By Jake Wieseneck ’14 and Trevor Williams ’13, Commentary Editors 

Physics Lab, Spanish Project, History Paper, Zumba, English In-Class, Math Test, War Ball. Which of the above terms are outliers from the common Junior Year Experience at the Academy? Although one may presume that activities and games such as War Ball and Zumba don’t rival a rigorous IB course load for time in the lives of Newark Academy Juniors, physical activity has become a fixture of the Junior-year grind at Newark Academy. Physical Health, which takes two valuable free periods from previously “PE-Exempt” Junior athletes, has been met with preemptive negativity from the Junior Class. However, the benefits of physical activity help the Academy’s most pressured class to thrive.

The changes to Physical Health for the Junior Class are only one piece of a two-department wide revitalization. With the combination of the Health and Physical Education Departments under one group, the mindset of the twice-a-cycle courses has forever changed.

Beginning with the faculty involvement, the role of the health teacher at Newark Academy has evolved. According to Ms. Spooner, School Counselor and Head of the Physical Health Department, “If you are a health teacher at the Academy, you are in the classroom and on the court, pool or field.” Dynamic personalities such as Ms. Lopretto, Ms. Rode and Ms. Santos bring an equally passionate force to every slot on their schedule, be it infamous Freshman Health or Sixth Grade Volleyball. “The health teachers bring a level of enthusiasm to class, and students are more engaged and willing to participate because of their teacher’s positive attitude,” said Junior Samantha Altschuler ’14, who took Physical Health in the fall. The dual role of the Academy’s Health faculty is a palpable symbol of the true message and goals of the new Department. The appearance of the same teachers in and out of the traditional classroom setting stresses that, as Ms. Spooner puts it, “it’s all about your body and your mind working together in school and life.” This new message carries the Physical Health program forward and calls for the expansion of the limited horizon of the former Health and Physical Education Departments.

The new school-wide curriculum initiative takes the role previously occupied by the former Physical Education Department and rolls it under the umbrella of Physical Health, a new two-part experience at the Academy. In order to achieve this fusion of mental and physical activity, the Department is reshaping the curriculum at all grade levels. Ms. Spooner commented, “The new program builds each year toward the goal of a healthy lifestyle.” Newark Academy Health classes generally focus on responsible decision-making, which is a function of the mind. “There is the healthy emotional part, which includes relationships and sexuality,” said Ms. Spooner. But incorporating physical health into the curriculum complements work in the classroom with physical exercise.

To develop a student body that is healthy in both mental and physical capacities, Physical Health aims to generate a lifelong interest in physical activity that can relieve stress and improve well-being. This applies to all students, irrespective of grade level or status as an athlete. Ms. Santos, a new and energetic member of the Physical Health Department, discussed the new requirement that Junior athletes take physical health. “Juniors at NA have a very taxing schedule, and our job is to make sure that you work your body along with your brain. You need to learn stress management. We want to expose you to all types of exercise…that will affect your lifestyle in a positive manner for years to come.” Building positive attitudes for the future is in fact the best proposition a Physical Health education can offer.

The goal of high school is to expose adolescents to a vast range of opportunities, experiences, and skills. Physical health is no different. Through mandatory instruction in a variety of exercises, games, and relaxation techniques, the Physical Health Department ensures that every student passing through the halls of the Academy builds a positive and open attitude toward physical activity. If it introduces even the possibility of improving the future well being of Newark Academy students, the new Physical Health requirements—even for Juniors preoccupied with concerns about schoolwork and college—are worth the demands on the ever busy Junior year schedule.