Welcome, ECFS families
Department Chair
John Dwinell | jdwinell@ecfs.org
The mission of the Middle School Physical Education Department is to provide learning experiences for our students that promote the values of empathy, kindness, and being physically active for their lifetime. We strive to encourage students to achieve a balanced and healthy life through a comprehensive curriculum focusing on both traditional and non-traditional sports centered around social, emotional health, and well-being.
Descriptions by Grade Level
Students focus on skill development, tactical work, team play in competitive sports. Throughout the academic year students have the opportunity to participate in recreational and cooperative games that encourage social emotional learning within the structure of athletic activities. In the course of a sports unit, students have the opportunity to participate in friendly intramural play. Every student has the opportunity to participate in every sport covered within the school year.
Throughout the year, 6th Grade students participate in a class wide coeducational activity that brings the entire class together for a fun and enjoyable experience. The sixth grade students participate in physical education four times a week. The expectation is for all students to be properly prepared for physical education.
All students need to wear sneakers and athletic leisure wear like shorts, sweatpants, or leggings. All students have been provided a lock and locker to store a change of clothes. It is encouraged that students change in athletic clothing for class but it is not mandatory.
The PE department strives for active participation throughout the class. Personal fitness is incorporated into the curriculum. The sports covered for all students in the school year are soccer, field hockey, flag football, basketball, swimming, volleyball, track and field, baseball and softball. The recreational activities include table tennis, Frisbee, interactive games, and weight training.
In 7th Grade, students continue to work on skill and tactical development, teamwork, and competition. In classes, students are given instruction, placed on teams, and compete in intramural games.
7th Grade students participate in physical education every day during the school week. Fitness is incorporated into each lesson. Activities may include basketball, cross-country field hockey, flag football, floor hockey, Frisbee, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and weight training.
All 7th Grade students must participate and pass the swim unit. In addition to the required program, 7th Grade students may choose to participate in interscholastic sports that are offered at school during each sports season.
In 8th Grade, students continue their work on skills, tactics, fitness, cooperation, and competition. Classes meet five times per week. Fitness is incorporated into each lesson. Activities may include basketball, cross-country, field hockey, flag football, floor hockey, Frisbee, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and weight training.
All students must successfully participate in the swimming unit. In addition to the required program, 8th Grade students may choose to participate in interscholastic sports that are offered during each sports season.
We offer a Middle School interscholastic program to 7th and 8th Grade students. In the fall we offer football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country. In the winter we offer swimming, and basketball. In the spring we offer lacrosse, spring track, softball and baseball.
Although the Middle School program is a competitive program, it is designed chiefly to meet the developmental needs of its participants. At this level, the focus is on learning the basic skills of the game, game rules, the fundamentals of team play, and sportsmanship.
In that vein, athletes in our Middle School program are prohibited from practicing or playing on junior varsity or varsity teams. Middle School team coaches are expected to make every effort to provide each team member with an opportunity to play in every game or, if numbers make that goal impossible, to develop a rotation that will ensure meaningful playing time for each team member in as many games as possible. Every season we offer a sport that is no cut. These include: football, cross country, swimming, and track and field.
The decision to make cuts at the Middle School level is not one that we take lightly, and it’s not something we like to do. We recognize that there is a disconnect between the decision to make cuts and the School’s values around inclusion and participation. Unfortunately, due to the large number of students who want to play on certain teams, as well as issues of safety and space, we do sometimes find it necessary to make cuts.
