Quincy Public Schools

Department of Physical Education & Health

 

MERRYMOUNT SCHOOL

4 Agawam Road, Quincy, MA 02169    (617-984-8923)

Welcome

Hello to Merrymount parents and guardians. My name is Mr. Paul J. Conti. I have been the Physical Education & Health teacher at Merrymount Elementary School for over twenty years, while working with Quincy’s elementary age children for over thirty years. Our school consists of kindergarten through grade 5 students.  We presently have a total of 301 children. Each class meets with me once per week for 30 minutes for health/fitness related and or physical education classes.  It is my responsibility to nurture each student’s physical abilities through the use of activities that bring out physical as well as cognitive and emotional responses.  The students know that we have a partnership in our classes. It is Mr. Conti’s responsibility to bring about activities and lessons that are informative and fun, while enhancing the mind through enjoyable learning and developing the physical and emotional needs through challenging activities and lessons for everyone. The student's responsibilities are just as important.  They must come to class with proper attire and an open mind that they are going to try their very best and soak up the very most that they can while wearing a  smile on their face (no one is allowed in  who is not ready to laugh and have fun).  I found out a long time ago that humor is the key to a child’s heart and desire to learn.  The curriculum consists of health/fitness related lessons for grades 2-3 students.  Grade 5 students participate in growth and development lessons as well as fitness related activities.  All students exercise during each class and are encouraged to do their exercises at home 2-3 times per week. Core instruction in physical education k-2 classes is through basic skill activities relating to awareness, balance, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, agility, flexibility, strength, and motor related movements.  Once the basic skill areas are achieved, the students in Grades 3-5 are asked to apply these basic skills to lead up type activities.  These activities might relate to various sports such as Soccer, Floor Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Tumbling and Dance.  Another area that all the students at Merrymount participate in is the Climbing Wall.  This is an activity that applies all the basic skills in P.E. that the students learn at Merrymount.  Also twice a year the gymnasium is turned into a roller skating palace!  If you have time, stop by and see what’s going on in your sons/daughters P. E. class. But remember,  bring a smile!

                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                       Paul Conti

                                                                                Physical Education Teacher

Elementary School Physical Activity and Youth

  1. All school-aged children (PreK-5) should be active on all or most days of the week.

  2. An accumulation of more than 60 minutes of  activity per day is encouraged.

  3. Some of a child's daily physical activity should be in periods lasting 10-15 minutes or more and include moderate to vigorous activity.

 

Positive Effects of Physical Activity

  1. Helps build healthy bones and muscles.

  2. Improves muscular strength and muscular  endurance.

  3. Helps control weight.

  4. Reduces anxiety and stress and increase self-esteem.

  5. Helps improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  6. Reduces chance of colon cancer, and increases blood flow to the brain which improves academic focus.

 

Family Involvement (here are some suggestions to keep your family healthy):

  1. Promote after-school activities.

  2. Provide a healthy diet.

  3. Encourage regular exercise.

  4. Be an active family - 60 minutes or more each day (i.e. walk, hike bike, dance, skate, jump rope, climb etc.)

  5. Encourage sport participation

  6. Limit TV, video games and computer time to 1-2 hours a day combined.

  7. Encourage and try new activities.

  8. Give gifts that promote fitness (e.g. heart-rate monitors, pedometers, scooters, jump ropes etc.)

  9. Encourage regular exercise.

 

The CDC recommends that parents:

  1. Be an active family-30 minutes or more each day (ie: walk, hike, bike, dance, skate, backpack, climb, kayak, etc.).

  2. Advocate for daily physical education., after-school activities and encourage sport participation.

  3. Provide a healthy diet and encourage regular exercise.

  4. Limit TV, video games, and computer time to 1-2 hours a day combined.

  5. Encourage new activities.

  6. Give gifts that promote fitness (ie: heart rate monitors, pedometers, scooters, skates, jump ropes, etc.)..