Wellness Education

Health literacy for all students is the fundamental goal of comprehensive school health education.  The health literate student is a critical thinker and problem solver, a self-directed learner, an effective communicator, and a responsible, productive citizen.  Students must have the capacity to obtain, interpret, and understand basic health information and services and the competence to use such information and services in ways that enhance a healthy lifestyle.  A comprehensive school health program is essential to enable students to acquire and apply health promoting knowledge, skills, and behaviors.

Students in grades Pre-K-5 are introduced to the wellness concept which builds the foundation for health literacy and an appreciation for lifelong physical fitness. It is critical that children learn to adopt healthy behaviors at an early age to help prevent serious health concerns later in life. Participating early in a life-long process that incorporates health education (physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental), physical education (movement forms, motor skill development and fitness) and physical activity—an important factor in early brain development and learning—students develop positive habits that will help them achieve the goals of Wellness Education: personal responsibility, motivation, and excellence in learning and maintaining a life-long commitment to wellness.

The goal of the middle school physical education program of study is to improve the pre-adolescent student’s understanding of the connections between physical activity and lifetime wellness. Middle school physical education programs continue to develop specialized skills and offer new opportunities to explore recreational activities. Social and emotional development is enhanced as students begin to use motor skills in team-building situations. A strong emphasis is placed on lifetime wellness and physical activity, working toward the goal of becoming a physically active adult.

High school physical education programs focus on fitness, offer diverse movement patterns, development of motor skills and emphasize lifetime activities. It addresses students’ need to be exposed to a wide variety of activities—both competitive and non-competitive—that bring them enjoyment and challenge, thus enabling them to maintain an active lifestyle for a lifetime.