Brown students playing during recess

 

Health and Physical Education

Being physically fit and healthy has a direct effect on the social, emotional, and mental well-being of a child. The Health and Physical Education Department provides students with 21st century Health and Physical Education that encompasses contemporary concepts and rich experiences in a collaborative environment. 

Along with a strong core health and physical education curriculum, we also offer additional programming to support the physical and social-emotional wellness of our students, including:

  • Adventure Education Programming: Hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, snowshoeing, and ropes courses funded by The Cummings Foundation. These courses focus on teamwork, persistence, and resilience.

  • Active Kids Programming A before-school physical activity program at several district K-8 schools for students in kindergarten to 5th grade, but tailored to specific school needs.
  • Nutrition Education Programming: Offered by UMass Extension

Supervisor of Health & Physical Education: Nicole Viele

Meet the Staff

Curriculum

HealthSmart

ETR's HealthSmart program teaches the essential concepts and skills students need to know and practice to adopt healthy behaviors. The ultimate goal of the HealthSmart program is to promote the healthy growth and development of youth and give them the knowledge and skills to make healthy choices and establish life-long healthy behaviors. 

Lessons are focused on the essential concepts and skills that will enable students to develop, practice and support specific healthy behaviors. Activities are developmentally appropriate, challenge students in a variety of ways, and accommodate a range of learning styles. 

  • Meets the National Health Education Standards.

  • Focuses on the primary areas of risk for children and adolescents identified and monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  • Reflects the characteristics of an effective health education curriculum defined by the CDC. 

  • Incorporates key knowledge and skill expectations detailed in the CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) for each grade level.

  • Supports social and emotional learning (SEL).

  • Scope and Sequence K-5, Scope and Sequence Middle Grades, Scope and Sequence High School

One Love

An evidence-based curriculum that teaches young people how to identify – and to know what to do when they see – the signs of an unhealthy relationship in their own or their friends’ lives. These seven learning objectives summarize the skills and beliefs that are key to positively changing relationship behavior.
 

Social Competency

Teaching socio-emotional skills promotes good development, a peaceful classroom, increases academic achievement, and improves future success. All Prekindergarten to grade 8 classrooms are adopting the Second Step program, with classroom teachers providing direct instruction in socio-emotional skills. Additionally, some schools like the Winter Hill Community Innovation School supplement this with the Responsive Classroom program.

Healthy Choices: Alcohol, Drug, and Violence Prevention

The Somerville Public Schools are committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment to maximize student learning. We support students effectively communicating their needs, interests, and opinions, making healthy choices, and respecting the needs, interests, and opinions of others.