Denver Academy Physical Education Program

Overview

Five days a week! That's how many times PE teachers see their students. At many other schools, PE teachers see classes every other day, or even once per week. Guidelines from National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommend 150 minutes of PE for elementary school students and 225 minutes per week for middle and high school students. Along with these guidelines, today's PE model places greater emphasis on personal fitness and providing cognitive understanding of principles of movement that will help students live healthy and active lives now and in the future.

Denver Academy PE teachers use innovative movement technology such as pedometers, heart monitors, and iPad equipment to provide dynamic and motivating movement learning experiences. We also emphasize students taking responsibility for their own personal fitness goals, tracking their personal progress and working to develop and improve their fitness and overall personal wellness. It is our goal as physical educators to give the students the opportunity to develop a pattern of life-enhancing and self-rewarding experiences that contribute to their potential to be healthier members of society.

Active Bodies=Active Brains!

Elementary & 6th

During the elementary years, the focus of Denver Academy Physical Education is on the development of motor skills, coordination and balance. The introduction of cooperative learning, team sports, leadership skills, and character development are emphasized. Catching, throwing, as well as tumbling, jump rope, and many cooperative games are common activities in the Elementary Physical Education curriculum.

Annual events for DA Elementary Students include:

Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser
Scooter Highway
Field Day

Middle School

In the 7th and 8th grades, various team and individual activities are introduced. Our focus is on incorporating physical fitness and health as a lifetime endeavor. This is accomplished through offering a new selection of classes beyond team sports, such as weights & fitness and cross-fit. The primary objective (besides having fun!) is to expose students to various activities in the hope they will choose to participate in athletics and healthy physical activities in the future. Volleyball, basketball, flag football, soccer, racquet sports, and baseball are some of the more competitive sports taught during Middle School.

High School

During the high school years, Denver Academy’s Physical Education courses focus on lifetime sports and fitness activities. Our hope is to instill the value of lifelong fitness and health into our students. We accomplish this by offering a variety of activities. Lifetime sports, such as yoga and weight lifting are very popular courses. The continuation of team sports that incorporate leadership, team building, and cooperative learning are also emphasized. These include challenge course, Ultimate Frisbee, football, basketball, tennis, floor hockey, and team handball.

Health Education

Health courses at Denver Academy are structured to inform and help students lead a healthy and happy life. We offer physical education classes to our elementary students that are infused with a health curriculum. For Middle School and High School students, nutrition, fitness, healthy choices, and effective communication are just some of the topics covered. When students reach adolescence they learn about anatomy, age-appropriate adolescent growth topics, and the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol, all within the context of their courses.

Our Mission

Denver Academy’s Physical Education Department strives to provide opportunities for the diverse Denver Academy community to develop healthy lifestyles by creating a safe and challenging environment that meets physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs of the individual.

Meet the Team

List of 4 members.

Kyra Ruscio

Dean of Physical Education

Bio
Mrs. Ruscio heads the Physical Education and Health department at Denver Academy and teaches many of the PE and health classes herself. Beyond these duties, Mrs. Ruscio also coaches the middle school division girl's volleyball and basketball. Kyra joined the teaching faculty at DA in 2003.

Mrs. Ruscio earned her B.A. in Human Performance from Metropolitan State College of Denver and her M.S. in Counseling from the University of Phoenix.
David Acker

Physical Education Teacher

Bio
Mr. Acker's background is in adolescent mental health with an emphasis on positive youth development. He has eight years of experience coaching soccer at the club and high school level and is excited to continue coaching at D.A.

Mr. Acker earned his BS in Human Services from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and his MSW from the University of Denver.
Ben Ollett

Physical Education Teacher

Bio
Ben joined the Physical Education team at Denver Academy in 2016. He's starting his 3rd year of teaching after fifteen years of mountain bike and endurance coaching. Ben earned a BS in Exercise Physiology from Rutgers University and an MS in Sport Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado.
Samantha Silverman

Physical Education Teacher

Bio
Ms. Silverman is excited to join Denver Academy this year! Ms. Silverman got her B.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Physical Education and Health Education at Indiana University-Bloomington. Ms. Silverman has been teaching Physical Education in Colorado for eight years as well as coaching a variety of different sports.