Play, both structured and unstructured, is a critical skill and an important aspect of well-rounded learning, and Speyer's Physical Education program offers our students an educational and exciting physically active experience. It seeks to provide them with the opportunity to foster continued improvement of physical skills in order to become efficient, knowledgeable, and self-confident individuals who can successfully participate and manage a healthy and active lifestyle.
Fitness skills, including muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination, are taught through a myriad of activities. At Speyer, we realize that along with those skills, strong character is just as important in athletic ability. Starting in Kindergarten and continuing through eighth grade, we teach life skills such as responsibility, patience, self control, and sportsmanship. Students are tasked to design, plan, and execute movement and fitness concepts, as well as cooperate with each other to develop strategies during competitive games.
Speyer’s Physical Education curriculum is aligned to the National Physical Education Standards. Continuing the research-based curriculum found in our classrooms into our gym, Speyer’s Physical Education program incorporates elements to provide those learning experiences that meet children’s developmental needs, those proven to improve mental alertness, academic performance readiness, and enthusiasm for learning. Positive competition, respect for others, and the satisfaction of doing one's best are all essential components of a typical Physical Education class at Speyer.
In the Lower School, students are taught basic sport specific motor and manipulative skills such as throwing, catching, and creative movement. Every day, we strive to build a solid foundation which encourages students to become familiar and comfortable with various movement concepts. In tandem with the Physical Education classes within their schedule, dance is a part of the Lower School curriculum, with students meeting weekly with teaching artists from the National Dance Institute, which culminates in a year-end performance (for more on NDI @ Speyer, click here). Additionally, Speyer’s afterschool Program B.L.U.E. offers a multitude of physical options, ranging from fencing to soccer, flag football to yoga.