FY2026 SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDED BUDGET
ACTON-BOXBOROUGH REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FY26 DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM OVERVIEW
DEPARTMENT:
ADMINISTRATOR:
Health & Physical Education
Peter Knowles: K-6 Liaison Beth Viscardi: 7-8 Liaison Parindar Miller: 9-12 Liaison
ORGANIZATION/PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The vision of the Health and Physical Education Department in the Acton Boxborough Schools is that all students will understand, appreciate, and engage in a healthy and active lifestyle. Our mission is to provide a progressive and comprehensive Physical and Health Education program through high-quality, research-based instruction. Students develop skills and knowledge through a wide variety of learning experiences in a safe environment. Students also learn how and why they should keep themselves healthy and physically active through their lifetimes. Instruction emphasizes physical fitness and skill application, critical thinking and decision-making, sportsmanship, and cooperation. At the six Acton-Boxborough elementary schools, students participate in physical education for 1-45 minute class per week. With Wednesday Data Rotations, we see some classes 2x a week for 45 minutes. With consistency in one physical education teacher the whole year throughout K-6, strong relationships are built with each individual student. We have the opportunity to teach a wide variety of activities and skills, units throughout the K-6 learning years. We are able to collaborate with each of the 6 Elementary Physical Education teachers monthly to update each other on new trends, teaching styles, and skill development we have learned throughout the year. The elementary physical educators at McCarthy-Towne, Merriam, Gates, and Douglas have the unique ability to teach, run, and operate the ropes courses through the Elementary Project Adventure Program. We run Field Days and Fun Run, Walk, or Ride events every year to continue promoting and increasing the importance of physical activity. At the RJ Grey JHS students are scheduled for two quarters of health education and two quarters of physical education with classes alternating every other day. This provides about 22 classes per quarter. Grey Block provides another opportunity for students to be scheduled for a third rotation of physical education which is also approximately 22 classes. Health education courses focus on an overview of wellness concepts, goal setting, bullying prevention strategies, substance abuse, personal safety, physical health practices, and SEL. The physical education courses center around personal and individual fitness, and cooperative and group games. At ABRHS Physical and Health Education is an integral part of the education process and emphasizes the importance of achieving and maintaining a healthy level of physical fitness. Participation in Physical/Health Education helps improve mental, social and physical well-being of all students. The goal of Physical/Health Education is to encourage students to participate and develop an interest in physical activities with an emphasis on physical fitness. Components of physical fitness (strength, endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility) are stressed during the warm-up and reinforced during the subsequent activity. Students will learn to demonstrate competency in many movement forms. Students will gain an understanding of the personal and social effects of physical exercise and wellness. Physical Education is a MA State Department of Education annually mandated program and an Acton-Boxborough Regional High School graduation requirement. Students are required by both state law and local policies to pass physical/health education in order to graduate. Freshmen must take “Fitness for Living” which combines health and physical education. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must take and pass one semester of physical education per year.
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