Physical Education (PE) has historically been a part of children’s education since the late 1800’s with laws passed by states to mandate the formal requirement. Although physical education has remained a significant part of developing a well rounded student, changes to how it looks and how it is implemented have evolved. What remains constant is the positive association between physical education and higher achievement, improved attention and concentration, and development of lifelong healthy habits.

In 2019, the Iowa State Board of Education adopted the Iowa Physical Education Standards which provides schools with grade level outcome recommendations. The standards outline and guide PE teachers in developing a program that builds upon skills, knowledge, and dispositions toward lifetime physical activity and wellness.

The Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) offers a well rounded PE program to meet the needs of our K-12 students. It includes activities that promote building skills, strength, and enjoyment of physical activity. Our PE classrooms are staffed by highly qualified teachers who are passionate about impacting the health and wellness of all of our students.

Recently a committee of PE teachers were able to evaluate our program, curricular resources, and equipment to ensure we are adapting to our changing world and providing a high quality program for all students. We also considered our program’s alignment to the Iowa Physical Education Standards and Student Outcomes as we determined recommendations for improvement.

Our elementary PE teachers selected the Quaver PE curricular platform which includes digital resources that promote wellness and movement in a highly engaging manner. This resource is aligned with state PE standards and allows teachers to gauge student growth in the recommended grade level outcomes. But above all, the platform is filled with fun games and interactive videos which are highly motivating and build confidence in our elementary students. The elementary PE teachers also added to their equipment to increase engagement and interest.

Our secondary PE teachers selected the digital resource PLT4M which provides content that is flexible and can be individualized to boost student engagement. Our secondary PE teachers know first hand the importance of providing activity options that offer variety, accommodate for differing abilities, and inspire confidence. PLT4M does that by offering a multitude of resources and videos for PE teachers to select from that promote physical activity, encourage participation, and develop skills for lifelong fitness. The content is aligned to state PE standards and encourages teachers and students to track skill growth and progression. Our secondary PE classrooms also received new equipment including a revamp of Miller Middle School’s fitness center.

Developing physically literate individuals by building their knowledge, skills, and confidence to ensure lifetime enjoyment of healthful physical activity is of paramount importance to us. Our PE teacher team strives to provide physical education opportunities that promote health and wellness for all students now and throughout their lifetime.

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Julie Thede is a Curriculum and Professional

Development Teacher Leader for the Marshalltown

Community School District. She can be reached at

jthede@marshalltown.k12.ia.us.