Physical Education

Campbell Hall values the connection between mind and body. Physical education classes and after-school sports are important activities supported by a highly trained staff of coaches, excellent facilities, and equipment. Required physical education classes and an optional 4th-6th grade after-school athletic program embody carefully sequenced and developmentally appropriate games, fitness, sports, and health curriculum reflecting both the school’s philosophy and the more specific goals of the department.

Physical education develops wellness and seeks to promote a lifetime appreciation of physical fitness. It is concerned with helping students understand the relationship of human movement and cognitive learning. A concern for the effect of physical development on other aspects of human growth contributes to the uniquely broad scope of physical education.

Physical education contributes to intellectual functioning and academic achievement. When geared to a child’s abilities, physical education can increase confidence and improve self-image. Experiences in physical activity enhance social effectiveness, providing students with numerous opportunities to practice and evaluate interpersonal skills.

Sharing equipment, interacting with teammates, choosing activities, managing frustration, and resolving conflict are experiences which help students anticipate the consequences of personal behavior and enable them to predict peer reaction. Working cooperatively to achieve mutually defined and desired goals increases the likelihood that students will accept and respect individual differences.

The learning gained through the physical education program is part of the tradition of values and ethics at the heart of Campbell Hall. The guidance of an effective teacher is essential in situations designed to teach fair play, sportsmanship, winning and losing, and resolution of differences. In physical education and in athletics, success is measured by the level of each student’s desire, effort, improvement, competence, and spirit of fair play.