Athletic Director- Mr. Friel
Lead Teacher - Mr. Boll
Each student at Commack High School has to successfully complete 4 years of Physical Education in order to fulfill their graduation requirement. In January, the student body has the opportunity to select a block of activities for the following school year. These activities are designed to develop their cardiovascular system, improve flexibility and posture, increase muscular strength, endurance, and more importantly, provide your child with the skills to lead a life of good health and wellness.
The curriculum includes:
Team Activities - Badminton, Basketball, Indoor Soccer, Lacrosse, Touch Football, Speedball and Volleyball
Lifetime Activities - Tennis, Yoga, Self-Defense, Weight Training, Step Aerobics,
Power Walking, Advanced Athletic Preparation
Wellness for Life - Fitness Training, Circuit Training, Core Training with fitness balls, Pilates, Step Aerobics/Cardio Kick Boxing, and Muscle Sculpting
Project Adventure- Ice breaker games, trust activities, initiative activities, and Low Elements
ADAPTIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students formally excused for medical reasons are scheduled and provided with individual instruction following their doctor’s direction. The adaptive program is primarily a weight training, conditioning program that stresses the use of exercise to improve overall physical fitness. The program devised will best suit the needs and capabilities of each individual class member. Any student not permitted to do any activity at all by the doctor will be assigned to the Cognitive (writing) part of Physical Education. Any student in this program will be assigned weekly written assignments to be graded by the Physical Education teacher. This will be the basis of the student’s Physical Education grade.
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of Physical Education for grades 9-12 is to provide a quality education that meets the needs of all types of learners. Students in all grade levels are exposed to concept related to wellness promotion and disease prevention. Students regularly participate in health-enhancing fitness activities, and are encouraged to exhibit a physically active lifestyle. Students need to be able to demonstrate the ability to practice wellness enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks by utilizing goal setting techniques and decision-making skills. In addition, proficiency in certain movement forms is expected. Wellness in life long fitness skills provides enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction. Demonstrating responsible personal, emotional, and social behaviors is essential in life. Students are evaluated in affective, psychomotor, and cognitive assessments throughout each marking period, whether the student is in a sport-related class or an individual-fitness class.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- In order to be eligible to graduate, each student is required to successfully participate and pass an approved physical education program each academic year - grades 9 through 12. The Physical Education program is designed to satisfy New York State Learning Standards of personal fitness, safe environment and managed community resources.
- A student who fails to complete successfully an approved Physical Education program in any given year must make up the deficiency prior to the receipt of a diploma from Commack High School.
- The evaluation of a student’s progress will be made at the conclusion of each marking period. Physical Education is graded on a numeric scale (0-100) for each marking period with an average final numeric grade.
GRADING POLICY
Physical Education grades are determined based on the following system:
Psychomotor/Cognitive: 25 Points
- Psycho-motor assessment - will measure a students proficiency performing selected skills, tactics and or concepts in the unit/s covered during the marking period (15 points)
- Cognitive assessment will be a verbal and/or written assignment assessing a students understanding of unit content throughout the marking period (10 points)
Affective: 75 Points (3 points per class)
Preparation: 25 Points (1 Point per class)
Participation/Effort: 25 Points (2 Point per class)
Total: 100 Points per marking period
Attendance/Class Make-ups
The Physical Education Department has developed an attendance policy to encourage and promote life-long physical fitness. Students are expected to attend Physical Education classes on a regular basis. If a student is legally absent from class, he/she may make up the class. Please refer to the following guidelines for the attendance procedures:
For Excused Absences, students must make-up the appropriate activity, or complete written work for each day they missed.
A total of 3 make-ups are available each marking period for "excused" absences. Make-ups are held throughout the entire school year. The fitness room is open before and after school as an option for the students. All 3 make-ups can be a physical activity, depending on the agreement between the student and teacher. The teacher will ultimately have final approval on these make-up assignments. Students may complete makeups at intra-murals, weight room or a modified assignment approved by the Physical Education teacher.
In the event a student is excessively absent due to extenuating circumstances, his/her situation will be reviewed by the Lead Teacher, and if need be, presented to the Child Study Team for further review.
Students cannot make up points lost in class due to non-participation. If a student is unprepared, refuses to change and or participate, these points cannot be made up.
Students are not permitted to sit on the side line. If a student is physically unable to participate for any reason, they must do cognitive or reflective work in the library. Examples include: taking notes related to the lesson or a specific assignment given by the teacher of record.
Students will not receive credit for a course for the following reasons:
- Illegal/Excessive Absences (3 points per class)
- Inconsistent Preparation, Participation, and/or Effort (1 - 3 points per class)
- Poor Performance of Cognitive Assessments (as graded)
- Poor Performance on Psychomotor Assessments (as graded)
Make-up classes are offered by the Physical Education Department in an effort to help students achieve passing status.
MEDICAL EXCUSES
Students excused from Physical Education for medical reasons must follow these procedures
A note from home should first go to the teacher and will normally excuse a student for a period of one day. Anything beyond one day’s excuse must come from a doctor. A medical excuse will place the student in the Library for In School Medical Assignments.
All doctors’ notes must be brought to the Nurses’ Office, not to the Physical Education teachers.
A form giving permission for student wearing glasses or contacts to participate must be filed with the nurse.
A student must check with the Physical Education teacher to obtain permission and a pass to leave the class for medical reasons.