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Health and Physical Education

Program Overview

Virginia requires all students to receive health and physical education instruction at all instructional levels from grades K-10.

Course content for health and physical education, including family life education and driver education is identified in Virginia Board of Education regulations and in the Virginia Health, Physical Education for high school graduation for both the 21 and 23 credit diploma. Students with disabilities have access to adapted physical education programs.

The health and physical education program is designed to teach students the skills, knowledge and attitudes essential to live a healthy lifestyle and select healthy and safe behaviors.

Physical education content includes:

• fitness and conditioning
• fitness planning
• rhythmic activities and dances
• stunts
• tumbling and gymnastics
• lifetime sport activities

Health education content includes:

• alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention education
• mental health education
• nutrition education
• personal and community health and safety
• lifetime survival skills
• health and lifestyle
• first aid
• CPR
• disease and the human body

Sex education content begins in grades 5 and continues through high school.

The Fairfax County Public Schools Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Program envisions the following:

• A well-articulated K-10 comprehensive physical education and health program that prepares all students to actively and effectively achieve and promote lifelong wellness;
• A continuous sequence of learning, firmly rooted in both public health and educational research and effective practice;
• An instructional sequence that provides all students multiple opportunities to use the acquired knowledge and skills in meaningful, authentic, and realistic ways; and
• A school community that recognizes and fosters the intrinsic value of wellness.

Wellness involves the attainment and maintenance of moderate to high levels of physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social fitness.

Elementary School

Program of Studies

The classroom teacher provides health instruction. Physical education instruction is taught by certified physical education teachers and is scheduled for 60-90 minutes each week.

Middle School

Program of Studies

Students receive an average of 47-90 minutes blocks of physical education three to five times each week as determined by the class scheduling configuration established at the local school. Health education is taught approximately 9 weeks within the physical education course.

High School

Program of Studies

Students receive an average of 47-90 minutes blocks of physical education three to five times each week as determined by the class scheduling configuration established at the local school. Health education is taught approximately 9 weeks within the physical education course. In addition, 10th grade students complete a 9-week course of classroom driver education.