• The North Tonawanda City School District is committed to providing intellectually stimulating school environments that promote and protect children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by fostering healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional wellness.

    The goals of the physical education program in our district are to provide the necessary skills and knowledge required to make wellness a priority as well as a commitment for a lifetime.  The curriculum is designed to promote a positive attitude about wellness and to give each student diverse opportunities to participate in a wide variety of sports and activities. The district provides opportunities to educate the students about the importance of physical activity in their daily lives in order to promote physical and mental well-being. 

     

    Today’s physical education programs are exciting and inclusive. We recognize the epidemic of childhood obesity and our curriculum has a foundation in fitness that is student centered. All skills taught from manipulative, motor, gymnastics, rhythmic, striking, and ball skills are related to developing and maintaining individual physical fitness. In addition, personal and social responsibility and safety are key components to our program. Students are given opportunities for physical activity during the school day through physical education classes and the integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum.  This helps to reinforce the knowledge we wish students to gain as well as the instruction they receive in their classrooms.
    • At the K-2 level, students receive instruction in basic loco-motor movements (running, walking, skipping, galloping, sliding, hopping, jumping), beginning jump rope, rhythms, ball skills (throwing, catching, kicking), gymnastics, and fitness.  A variety of equipment is used to aid in instruction including parachutes, scooters, balls, scarves, bean bags, and ropes.
    • At the 3-4 level, there is great emphasis placed on the overhand throwing motion and the various sport skills that incorporate this skill. Students also engage in lessons on catching, striking, kicking, manipulating objects, rhythms, gymnastics, fitness, cooperative activities, and on playing low organized games and developing strategies to be successful.
    • At the 5-6 level, there is an emphasis on leading a fit and healthy lifestyle; all lessons are designed to encourage students to identify and participate in activities they enjoy, as well as expose students to new activities.  The curriculum is designed to help students understand the components of fitness and how those fitness components are involved in activities they like to do.  Students are encouraged to make healthy choices, and to become active in order to promote a healthy lifestyle.