On Tuesday morning, students walk in peaceful groups around the Tiger Hollow track, while more intense games of Ultimate Frisbee take up the field. This year, for the first time, ninth and tenth graders could choose between three Physical Education course options: Fitness, Recreation, or Competitive, all of which align with state PE standards.
“It’s so great,” says PE teacher Paul Renouf, who also teaches Health and coaches the Boys Varsity Soccer Team. “The kids love it.” His Recreation class is playing a game of Soccer Darts, or what looks like soccer bocce—working in teams to land the ball closest to a cone. He explains how they can kick the ball in the air to change the game and make it more challenging. Students appear fully engaged in the friendly competition, which also provides an opportunity for them to get to know each other. “I had my students vote,” says Renouf, “and they wanted to do a unit on soccer.”
While refereeing and giving tips to the Ultimate Frisbee Competitive class, Senior PE teacher Joe Arcieri explains that RHS wanted to increase student engagement in PE and expand choice. The majority of students opted for Recreation, but there are multiple classes of Fitness and Competitive, indicating varied student interest. Several students in both the recreation and fitness classes are wearing game jerseys, which reveals that RHS athletes are represented in all three levels.
The idea is to promote lifelong exercise and fitness habits. Last week, Shaun Gallagher’s fitness students met in the RHS weight room. At the beginning of class, students had completed a SMART (Specific · Measurable · Attainable · Relevant · Time-based) exercise to establish goals. Then, some were lifting weights, others were finishing a Peloton stretch before getting on a treadmill or stationary bike.
Allison Blume’s Recreation and Fitness students are currently engaged in a walking unit, which also calls for self-reflection and goal-setting. Blume says that her students filled out a Mood Meter (borrowed from Mr. Renouf’s toolkit) to record how they felt before starting their laps under a beautiful September sky, and recorded whether they felt better, the same, or worse after the walk.
Connecticut requires students to have a full PE credit to graduate, so RHS students take one semester or half a credit in their first and second years. By giving students choice in how they earn that credit, RHS hopes to encourage all students to establish healthy habits. RHS Principal Dr. Jake Greenwood writes, “I am incredibly proud of our PE teachers. Their dedication to differentiation, student engagement, and physical fitness sets a high standard for PE programs everywhere.”
