Haddonfield schools present health and PE audit, propose new freshman PE requirement and PALS elective

Haddonfield School District staff presented the results of a year-long health and physical education audit and proposed changes including curriculum realignment, more professional development and a required one-marking-period PE course for freshmen beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

The audit team told the board the review covered curriculum alignment, instructional practice, professional development, facilities and equipment, student engagement and community partnerships. District staff said the audit relied on teacher reflections, surveys of students and families, visits to three New Jersey districts and state guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education.

District leaders said survey responses show elementary students generally “love PE,” middle school responses were mixed and high school students value PE as a break in the day but want more elective options and student choice. The audit team reported that families asked for better communication about PE and health curriculum and that students across grade bands want more engaging, hands-on health lessons.

The audit team proposed narrowing elementary and middle PE curricula to three units—movement skills and concepts, physical fitness, and lifelong fitness—to align with New Jersey standards and to increase hands-on lessons in health classes. Staff also recommended moving the fifth-grade puberty lesson from spring to fall to ensure students receive the material earlier in the year.

For the high school, staff proposed requiring all freshmen to take one marking period of PE starting in 2026–27 and offering a new elective called PALS (a hybrid of Unified and Adaptive PE) that students could choose as a marking-period elective. District presenters said PALS is intended to bridge inclusive and adaptive practices and that the program observed during site visits appeared effective. The team said equipment upgrades and cooperative PE activities (for example, “battleship”-style cooperative games) would support the changes.

Staff presented participation figures used to shape the recommendation: they reported that about 55% of current freshmen are enrolled in PE during the year, leaving roughly 45% who do not take PE as freshmen—“that equates to about 86 freshman students,” a presenter said.

The presentation also identified existing or planned funding and professional development. Staff said one professional development day held this year cost the district about $1,500 and that similar PD is already budgeted; the district plans to host presenters again and to seek offsets from participating districts. Staff discussed pursuing grants (including a New Jersey Department of Transportation program for bike programs) and other external funding to help pay for equipment and course offerings.

Board members asked for follow-up details on equipment costs, how the proposed freshman PE requirement would affect schedules, and how electives would be structured. Staff said the freshman PE requirement would be one marking period and that preliminary scheduling conversations indicated the change would not require additional staffing. The audit team said they will use summer curriculum-writing time to develop course maps, plan professional development and monitor implementation.

The board did not take a formal vote on the audit’s recommendations during the meeting; staff were asked to return with more detailed cost estimates, a curriculum map timeline and a communication plan for families.

The audit presentation—and the district’s intent to bring detailed proposals and budget numbers back to future meetings—signals the district’s next steps toward aligning PE and health instruction with state standards and increasing inclusive options for students.