CRANBURY- Tries to teach kids to be physically fit for life
By: Casha Caponegro
Cranbury gym teachers said they provide a top-notch physical education experience to all students, despite lack of gym space.
"The only thing that has limited our program has been the lack of space," said physical education teacher Jay Gilligan.
Mr. Gilligan, who has taught at the school for 15 years, said state-mandated curriculum determines each year’s program.
"There are a whole series of codes we have to go by now," said Mr. Gilligan.
Because the Cranbury School consists of kindergarten through eighth grade, Mr. Gilligan said the physical education program is divided into three sections: kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grade, and sixth through eighth grade.
For the K-2 children, the Cranbury physical education program focuses on basic movements, such as running, kicking and jumping.
"Before they learn how to play a sport, the kids have to learn how to run around and not run into each other," said Mr. Gilligan.
In grades 2 to 5, Mr. Gilligan said he tries to move on to more advanced skills as he teaches students games and sports. Once the children reach the 6-8 grades, the physical education program focuses on organized sports and activities.
"By eighth grade it is my hope that the students will be able to master any skill we give them and they can participate in any activity that we introduce or expose them to," said Mr. Gilligan.
In every grade, Mr. Gilligan said he tries give students an education in physical fitness and health.
"The idea is to teach all of the children how to be physically fit and healthy for all of their lives and we give them many options to do so," said Mr. Gilligan, who stresses aerobic activity and stretching before working out as important skills for all children.
Over the years, Mr. Gilligan said there have been changes made to the state-mandated physical education curriculum, namely the addition of a dance program.
"The dance program was part of a visual and performing arts mandate from the state," said Mr. Gilligan, who pointed out that the state curriculum no longer includes gymnastics due to liability issues.
Mr. Gilligan said the largest change to the Cranbury School’s physical education program over the last 15 years has been the tremendous increase in students from about 250 students to almost 600. While the number of students at the school is now more than double, the gym facilities have remained the same.
"This changes the curriculum for safely reasons," said Mr. Gilligan. "We now have to be very aware of safety issues."
Mr. Gilligan said the size of gym classes range from 20 to 25 students per teacher. However, because the school needs to schedule many classes at once to accommodate all students, there can be as many as 60 students in the gymnasium at one time.
The crowded conditions in the gym pose a problem for Mr. Gilligan and the school’s other physical education teachers, Lynn Totten and Frank Silva. Instead of spending their time organizing activities and teaching skills, they must worry about kids colliding into one another as three classes participate in three different sports or activities.
In addition, the after-school basketball program has suffered because students do not have a space to practice in as often as Mr. Gilligan would like.
A $7.3 million school expansion project was approved by voters in January. The expansion is expected to alleviate the crowding, through the construction of a 36,000-square-foot addition that includes a new gymnasium facility, complete with bleachers and locker rooms.
"This referendum will create a huge difference in our curriculum," said Mr. Gilligan. "We’ll have the proper amount of space for the increased number of kids."
The new gym also will benefit after school programs, particularly the extra-curriculum basketball program.
"With the new gym we’ll be able to compete a little bit better," said Mr. Gilligan.