Physical education and physical activity are imperative during this time considering the benefits both provide for physical, emotional and social well-being. In addition to enhancing fitness, PE/PA are proven to reduce stress and increase concentration and empowerment. The lifelong physical literacy and physical activity behaviors that PE/PA promote can help students maintain a sense of control and well-being during tumultuous times. Offering students quality physical education and physical activity opportunities in a remote setting will help address barriers to movement as a result of social distancing regulations as well.

Physical Education also provides schools with an existing platform for social emotional learning, healing and community building. One quarter of the BPS PE Frameworks Standards directly address SEL competencies. Further, the nature of quality PE and PA programs in schools, such as recess and Athletics, are based on positive personal behaviors and positive social interactions with both adults and peers. SHAPE of America's Building Kinder Healthier Schools states that, “teaching SEL through health and PE helps students navigate many of the challenges they face each day. It promotes academic achievement and positive social behavior while reducing conduct problems, substance abuse and emotional distress.” Please see Crosswalk for SHAPE America’s National Standards and Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education and CASEL Social Emotional Core Competencies more detail regarding PE and SEL connections.

SEL curriculum can and should be implemented in a way that is trauma-informed. Structured and supervised PE offers students the opportunity to safely participate in physical activity which promotes self-esteem, self-awareness, and relationship building. These unique educational aspects of PE have potential to foster trauma informed practices, making it a valuable tool to promote educational equity.

Additional Resources:

• SHAPE America Considerations for K-12 PE Reentry: Social Emotional Learning

• Prioritize Health and PE-COVID-19

In DESE’s July 24th guidance update it states, “...physical education, and other enrichment courses are an integral part of the learning experience for every student at every grade level. We strongly encourage schools and districts to continue providing these classes to students this fall.”

Physical education should take place for all schools and all students regardless of the learning model engaged in in September. There are many guidelines and recommendations from across the state and country that demonstrate how PE can be effectively implemented with slight modifications to the curriculum and style of activity.

Creating school schedules and routines that integrate daily and weekly opportunities for physical activity is critical to our student health and well-being, especially during this time. PE allows schools to provide an equitable means for all students to receive weekly opportunities for physical activity and also provides them with knowledge, skills and confidence to be physically active throughout the week.

PE is a required subject by Massachusetts State Law and BPS Wellness Policy for Comprehensive Physical Activity and Physical Education stimulates the amount of PE required:

• Grades PK-8 must receive at least 45 minutes of weekly PE; best practice is 80 minutes per week.

• Grades 9-12 must receive at least one semester of PE each year.

Regardless of the learning model (in-person, remote or hybrid) this fall, BPS Office of Health and Wellness PE Team will dedicate curriculum, tools, resources and professional development to ensure that schools can perform the following instructional focuses in the best interest of all students.

SHAPE America provides The School Reentry K-12 PE/PA Teaching Strategies Workbook to help schools and teachers think through PE plans that are equitable, inclusive and accessible to all.

There are many guidelines and recommendations from across the state and country that demonstrate how PE can be effectively implemented remotely or in-person with slight modifications to the curriculum and style of activity.

Lesson activities, K-12, should be selected or designed to adhere to safety guidelines. Most PE curriculum activities can be modified to ensure students are both engaged and safe. The upcoming school year SHAPE America recommends focusing on activities that promote individual pursuits or individual skill competencies versus those that require contact or transferring of equipment.

For the purposes of BPS PE recommendations for reopening, it is advised for lesson activities to be in the green or “lower risk” activity category and level 1 in type of play. Risk categories are assigned relative to other ways of participating in that sport or activity, based on the latest public health and scientific understandings of COVID-19 and how it can be transmitted. Lower-risk activities include individual pursuits such as walk/run, fitness, dance, etc. Level 1 play activities include,“individual or socially distanced group activities (no-contact workouts, aerobic conditioning, individual skill work, and drills)”. The BPS PE Scope and Sequence (linked above) is designed to support lower-risk and level 1 type of play activities.

Schools should inventory indoor and outdoor spaces to identify a consistent and safe space for PE classes. The Office of Health Wellness, Physical Education Team is available to consult on physical education space.

Below are ideas to support with providing a safe space for PE:

• When and where possible, use outdoor space for PE. Follow DESE guidelines around use of face masks

• Consider setting up outdoor PE classrooms with large tents or canopies and equipped with speakers and microphones for teachers. Schools can also support by providing students access to coats, jackets, hats and gloves during inclement weather

• If indoors, when and where possible, keep windows open for appropriate airflow

• Set up zones for students with appropriate physical distancing, whether indoors or outdoors (cones, floor markers, tape, spray paint)

• If students are not leaving the classroom, PE teachers should prepare to provide instruction in the classroom by making modification to the curriculum

• Class sizes should follow guidelines based state regulations and space available

Schools may hold PE classes in person; however, PE may require increased respiration and/possibly sharing of equipment and will require additional safety consideration to implement in-person. Schools should refer to the specific DESE guidance below and work with the Office of Health and Wellness for additional support.

DESE has provided guidance on class sizes, physical distancing, equipment sharing and cleaning, instructional considerations and safety procedures such as wearing face coverings in PE. When and where possible consider setting up outdoor PE classrooms for in-person physical education following DESE guidance.

PE instruction will be modified for remote or in-school instructional strategies, addressing the BPS Standards and meeting all safety guidelines. Professional development will be provided to PE teachers in August and September on safe and effective teaching practices and instructional strategies for in-person and remote learning and will continue through on-line PLCs and coaching sessions throughout the year.

Below are specific PE recommendations around guidelines and protocols for in-person PE, from SHAPE America and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.