Health and Fitness
"Reaching To Finish Healthy and Fit"--
The Health and Fitness programs offered in the Olympia School District continue to follow a long tradition of excellence. The planned sequential program of student-centered experiences enable all students to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to lead a healthy and active lifetyle.
The purpose of Health & Fitness in the Olympia School District is to provide a varied program of instructional activities which allow all individuals to enter adult life with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to enjoy a healthy and physically active life-style based on a wellness/recreation model rather than the traditional athletic model.
Health-Fitness Matter In The Olympia School District--
Regular physical activity can: (1) increase muscular strength and endurance, (2) increase aerobic fitness, (3) increase flexibility, (4) help control weight, (5) decrease stress, and (6) increase feelings of well-being and self-esteem.
The best opportunity to prepare the majority of children and adolescents to live physically active and healthy lives is through a well-balanced and quality health and fitness program in the schools. The Olympia School District strives to provide such a program through the development and implementation of a standards-based sequential curriculum designed to align with national and state standards and requirements. Using the nationally recognized comprehensive health-related fitness education program, Physical Best as a foundation, our students receive conceptual knowledge along with skill development and activities designed to develop healthy and active lifestyles.
Along with being physically active, students gain health-related knowledge, learn and use life skills, and work to achieve and maintian personal health goals. The health education program offered to students provides a sequential program focusing on ten content areas; injury prevention and safety, environmental health, consumer and community health, communicable and chronic diseases, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, personal health and safety, growth and development, mental and emotional health and social health.
Washington State Requirements--
All students in grades 1 - 8 are required to participate in an average of 100 instructional minutes per week in health- fitness education classes.
High school are required to offer a one credit class in health-fitness education for each student each year; 2 credits are required for graduation.
High School Programs-- Expanding Horizons
Each high school student is required to take 2 credits of Health and Fitness prior to graduation. In addition, all students have the opportunity to take additional classes throughout their high school experience.
The focus of the high school program is on expanding the development of knowledge and skills necessary to take part in a health and active lifestyle. Freshman students take part in the nationally recognized Fitness For Life program which includes both classroom-based lessons on a variety of health-related topics along with expanding their skills in a variety of leisure activities.
The second required year of Health & Fitness provides a variety of classes designed to enhance individual fitness levels and expand knowledge and skills in leisure/recreational activities. Included are “group fitness” classes such as “Body Shape”, Yoga, Dance, Power Aerobics, and Weight Training. In addition students may enroll in a variety of classes related to recreational activities.
One semester of health education is required at the freshman level. This instructional program is designed to integrate basic knowledge into the development and maintenance of a healthy life-style. In presenting a review of basic health knowledge along with new concepts and information, students are asked to develop practical skills for implementing all knowledge and skills learned into their daily lives.
At the conclusion of the required Freshman course, students will have set personal fitness, nutrition and activity goals, learned to assess and monitor their own progress and developed a complete their state required “Personal Health and Fitness Plan”.
Health & Fitness Department Chairs:
Cathy Crabb: Capital High School
Debi Koss-Warner: Olympia High School
For information on waiving the second year of the Health and Fitness requirement, click on the Fitness Requirements FAQ link.
Middle Level Programs--Expanding on the Base
Students at the middle level continue to progress through a pre-planned sequence of age-appropriate activities. At this level, students participate in a variety of challenging activities presented in short units. Activities include racquet sports, individual and partner/team activities, rhythmic movements, and leisure activities such as golf, bowling, archery, and circus arts. In addition, each student learns how to practice a physically-active lifestyle and to understand the relationship between physical activity and health through a lifetime.
Health-related fitness is expanded upon with the development of initial “Personal Health and Fitness Plans”. These plans are designed to set the stage for the development of a “Personal Health and Fitness Plan” at the high school level. These plans meet state requirements and represent the culmination of the comprehensive K-12 program.
Classroom-based health education focuses on prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, disease preventin, safe living, consumer health, nutrition, body systems, human sexuality and social interaction/self-esteem. Lessons are presented in each of these "strands" in a progressive sequential manner allowing for both review and the introduction of new information and skills.
Middle Level Health & Fitness Contacts:
Tony Ginenez: Washington MS
Sherman Smith: Reeves MS
Cris Violette: Jefferson MS
Del Sandberg: Marshall MS
Elementary Programs--A Successful Foundation
Elementary students in the Olympia School District are guaranteed quality instruction in a planned squential physical education program. Highly qualified specialist provide instruction based on a district approved curriculum that includes a sequence of developmentally appropriate activities for students Kindergarten trough fifth grade. All activities are presented in a safe, non-threatening learning environment.
Elementary specialist participate in regular professional development training sessions that focus on child-sensitive and positive methods of classroom management, integration of cross-curricular academic skills, teaching strategies that promote physical activity, and precautions necessary for providing a safe environment for student participation.
The focus of the classroom-based health education component provides a solid foundation of information, knowledge and skills through an age-appropriate curriculum. At the prinary level lessons focus on positive halth practices, safety, prevention of communicable disease, oral health, and nutrition. At the intermediate level students review the basic health principles and focus on conflict resolution skills, decision making, alcohol and other drug prevention education, personal safety, growth and development and HIV/STI prevention.
To view or print the yearly unit plan, lesson focus and level expectations click on the following link.
Elementary Physical Education Specialist:
Lori Hahn
Tara Spencer
Greg Santora
Jana Gedde
Lylas Aust
Contact Information:
Mailing Address:
Jeff Carpenter: Director
Health, Fitness and Athletic Programs
1113 Legion Way SE
Olympia, WA 98501
E-Mail: jcarpent@osd.wednet.edu / Voice: 360.596-8544 / Fax: 360.596.8581
Jeff Carpenter, Director