Physical Education

​Dear Parents,

We wanted to thank you for all that you’ve done so far this year to support your child in both their academic classes and their Physical Education class here at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.  We would like to ask you to make sure that your child is fully prepared for P.E. each week with their P.E. uniform.  They should be taking their P.E. clothes home on Friday washing them over the weekend and bringing them back on Monday.  We have found if students continuously follow this routine, the need for loaner clothes decreases.  As weather starts to get cooler, please start thinking about getting your child prepared with warm workout clothing (e.g. sweats). The sweats need to adhere to the same color scheme as the regular P.E. clothing: burgundy, navy, grey, and white. 

Thank you for all your support, and please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

Sincerely,

The MLK Physical Education Department:

Tom Kimbrel – Athletic Director      
Scott Wagner
Jenna White   
Frank Horning                                                          
Lisa Fisher                                                                                                              Marian Kissinger                                                     

Physical Education Expectations

Students earn 5 points a day. Grades are updated every Friday. This is listed as “weekly assignment” on school loop.

Make-up forms for absents are in the red board in front of Girls office. Make-up is due within one (1) week of absent.

Once a month (weather permitting) there is a Cross Country run. The distance is a little over a mile and students have 11 minutes 30 seconds finish for full PE credit for the day. If they do not make it within this time frame they loose points at their teachers’ discretion.

Students may borrow loaners giving us their backpack only.

Students may not wear their PE uniform over their school clothes (overdress) this is considered a non suit with a loss of points.

Students who are on a medical or just not feeling well that day must still dress out for PE class with modified activity. Students with crutches, broken arms etc. will not dress out and must complete a PE written make-up during class. Health office may assign student to be a teacher’s assistant or schedule another class for them if medical keeps them out of PE for any length of time.

There is absolutely no lotions, crèmes, sprays, glass or food permitted in the locker room. These items will be taken away.

Point System

Non Suit- minus 3 pts.

Tardy- minus 3 pts.

Overdress-minus 3 pts.

Truant-minus 3 pts.

 Behavior Problems- minus 5 pts., referral or suspension from class (depending on severity of behavior).

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s grade. Please call your child’s PE Teacher.

• More children are being diagnosed with diseases linked to overweight and obesity previously seen only in adults, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease (The Obesity Society, 2009).
• Walking and biking have decreased more than 40% during the past 3 decades, partly because of unsafe routes and poor walking conditions (Active Living Research, 2009).
• If today’s current trend continues, it is anticipated that 1 in 3 children born in the US after the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2009).

Here are some of the main reasons to start walking:

• Walking prevents type 2 diabetes.  The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12 to 15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.
• Walking strengthens your heart.  Among both men and women, it reduces the risk of heart attack and other coronary problems.
• Walking is good for your brain.  Studies show that more walking is correlated to higher cognitive function.
• Walking is good for your bones.  Research has found that it can improve bone density among postmenopausal women.
• Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression.  One survey showed that walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks, reduced symptoms of depression by 47%.
• Walking improves fitness.  Walking just three time a week for 30 minutes can significantly increase cardiorespiratory fitness.
• Walking in short bouts improves fitness, too!  A study of sedentary women showed that short bouts of brisk walking (three 10-minute walks per day) resulted in similar improvements in fitness and were at least as effective in decreasing body fatness as long bouts (one 30-minute walk per day).

The FITTNESSGRAM uses Healthy Fitness Zones (HFZs) to evaluate fitness performance.  These zones are criterion-referenced standards established by The Cooper Institute of Dallas, Texas, and represent minimum levels of fitness that offer protection against the diseases that result from sedentary living (Rev. 2008).  The California Department of Education considers a student who meets or exceeds a HFZ as meeting the desired performance goal.

Research shows that EXERCISE does your body good almost instantly. As little as 30 minutes of cardio three to five days a week will add six years to your life. Within One Hour of exercise, you’re protecting yourself against colds and flu by boosting your immune system. Within One Day of exercise, you're adding lean muscle and your heart is healthier. Within One Week of exercise, your risk of diabetes goes down and your endurance and aerobic fitness has increased by about 5%. Cutting 500 calories a day through exercise and diet will help you drop one pound a week. After 4 weeks of regular workouts, your body is ditching flab and gaining muscle. Within One Year of regular exercise, your heart rate is lower, your cells are more efficient at breaking down fat and using it as fuel, and you lower the risk of developing cancer and add years to your life.

-Fitness Magazine