The League of Women Voters of the Midland Area believes that the Midland Public Schools (grades 9-12) should offer opportunity for all segments of the student population to be prepared for adult life. The curriculum should cover a broad spectrum of courses to meet the needs of most students. There should be a continuing effort to meet the needs of every student. The League recognizes that communication between parents and Midland Public School personnel is an ongoing process that needs to be maintained and improved.
For grades 9-12 we support
1. Academic counseling as a first priority;
2. Personal counseling with referrals to community resources for ongoing needs;
3. Inclusion of parenting and family life skills in all appropriate areas;
4. Teaching of stress management skills, employability and personal financial management skills;
5. A vocational education program with a wide range of entry level courses. Flexibility should be maintained and courses should reflect current job concerns;
6. Careful evaluation of the coop experience for each interested student;
7. A diverse program which includes mainstreaming to prepare the special education student for adult life;
8. The concepts of an alternative education program, courses which include sex education and contraceptive information;
9. Courses which include sex education and contraceptive information.
We support a physical education program in the K-12 curriculum.
A good physical education program is one of the basic educational programs for all students. the general purpose of the physical education program should be to teach the students how to become and stay physically fit throughout his/her life. A good self-image for each student should be a basic goal of the program. In addition, the student should learn lifetime recreational activities and physical fitness skills, develop and improve his/her motor skills and become interested and enjoy participating in appropriate physical activities.*
Although athletics may be part of the total physical education program, physical education does not mean, and is not the same as, athletic competition. We did look at the athletic programs offered in the Midland Public Schools to see how they fit into a total physical education program. We are interested in how many of our students actually participate in the athletic program and whether this gives them a good physical education overview. We have done no further study and have not taken a position on any athletic program of the Midland Public Schools.
The physical education program for elementary school chidden (K-6) presently (1988) consists of two physical education classes each week for children attending a full day of school. These classes should both be taught by a physical education specialist. Kindergarten physical education classes should be taught or at least supervised by a physical education specialist..
Two classes per week are not sufficient to completely develop physical education skills and so we would support a slightly expanded school day on the elementary level (10 to 14 minutes) to add a third physical education class each week.
At the elementary school level, we believe it is especially important that the student develop a good self-image. Activities should be non-competitive. Classes should be developed so that each child will learn to participate and enjoy all these activities. The physical education teacher could begin teaching lifetime sports. We also support a basic measure of individual progress so students and teachers can evaluate how well they are doing.
The intermediate years (grades 7-9) are the most crucial to developing good habits of physical fitness. To reach students with an optimal physical education program, we would support increasing the school day one more hour and requiring all students in grades seven through nine to take a physical education class. At this level, the schools should offer a wide variety of competitive and non-competitive activities and increase the teaching of lifetime sports. (All students should participate throughout the entire class; there should not be any students sitting on the sidelines.) At this level, we would emphasize individual achievement and good self-image for each student.
At the high school level (grades 10-12), we recommend that students should have more opportunity to participate in physical education classes. We should support increasing the high school day to one more class and require students to take physical education all three years. If the school day cannot be extended, we strongly support offering all students a voluntary seventh hour which would include regular physical education classes. The goals of enjoyment, enhanced self-image and ability to participate in lifetime recreational sports and physical activities are still important at the high school level.
(A majority of those participating in consensus felt that the high school day should also be increased and students should be required to take a physical education class. A minority of our members disagreed - they felt that the average high school student already has a full day.)
- The booklet "Midland Public School Secondary Education program" which lists courses, programs and services and activities available through the Midland Public Schools states the purpose of physical education is:
1. To assist in developing and maintaining fitness of body and conditions of good health and hygiene;
2. To offer opportunities for exploration and experimentation in may sport an health related activities;
3. To teach skills so all may achieve some degree of success; and
4. To encourage situations which bring about development in citizenship, leadership, sportsmanship, fellowship and respect for the rights and privileges of others.
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