prospectornow.com
September 8, 2017
Features
P.E. department undergoes changes
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Gym classes focus curriculum on cardiovascular endurance through use of circuit excercises BY AYSE ELDES Copy Editor
Starting this school year, the Physical Education (P.E.) department implemented curriculum changes with the leadership of Associate Principal of Student Activities and now P.E. Department Head Frank Mirandola. Mirandola describes the changes as being “more definitive in what we want to do.” Classes are seeing an overall organizational change, including weekly schedules of what will be going on each day. While at least three days will be dedicated to getting individuals into their target heart rate zone with circuit exercises or running, other days will be active recovery days, where students focus more on moving and less on heart rate. Staff involved in the P.E. department came together with Mirandola to discuss these curriculum changes for the year. “The P.E. department has very passionate teachers who are excited about fitness and wellness,” Mirandola said. “We sat down and said, ‘What is our department about, what are our goals, what are our objectives?’ So we wanted to bring this idea under one umbrella. It really wasn’t a change; it was a formation of ideas and things that people are passionate about.” According to Mirandola, the Advanced Weightlifting classes have been operating their classes this way for two years already. Three days a week, students focus on weightlifting. On other days, the focus is on cardio and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which includes intense anaerobic exercises followed by less intense recovery time. “These skills [are] establishing a huge foundation for our students to live a healthy long life and love what they do,” Mirandola said. P.E. teacher Aaron Marnstein teaches
freshman classes this year. While he observes better compliance in his freshman classes, he senses some resistance to the curriculum from upperclassmen. “Once students begin to understand what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to show them, they still might not like it, but the hope is that they appreciate it and understand,” Marnstein said. Junior Brandon Kviz feels more fit now that he’s getting more done in his P.E. class. For Kviz, exercise is a main source of unwinding. “It makes you feel healthier than sitting on your phone,” Kviz said. “For me, it’s stress relieving. It’s been more organized coming into the day knowing what you’re doing instead of the teacher saying ‘Oh, we’re running today.’ And you’re like, ‘Oh, what?’” Kviz did enjoy the free choice days, where he could chose between basketball, softball or walking in his previous P.E. classes. “I believe in [the new curriculum] completely. It’s not perfect; if I could choose, I’d choose more choice days,” Kviz said. According to Marnstein, the changes vary across all P.E. classes, however. While students in regular P.E. classes may feel the fitness exercises more intensely, a Dance or Lifestyles class may feel more subtle changes. “I think every leader leads differently; every leader has a different vision,” Marnstein said. “We have the ability to now take Mirandola’s leadership and take his drive and direction.” Mirandola emphasizes the individual approach to fitness now. “By including more heart rate monitor usage in classes, students will be gauged individually. This was one thing the P.E. department wanted to focus on,” Mirandola said. The department had already planned
“These skills, they’re establishing a huge foundation for our students to live a healthy long life and love what they do.” - Frank Mirandola Associate Principal of Student Activities and P.E. Department Head
GAINS: Junior Michael Shafis does a plyometric excercise during his P.E. class. Many of the gym classes have put a new focus on including plyometric workouts into the curriculum. (photo by Erik Velazquez) on allocating resources for more heart rate monitors. Mirandola compares the school’s Polar monitors to the Fitbit or other individualized fitness trackers. “[Fitness is] not about the collective whole; it’s about the individual. When you’re more active in classes you take after physical activity … it actually spikes your engagement and ability to learn that content.” Because most students are not involved in a team or group fitness activity after graduating high school, Marnstein agreed that offering and individualized structure to each student’s workout prepares them for the future. “They don’t have to worry about, ‘The whole class is running and I can’t keep up. I must not be working very hard,’” Marnstein
said. “So the heart rate monitor lets them work at their own pace ... so they can get the best out of their workout.” For the future of the P.E. department, Marnstein sees changes naturally happening again in the future. “I think physical education is always changing. Even in the classroom, [where] teachers are teaching the same subject every year, sometimes they want to change things,” Marnstein said. “I don’t see anything like that not happening in P.E.” Mirandola agrees that touch-ups may happen in the future. He believes changes in the P.E. department reflect healthier changes in the general Prospect community. “Having a vibrant physical education program is really about having a vibrant school,” Mirandola said.
Club welcomes Turkish culture BY NICHOLES SCHAUER Executive Visuals Editor International Club, French Club, Ebony Club, Italian Club and Spanish Club: every year Prospect High School sees an increase and diversity in clubs. This year, spearheaded by junior Ayse Eldes and senior Medine Karamanli, Turkish Club will be sponsored by Dr. Jay Kyp-Johnson and join the list of these clubs. On Wednesday, Aug. 23, Turkish club began meeting in the Prospect staff lounge in the commons with 15 students.
The club is already set on planning events for the Prospect community, such as participation in Prospect Gives Back and a Turkish music and food evening on Sept. 15. Other plans include concession stands, creating videos for the morning announcements, a picnic and club meetings that introduce Turkish cuisine. According to Kyp-Johnson, Prospect has seen a growing number of international students. Among them is Karamanli, who performed for Prospect’s guitar club with Eldes last year and sang in Turkish on numerous occasions. “Everybody plays English songs,” said Karamanli. “But we wanted to show some dif-
ference.” Last year when Eldes published an article for the Prospector about two Prospect students from Turkey, Kyp-Johnson approached her and Karamanli about starting the club. Both Eldes and Karamanli saw the visible increase in foreign students and believed this club could be a way to create a social platform for diversity. “We wanted Turkish club to both spread information about Turkish culture and Turkish religion,” said Dr. Kyp-Johnson. “We also wanted it to be a place where students who are new to the area, and maybe new to America, could meet other Turkish students and feel more at home.” Karamanli, who is heading the club, has the primary goal of promoting socialization among different students from different backgrounds at Prospect.
DIVERSITY: Turkish club meets around a table in the teacher’s lounge. The members are enjoying baklava as they discuss turkish culture. (photo by Nicholes Schauer) Karamanli and Kyp-Johnson are considering changing the club’s name to better reflect this reality. “When you go each week, you learn about the cultures,” Karamanli said. “In Turkish Club ... it’s socializing and getting together with any nation.”
Kyp-Johsnon agrees. “It’s our hope [that] all kids at Prospect will be welcome,” he said. “This club is not only for Turkish people. Anybody’s welcome. … More knowledge and more understanding is a better thing for our existence together.”
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