• Healthful Living and Physical Education

    The mission of Healthful Living Education is to help all students to be safe, healthy and physically active for a lifetime. The Healthful Living Education program promotes behaviors that contribute to a healthful lifestyle and improved quality of life for all students. The Healthful Living Education curriculum, when fully integrated, supports and reinforces the goals and objectives of its two major components health and physical education. When the concepts of these two areas are integrated, learning is enhanced to its maximum. https://www.wcpss.net/domain/52

    6th Grade

    In sixth grade, students will learn a variety of communication techniques that will allow them to employ critical thinking skills to make positive health decisions. Students will appraise their own health and fitness status, understand sound nutrition principles and develop sensible exercise practices. This knowledge will be applied as they demonstrate the ability to set, pursue and achieve personal health and fitness goals.  Students will engage in physical activities that provide opportunities for rhythmic/dance movement, lead–‐up games enhancing basic sport skills, offensive and defensive game strategies, game rules/etiquette, problem solving, fair play, and sportsmanship.

    7th Grade

    In seventh grade, students will appraise their own health status, apply communication and stress management skills to prevent serious health risks, employ a variety of injury prevention techniques, understand the dietary guidelines, learn about the benefits of abstinence until marriage and the risks of premarital sexual intercourse, comprehend negative media messages, and demonstrate refusal skills related to peer pressure. Students will understand the risks associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs. In addition, students will learn how to encourage others not to engage in risky behaviors. Students will establish personal fitness goals and participate in social dance, small–‐sided games, and demonstrate advanced movement/skill sequences. Students will display appreciation toward the varying skill levels of teammates while enjoying the many benefits of physical activity.

    8th Grade

    In eighth grade, students will identify how media and peer pressure influence health behaviors, identify positive ways to manage stress, explain how to gain, reduce or maintain weight in a healthy manner, demonstrate skills and strategies for remaining abstinent from sexual intercourse, and demonstrate good communication skills for healthy relationships. Students will demonstrate basic CPR skills, understand the special risks associated with alcohol and other drugs, understand the negative impact (emotional, social, and physical) of using harmful and illegal drugs, and assist others to seek help for risky behaviors. Students will explain the principles of cardiovascular and strength conditioning, develop a personal fitness program, establish personal fitness goals and monitor their progress, participate in regular physical activity both in school and during non–‐school hours, display advanced sport movements through the engagement in dual, team, and lifetime sports. Students will work cooperatively to follow rules and exhibit safe practices while achieving individual and group fitness–‐related 24 goals through fair play and sportsmanship.

    CPR instruction is presented as part of the 8th grade Health curriculum. Beginning with the graduating class of 2015 (current 8th graders and beyond), successful completion of CPR instruction is a high school graduation requirement for all North Carolina students. Successful completion is defined in the Essential Standards Curriculum as “demonstrating basic CPR techniques and procedures on a mannequin and passing a Red Cross or American Heart Association approved test of CPR skills”.  Students who successfully complete CPR in 8th grade are considered to have met the requirement.