Physical Education is the only subject which, by the very nature of its content, has the potential to affect how a person will feel every moment of every day for the rest of his or her life.

Dear Student and Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to Orchard Park Middle School Physical Education.  We are looking forward to a year filled with adventure, fitness and fun!  The following is an overview of our program:

• Curriculum
• One quarter of each:  Swimming, Fitness for Life, Project Adventure, and Lifetime Sport Activities.
• Students will participate in the Fitnessgram Physical Fitness Test each Fall and reports on their fitness level will be sent home.

• Grading
  • A PE grade will be computed for each quarter.
  • This grade is averaged into the student’s overall GPA (grade point average).
  • You will be evaluated on five rubric areas every ten weeks, two of which will always be Personal/ Social Responsibility and Attendance/ Preparation.
  • Additional rubrics may include:  motor and manipulative skills, game concepts/strategies, cooperative skills, effort/risk taking, knowledge/written tests, safety, projects, weight training log, and the Full Value Contract (Project Adventure).

• PE Make-ups
  • When a student has been unprepared for PE or Swim class, he or she needs to make-up the class to earn back the points (Note: If a student misses a swim class it must be made up in the pool). One absence in a quarter will not affect the Attendance/Preparation grade. However, if a student has a few or several absences, those must be made-up to get full credit. An absence due to a field trip or music lesson does not have to be made-up. To attend a make-up, simply meet in the gym or at the pool the day of the class. No advanced sign-up is required. A calendar is posted in the locker rooms and on the Middle School website. See the link to the left.

• Supplies
  • A change of clothes to include: shorts/pants, tee shirt, sneakers and socks (sweats/warm-ups are recommended for cold weather).  You may not wear your school clothes in PE
  • A lock for your box locker (school-purchased Master lock is strongly recommended).
  • Bathing suit, towel and goggles are needed for swim class.
  • Safety goggles used for technology need to be used for floor hockey and racquetball unit.

***** Always keep everything you bring into the locker room locked up!!*****

• Intramurals
  • Intramurals are offered most of the year for everyone; come learn a new sport!
  • Tournaments (e.g. touch football, boy’s floor hockey) have sign-ups individually or with a team.  Otherwise just show up! You don’t have to come to each meeting; come when you can.
  • When do they meet? Listen to MSTV announcements or check the website.
  • Get involved! Have fun! Bring a friend!

We are looking forward to a great year!