The Physical Education department at MPH continues to provide an outlet
for the students' pent up energy and an opportunity to learn about
muscle function and the proper way to exercise. Throughout lower
and middle school Physical Education classes are required part of the
curriculum. Then in upper school the students have the choice of
participating in sports, taking electives, or undertaking an
independent study.
Lower School Education:
At MPH, each Lower School class has physical education every day with physical education instructors, making use of the gymnasium and outdoor facilities of the School. The carefully planned curriculum is designed to spiral so that students consistently develop, strengthen, and reinforce their knowledge and skills with opportunities to apply them in a non-competitive atmosphere. As the students' skills and maturity develop, the program begins to introduce team activities and sports. An important goal of physical education classes is to develop a positive attitude toward fitness, strong self-esteem, and good sportsmanship.
Middle School Education:
The Middle School program provides a transition from the "movement" emphasis of Lower School to a sports skills emphasis. The concentration is on team sports, with basic movement skills applied sequentially to individual and team sport participation. Activities include soccer, football, basketball, aerobic dance, wrestling, volleyball, floor hockey, softball, and track. Interscholastic sports start in Seventh Grade with modified teams, and highly skilled athletes may have the opportunity to participate on an Upper School athletic team.
Upper School Physical Education:
Learning the skills and appreciation of a sport is an invaluable part of a student's education. Students have the option of participating in interscholastic athletics each sport season, enrolling in an MPH fitness course, or attending a dance class. Sports teams include basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Students who do not participate in interscholastic sports have the option of doing an independent study that must be approved by the Upper School Head and monitored by a physical education faculty member.