Garland ISD is expanding its physical education program with a new course designed to get students moving, learning, and loving the great outdoors like never before. The course focuses on outdoor education and recreation and is part of the district’s ongoing efforts to provide more diverse and engaging options for high school students.
The curriculum for the new class, Lifetime Recreation and Outdoor P.E., is provided by the Outdoor Tomorrow Foundation’s “Outdoor Adventures” program. The course offers students the chance to explore activities like Dutch oven cooking, hiking, archery, fishing, and more, all within the framework of physical education.
“This course is an opportunity to align physical education with the interests of students we haven’t reached in the past,” said LeeAnn Stephenson, teaching and learning coordinator for Health/P.E. “By incorporating outdoor activities into our P.E. curriculum, we’re increasing student engagement and fostering a love for outdoor recreation.”
Students will be able to select this course as an alternative to traditional P.E. classes, which typically focus on team sports and skill-based activities. The new course will be offered at all seven Garland ISD high schools, with several campuses already planning to offer multiple sections.
After years of growing interest from students and parents, this course has been introduced to meet the demand for outdoor education. With recent updates to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for health and physical education, Garland ISD seized the opportunity to develop an innovative program backed by resources and training.
Over the summer, around 30 GISD teachers received training in Dutch oven cooking, one of the skills students will learn. Other training sessions included archery and fishing, with more to come as the district continues to prepare educators to deliver a comprehensive outdoor curriculum.
“There’s a lot of excitement surrounding this course,” said Stephenson. “It’s a fresh approach to physical education that opens up new possibilities for our students. We’re looking forward to seeing it grow and evolve.”
“Highlighting the broader impact of this course, Coleman Bruman, executive director of Secondary Teaching & Learning, stated, “With Garland ISD being a choice of school district, we’re very proud to offer many opportunities to kids in all curricula, including physical education. This additional P.E. course offering will provide our kids with a variety of physical activities and help them grow in new ways we have never seen before. They will be able to really go for their passion, which is what we do in Garland ISD.”
As GISD rolls out this new program, the goal is to expand beyond high schools to include middle and elementary schools. The course perfectly matches its mission to provide diverse choices and opportunities for all students.
Information provided by Garland ISD.