Politics & Government

Methacton School Board Considers New High School Fitness Courses

Among the proposed courses is an Alternative Fitness course, which includes Yoga and Pilates.

Methacton High School students may be getting new courses that may teach them how to remain physically fit for life.

In a presentation at the Nov. 13 Methacton School Board work session, Dr. Diane Barrie, director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment at Methacton School District, introduced six courses concerning physical education.

According to Barrie, the school board approved a reduction of course requirements at the high school last spring. She said this change allowed the school’s Physical Education department to reassess what it offered students, and also create options that would teach students a lifetime fitness activities.

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“The idea around these courses is to revaluate what we want to offer these students, to not just put every student into a gym class,” Barrie said.

According to Barrie, out of the six courses proposed, students in the 11th and 12th-grade must choose one of two specific courses

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  • Lifetime Fitness/Sports
  • Lifetime Fitness Activities

The first activity is for students that prefer team sports, while the latter is for students who wish to learn lifetime fitness activities apart from team sports.

The remaining four courses that Methacton High School students may choose, Barrie said, are activities that are current and popular in today’s fitness world:

  • Adventure Sports Course – Activities that are teamwork-focused, involve risk-taking and cooperative learning.
  • Alternative Fitness Course – Yoga, Pilates or other activities that may be offered at a health club
  • Advanced Aquatics Course – For students who have completed an aquatics course.
  • Advanced Strength and Conditioning – For students who may be training for school-specific activities or students that want to learn how to properly use the weight equipment.

She said that the new coureses are designed to to offer opportunities that meet all students' needs, interest levels, and teach them lifelong fitness.

“I’m really enthused about introducing the proposals because I think they address a really big need we have in society today,” Barrie said, referring to the overall current health reports about citizens in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, which is also one of the major factors of the leading causes of preventable death in the country.

The Methacton School Board members are expected to vote on the six proposed courses at the Nov. 20 regular board meeting.


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