Carlisle High updates PE, health and driver-education curricula with emphasis on lifetime fitness and decision-making
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Summary
District presenters described expanded high-school PE offerings (disc golf, pickleball, tennis, archery), new CPR/AED training equipment and an updated driver-education curriculum focused on decision-making and real-world scenarios; staff outlined accommodations for students with IEPs and plans to preserve curricular assets as facilities change.
Speaker 1, a district physical-education presenter, told the committee the high-school PE program has shifted to emphasize flexibility and lifetime activities after fitness testing showed students lacked flexibility. "Pickleball is all the rage," the presenter said, noting the district has taught pickleball for about 18 years and runs semester tournaments that culminate in a champions tournament.
The presenter listed lifetime activities now in the curriculum — disc golf, tennis, archery and badminton — and said the district-built disc golf course brings outside players via a national app. She warned one hole was lost to new tennis courts and said school staff hope to replace or redesign it.
On health curriculum, the presenter said the district purchased four infant and four adult CPR mannequins and two AED trainers to expand hands-on life-safety instruction; the district also adopted a fifth-grade health curriculum. "So the students are being very introduced to that," she said.
On driver education, Mr. Kretzing, the district's safety-education teacher, described a revised curriculum that stresses Pennsylvania driving laws and, importantly, perceptual decision-making: video-based scenarios, role-playing, tire-pressure checks, and student-led design of safety features. "One of the things I notice...is when a student is stressed out...we have to back up a step and teach them to look out for themselves first," he said, describing instruction for inexperienced drivers.
Board members asked about accommodations for students with IEPs and 504 plans. The PE presenter said staff review the student's plan, consult case managers, nurses and counselors, offer private dressing spaces, allow modified clothing for some activities (for example, wearing jeans on the disc golf course) and use peer partners, tactile equipment and task breakdowns to support participation.
The presentation closed with board appreciation and an invitation to bring the item forward at the next regular meeting for final votes.
The committee did not take formal action on these curriculum updates at the meeting; staff said the item will be on the regular board agenda in two weeks.