PD/H/PE

The GRC Peakhurst Campus PDHPE faculty are made up of an energetic, experienced and dedicated staff who are committed to educating students about the importance of adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We strive to engage students in an open-minded, accepting and nurturing learning environment.

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body,
it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
(John F. Kennedy) 

Staff Members 

Curriculum 

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) is a mandatory core course for Year 7-10 (Stage 4 and 5) students. The PDHPE course provides students with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge relating to the four main areas of study: 

◊  Self and Relationships
◊  Individual and Community Health
◊  Movement Skill and Performance
◊  Lifelong Physical Activity 

Through these four areas of study, students are provided with the opportunity to explore and develop skills and knowledge in a range of health related issues and sports and performance activities. Our PDHPE program caters for students of all learning styles and abilities.  The course is divided equally between practical lessons and theory lessons.  

Programs 

Stage 4  – Years 7 & 8 

Year 7
The Year 7 PDHPE program covers a diverse range of important personal development, health and physical education topics including: 
◊  “I am an Individual” (Self esteem and Wellbeing)
◊  “Better Bodies” (Active lifestyle)
◊  “What’s happening to me?” (Growth and development)
◊  “Risky business” (Harm minimisation)
◊  “Butt Out!” (Smoking)
◊  Fundamental movement skills/ fitness training
◊  Athletics and Cross country
◊  Modified games
◊  Gymnastics
◊  Aquatics
◊  Team sports  

Year 8
The Year 8 PDHPE program covers a diverse range of important personal development, health and physical education topics including: 
◊  “Growing up” (Mental health, Resiliency and Wellbeing, Coping with change)
◊  “Harm Minimisation” (Keeping young people safe in various environments)
◊  “Rethinking Drinking” (Harm minimisation in relation to use of alcohol)
◊  “You are what you eat” (Nutrition and Wellbeing)
◊  Sport-themed Dance (Composition)
◊  Fitness
◊  Athletics and Cross country
◊  Netball/ Basketball
◊  Gymnastics
◊  Soccer
◊  Softball
◊  Volleyball 

Year 8 Elective Fitness 
Year 8 elective Fitness is not a subject for the faint-hearted! The program is designed to improve student’s fitness levels through all components of fitness (health and skill-related):
◊  Cardiovascular endurance
◊  Flexibility
◊  Coordination
◊  Muscular strength
◊  Muscular endurance
◊  Balance
◊  Agility
◊  Power
◊  Speed
◊  Reaction time
◊  Body composition 

Students develop their physical fitness and learn about the benefits of developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.   

Stage 5 – Years 9 & 10 

Year 9 
The Year 9 PDHPE program covers a diverse range of important personal development, health and physical education topics including: 
◊  “Sexual Sanity” (Growth and development, sexual health)
◊  “Considering Cannabis” (Harm minimisation relating to use of Cannabis)
◊  “Exercise for life” (Active lifestyle)
◊  “Images” (Self esteem and wellbeing with a focus on Body image)
◊  World Dance/ Bush Dance
◊  Athletics and Cross country
◊  Fitness
◊  Gymnastics
◊  Touch Football
◊  Basketball
◊  Grid Iron  

Year 10 
The Year 10 PDHPE program covers a diverse range of important personal development, health and physical education topics including: 
◊  “Drugs: Where do you stand?” (Harm minimisation relating to Illicit drug use)
◊  “Health Issues Affecting Young People” (Mental health and Nutrition)
◊  “Road Whys” (Road Safety and Harm minimisation)
◊  Gymsports- Aerobics/ Gymnastics (Composition)
◊  Fitness
◊  Athletics and Cross country
◊  AFL
◊  Volleyball
◊  Ultimate Frisbee/Frisbee modified games 

Stage 5 Elective (Year 9 and 10) 

Physical Activity and Sports Studies (PASS) 
PASS represents a broad view of physical activity and the many possible contexts in which individuals can build activity into their lifestyle. It incorporates a wide range of lifelong physical activities, including recreational, leisure and adventure pursuits, competitive and non-competitive games, individual and group physical fitness activities and the use of physical activity for therapy and remediation.  Our program covers the following topics: 
◊  Coaching and Modified games
◊  Drugs in Sport
◊  Recreational Sports
◊  Sports Coaching
◊  Lifestyle, Leisure and Recreation
◊  Body Systems
◊  Nutrition and Physical Activity
◊  Swim School Coaching  

Other Faculty Initiatives 

Sport 
At Georges River College Peakhurst Campus we give all students the opportunity to experience a wide variety of both recreational and competitive sports. Peakhurst Campus is proud of its record in competitive sports over years and has produced a number of internationally recognised sportspeople. GRC Peakhurst participates in a traditional Wednesday afternoon recreational/grade sport program producing premiership teams each semester. Our School believes that young people who are physically fit and actively challenged perform better academically. As sport is a lifelong pursuit from which many positive aspects may be achieved.

In particular, sport can be used for: 

◊  Skill development
◊  To develop and maintain fitness level
◊  Supporting a healthy lifestyle
◊  The development of cognitive, aesthetic and expressive awareness
◊  Enhancing social development
◊  The development of positive attitudes towards good sportsmanship
◊  Development of self-confidence and self-esteem 

Goals for GRC Peakhurst students: 

◊  To maintain sport as a lifelong activity to be continued once the student has left school.
◊  To develop social and interpersonal skills
◊  To encourage school pride and belief in their sport ability and the ability of team-mates.
◊  Develop positive attitudes towards active participation in sporting and recreational activities.
◊  To endeavour to foster good attitudes towards personal hygiene and to wear the appropriate protective apparel. 

Premiers Sporting Challenge
During Term 3, our elective classes will participate in the 10 week Premier’s Sporting Challenge. This will include our Fitness, PASS and Dance elective classes! We will start the Challenge Week 1 of Term 3! The Premier’s Sporting Challenge includes a range of initiatives with one common purpose- to have more students, more active, more often! The Challenge aims to engage young people in sport and physical activity and encourages them to lead healthy, active lifestyles.

The PSC encourages all students in Year 7-12 to increase the amount of physical activity they do each week. Opportunities for students to be physically active include:
◊  Incidental activity
◊  Playground games
◊  Organised school sport
◊  Outdoor recreation programs
◊  Dance associated with the Performing Arts
◊  Community sport and recreation activities

Students:
◊  Participate as a team (with a team captain) for a minimum of 10 weeks
◊  Work together to achieve Award goals for the team
◊  Regularly complete log books

As well as taking a part in this year’s challenge with the selected elective classes,  GRC Peakhurst Campus students, across all years, are encouraged to adopt the “5 steps to a healthy lifestyle” guidelines for life.

These 5 steps are:
1. Get active for an hour or more a day!
2. Choose water to drink!
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables!
4. Turn off the TV or computer and get active!
5. Eat fewer snacks and select healthier alternatives! 

Schoolaerobics National Championships
This year we have two awesome Aerobics teams! Both junior and senior teams were successful at the recent NSW Schoolaerobics Championships. The teams train during sport time and before school.    

Senior Team 
Giorgia Rizzov
Mariel Resurreccion
Rebecca Flanagan
Stephanie Yates
Samantha Long
Heather Woods
Rebecca Korfias
Katherine Brown
Heladia Brown 

Junior Team 
Cynthia Lu
Paula Rizzov
Lauren Dewsnap
Ashleigh Walsh
Heather Leask
Julie-Ann Arico
Samantha Robertson 

Best of luck to the girls!

NSW FOOTBALL FUTSAL Competition
This year our school’s Futsal team have been successful in making it to the NSW State Championships on August 12th! Best of luck to Mr Watts and the team on the upcoming competition! The team is coached by Mr Watts and is comprised of students from Year 9 and 10:

School Snow Trip
Our school Snow Trip is planned for 1st - 4th September!
More information to follow!