is less sitting out and waiting for a turn and quicker instructions from teachers. "We want to get everyone up and moving and exercising," Mrs. McCarthy said.