WELLNESS EDUCATION

Wellness Education supports students in enhancing their capacity for academic and personal success by emphasizing physical, emotional, intellectual, financial, occupational, environmental, social and spiritual well-being. This will be accomplished through providing comprehensive physical and health education concepts and standards. Wellness Education integrates physical health with mental and psychological well-being

The physical education component of wellness courses is based on helping students develop healthy, active lifestyles by experiencing a balance of activities in a positive, responsible, and cooperative environment. The program is designed for students to engage in lifelong activities that leads to being physically literate individuals. These activities include the movement areas of dance, fitness, adventure/cooperative education sports and games. It is through these experiences that we address the diverse needs of our students in the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive domains.

Health education connection offers a foundation of functional health information and skills so that students become health literate. The dynamic nature of wellness requires that our curriculum focuses on critical health skills, such as communication, decision-making, goal-setting, advocacy, self-management, analyzing influences, and accessing information.

Grade 9

Grade 10

GRADE 11

gRADE 12

Full Year Course:

Wellness 9 .5 credit

Full Year Course:

Wellness 10 .5 credit

Full Year Course

.5 credit

In a student’s junior year, students will be required to choose 1 of 3 options:

Lifetime Activities & Sustainable Living
Team Sport & Leadership Concepts and Strategies
Health & Education in Urban Communities (ECE)

To meet Wellness graduation requirements, senior students are required to complete two semesters of Wellness courses; one course in each semester of their senior year. Students are required to enroll in two different courses and not repeat classes. Each semester completed is .25 credits earned towards the .50 needed to fulfill the graduation credit requirement. Options are:

Personal Fitness & Nutrition
Cooperative Wellness Strategies (Recommendation only course)
Exploration of Peer & Personal Safety
Transitioning Beyond High School

A second option for students in their senior year, is they may choose to enroll in a full year ECE course that will earn the .50 required credit to fulfill the graduation requirement. Students may take:

Kinesiology: Exercise and Wellness for Everyone (ECE)

Medical Excuses
All students are expected to attend and participate in Wellness classes. We recognize that during the course of the year, a student may become sick or injured. A student with an acute illness or injury (upper respiratory infection, sprained ankle, etc.) should present a note from a physician to the nurse. Excuses from Wellness class are valid from the time the doctor's note is received by the school nurse and only for the time period stipulated by the doctor. Retroactive excuses are not acceptable unless immediately following a school absence covered by the doctor's note.

Please see below steps and requirements to obtain a time-limited medical excuse from Physical Education portions of wellness classes.

The student will contact the school nurse, inform them of the need for exemption, and obtain the required medical form.
The parent/guardian will mail the medical form to the student's physician. The doctor must clearly indicate on the form the types of physical activities in which the student can participate (mild, moderate, vigorous, or full exemption).
The physician will specify the length of the excuse or modification in the student's Wellness Education program.
The school nurse will inform the Wellness Education teacher and the counselor of record of the desired excuse.
In the event that adjustments must be made in a student's schedule and program, the adjustments will be made through the school counselor who will notify the Wellness Education teacher.

Wellness 9

Wellness 10

.5 Credit
Grade 10

Prerequisite: Wellness 9

This course will address physical and health education needs and requirements. Students will engage in concepts specific to: Human Growth & Development, including Accessing Accurate Information, Analyzing Influences on Nutrition, Applying Decision Making skills to avoid Substance Abuse and Recognizing and addressing Mental Health issues. Additionally, students will be exposed to lifelong fitness concepts and activities while applying strategies in a Physical Education setting.

Cooperative Wellness Strategies (Recommendation only course)

.25 Credit 1 semester course
Grades 12

Recommendation only course

This course is designed for those students looking to work cooperatively with others of varying abilities and mobility, as well as provide peer coaching and an opportunity for socialization and inclusion in a physical activity setting. This course brings together students with varying skills to develop their recreational, social, emotional and physical education skills. Class participation involves working one-on-one or in small groups with fellow students. Games, sports, and cooperative activities will be used to help students develop relationships and an appreciation for student differences. Students help to create an environment of learning, collaboration and fun. Class size is limited.

Exploration of Peer & Personal Safety

.25 credit 1 semester course
Grade 12

Do you think a school's culture and climate impact how students view each other and the world around them? In this course, students will analyze how their views shape their and others actions and consequences. Students will learn how to proactively keep themselves safe through learning and executing safety measures. Students will learn to critically think about and make decisions regarding their personal safety, learn basic skills to defend themselves and build confidence in order to react to dangerous situations. Sexual Assault prevention, bystander intervention and social media safety and awareness will be analyzed and explored. Students will engage in specific self defense movements.

Lifetime Activities & Sustainable Living

.5 Credit
Grade 11

Prerequisite: Wellness 9 & Wellness 10

The focus of this course is exposure to lifelong physical activities, principles associated with practicing healthy lifestyle choices, and exploring sustainable living. In this non-competitive course, students will engage in “lifetime” activities such as Archery, Disc Golf, Backyard Games, Golf, Orienteering, Tennis, Pickle Ball, and Badminton. Students will explore and connect how lifetime activities relate to personal and community wellness. Students will learn about the importance of sustainable living through indoor gardens.

Personal Fitness & Nutrition

.25 credit 1 semester course
Grade 12

This course is designed for students who want to learn how to create and execute personal fitness goals and programs. Basic to advanced exercise and conditioning programs are designed based on individual needs and goals. Greater knowledge and skills in the areas of strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, agility, nutrition and power are the focus of this course. Students will be required to create and record goals, progress, self-assessments and reflections. Students will analyze physical output and needed nutritional input for the plan they create to monitor their progress towards their goals. Students will research and analyze how sources of nutrition may impact their health and daily performance.

Team Sports & Leadership Concepts and Strategies

.5 credit
Grade 11

Prerequisite: Wellness 9 & Wellness 10

This activity-based course will give students the opportunity to develop their own fitness and physical education skills while developing their leadership potential. Students will explore a variety of leadership techniques and determine what methods are the most effective for them. Course experiences will include designing and leading team sport activities in addition to learning and executing game play strategy. Students will research and apply methods and techniques for teaching and communicating various game play situations, while applying methods to support peers. Examples of team sports that will be utilized are Team Handball, Flag Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Pillow Polo and Speedminton. Assessments will focus on personal reflections and video analysis.

Transitioning Beyond High School

.25 credit 1 semester course
Grades 12

Are you ready to graduate? What skills or knowledge will you need to survive? Do you have strategies or resources for situations you may face? Do you know what financial and occupational wellness are? This course will help students recognize skills, strategies and activities they may need for the next steps in their life be it college, a career or service to others. This course will focus on building psychological resilience in high school students by giving them the tools to handle stress and distress now and in their future. Lifetime physical activities will be incorporated as one method in managing personal wellness.

Kinesiology: Exercise and Wellness for Everyone

.5 Credit
Grades 12
Full Year Course

The five pillars of health (exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and relationships) as well as the role of exercise in health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan will be the focus of this course. Aerobic exercise and yoga will be included. Students will create, execute and monitor a personal wellness plan that includes exploring group and personal exercises, how those choices impact their emotional, psychological and social well-being. Students will pinpoint approaches for stress reduction and personal wellness. Journaling and reflection are requirements in this course. This course is eligible for UCONN ECE credit. See College Credit Programs section for more information.

Health & Education in Urban Communities

.5 Credit
Grade 11

Prerequisite: Wellness 9 & Wellness 10

This course will explore the historical and social forces that shape health and education in urban communities, specifically in Connecticut. Topics of study will include poverty, culture, and identity and how these phenomena affect children’s health, nutrition, schooling and opportunities for success. Through readings, films, discussion, reflection and service‐learning opportunities, class members analyze policies, norms and beliefs in our society. There is a community service requirement for this course. This course is eligible for UCONN ECE credit. See College Credit Programs section for more information.