Kids Will Have New Ways to Sweat in School This Fall

Students at Ankeny Community Schools will have several more ways to stay active in school this coming year after the Board of Education approved changes to the district’s physical education curriculum.

Effective the 2011-12 school year, the district will bring in businesses and members of the community to help physical education instructors teach kids skills needed to live healthy lives.

“The difference this year will be the community connections, helping to support P.E. courses,” said Susie Meade, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “(These individuals and businesses) will collaborate with teachers and possibly help teach courses as well.”

The Board of Education approved the curriculum changes July 11 . It also approved changes to both the science curriculum and the health curriculum.

The changes are part of a complete K-12 curriculum overhaul started by the district at the beginning to the 2008-09 school year.

A total of 13 businesses and community organizations will partner with the district Physical Education and Health Department, according to a list shown to the school board Monday. The list includes local businesses such as Farrell’s Extreme Body Shaping and Balance Yoga, as well as groups including the and National Guard Partners.

Another change students and parents will notice in the physical education curriculum, Meade said, is the addition of new semester-long classes for 11^th and 12^th graders. In addition to existing classes like Advanced Strength and Conditioning, students may now choose to take classes such as Extreme Fitness, Team Activities and Iowa Adventure.

The overall goal of the changes, Meade said, is teaching kids skills and strategies to stay healthy throughout their lives.

“We’ve always been pretty cutting-edge as far as what P.E. should look like,” Meade said. “I wouldn’t call this a significant shift (away from the old curriculum) but it does focus on continued improvement.”

The district Physical Education and Health Department also will continue to encourage community involvement in school-based physical activities. Examples of activities include Family Fitness Night and Family Fun Runs.