Students enrolled in the Lincoln Public Schools will have scheduled Physical Education class for a minimum of one period per week throughout the school year. The total number of minutes for Physical Education instruction will not be less than 50 minutes per week. Students will spend at least 50 percent of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Student participation in other activities that involve physical activity (e.g. intramural or interscholastic athletics) will not replace the physical education requirement. Decisions about scheduling Physical Education should take into considerations the time recommendations of various health and educational professional organizations.

 

 

A licensed education teacher will teach all physical education classes. In addition, the district will support efforts for physical education teachers to remain current in their specialization as well as attain additional relevant certifications such as CPR and First Aid credentials.

 

 

The number of students assigned to Physical education classes should be consistent with the Lincoln Public Schools class size policy. In addition, administrators and teachers should be mindful of class size when considering how best to maintain a safe setting and to achieve the specified learning expectations for the classes.

 

 

The curriculum of the Lincoln Public Schools will include instruction about knowledge and concepts associated with physical activity and fitness. Students will by repeated practice, acquire and refine a variety of manipulative, locomotors, and non-loco motor movement skills, and will utilize principles of training and conditioning, will learn biomechanics and exercise physiology, and will apply the concept of wellness to their lives. The Curriculum Frameworks of the Massachusetts Department of Education will serve as the primary guidance concerning topics to be taught and grade levels at which topics should be taught. The main topics should include but not limited to Motor Skill Development, Fitness, and Personal and Social Competency in physical activity settings.

 

Teachers and other school personnel will not use physical activity (e.g. running, laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (physical education class) as punishment.

 

 

As part of the curriculum planning and instructional design process it will be the practice of the district to consider how movement, hands on involvement or other forms of physical activity may enhance learning in the given curriculum area. Based on the extent to which that impact is genuine, the integration of physical activity will be encouraged.

 

 

The district will aspire to provide all students with at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors throughout the school year, during which there will be sufficient direction, space and equipment that will encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity. Ordinarily, other required activities for a student (e.g. a tutoring session) will not be scheduled to occur simultaneous with the student's recess period. The administration of each school will monitor recess practices so that recess occurs during the school day at appropriate times. The administration of each school will also monitor participation in recess to ensure there are no adverse or repetitive patterns of recess being withheld as punishment.

 

 

Rules and procedures at each school regarding walking or bicycling will to the greatest extent possible encourage these options and offer appropriate suggestions (e.g. use of safety equipment; advise about safe routes) and establish appropriate conditions (e.g. designated areas for parking bicycles).

 

Key issues to be monitored for Policy Area 2: