Appalachian offers physical education program for home schooled children

Posted Aug. 17, 2015 at 4:04 p.m.

BOONE—Area home school students are eligible to participate in physical education activities being offered by the physical education program in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.

Classes will begin Sept. 8, and will meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 1:50 p.m. during the 2015-16 academic year. The program is for children ages 5-12. The cost is $30 per child for the year and includes a T-shirt.

The ASU Home School PE Program is a part of the university’s physical education teacher education (PETE) program. It is overseen by Dr. Benjamin Sibley. Sibley is a licensed K-12 physical education teacher and an associate professor in the PETE program. He has many years of experience working with children in both academic and recreational settings.

Classes are taught by junior-level physical education majors in the PETE program in conjunction with a university course in elementary physical education teaching methods.

The innovative SPARK physical education curriculum is used in the PE program. The SPARK curriculum improves students’ motor skills, improves students’ fitness, and is enjoyable for students. This year, the oldest group will also participate in a new fitness curriculum based on CrossFit Kids methodology.

For more information and to find out how to register, visit http://pehomeschool.appstate.edu or contact Sibley at 828-262-6300 or sibleyba@appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.