Hello WGHS Families,
There considerable information available to advocate for wellness and the impact physical activity can have on it. Long-term benefits of mitigating lifestyle conditions such as obesity, heart disease and dementia have been well chronicled. I would like to address the more temporal concerns of mental health, cognitive function, and positive impact on learning issues such as ADD. The connection between mind and body is crucial to personal growth and development as consistent exercise can help you be better and allow you to do your best work.
Exercise is more for the brain than the body
Consistent purposeful movement improves cognition and learning readiness by increasing alertness and have a positive impact on ADD/ADHD. John J. Ratey, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Spark--The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, states exercise is like “taking a little Prozac or a little Ritalin at just the right moment.” Further, increased evidence has suggested that exercise may be a neglected but important intervention in mental health and self-care. While exercise does not impact on all mental health concerns, research supports its impact on the most common among adolescents. A recent New York Times article, "The Benefit of Exercise for Children's Mental Health," noted significant research demonstrating the “clear association between more frequent physical activity and lower levels of depression and anxiety.” Another study declared, “physical activity might be an efficient antidepressant,” while many others promoted exercises ability to reduce anxiety.
Exercise and movement combat the ill-effects of the digital age, promoting better mental health outcomes when connected with increased physical activity and lessened screen time (JAMA, 10/21).
Student-athletes are getting some of the benefit, but not consistently or at the most ideal times.
If students are practicing after the school day, the benefits for their brain are present, but post-competition and practice is after the school day or on a weekend. In addition to the timing not being optimal, a limited number of students participate in after-school activities, with WGHS athletics or otherwise. How much activity are those students getting in their respective off-season? That varies drastically but could be more consistent with a PE class.
Summer School PE allows for credit attainment but limited long-term impact
Summer school PE is similar to cramming for a test in school; a sprint through a condensed curriculum that provides limited exposure to worthwhile wellness goals. It's all done in order to generate a performance for a limited window, just enough to move on to the next credential. I would suggest this is not conducive to long-term impact nor is it providing the protective factors of fitness when students need it most. More concerning, there are entities, led by educators, that foster this corrupt bargain in the effort to capture state monies with their indiscriminate offering of “PE lite.” I do not support that path for most students. We have continued to elevate our course offerings and staffing in this important area at WGHS in the effort to serve our students and families. It is most hope that families give taking additional courses their fullest consideration.
Best,
Matt Irvin
Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremony
May 17, 2025 6:30pm
Chaifetz Arena
Doors will open for guests at 5:30 p.m.
Guests: We are not limiting the number of guests per graduate.
Tickets: There will be no tickets for entry to Chaifetz Arena.
Parking: Parking is paid by guests in the Olive/Compton garage. Fees will be announced in the spring. Street parking is available but limited.
Duration: The ceremony lasts approximately 1.5 hours, depending on the size of the class.
Summer is almost here, and with it the opportunity for students to engage in meaningful, intensive experiences. Students can take advantage of this time to coordinate with the Chelsea Center to pair our experiential reflective guidance with their chosen pursuit to earn academic credit.
While registration for student summer camps, workshops, and academy experiences requiring Chelsea Center funding sponsorship closed in March, the Chelsea Center is still able to help students earn service learning, internship, or travel academic credit for summer pursuits they might have in the works!
During Chelsea Center summer school courses, students will pair their chosen experience with engagement with us for goal setting and reflection prior to, during and after their experience. The essence of experiential learning is two-fold: learning by doing and reflecting on that experience to make meaning of it. Both components are essential and required to earn credit. Students engaged in 30 hours of a learning experience and reflection can earn .25 elective credit, while students engaged in 60 hours of an experience and reflection can earn .5 elective credit.
Students will formulate goals for new understanding and personal growth. They will also curate examples of their growth from this experience to share during reflections. These examples could include but aren’t limited to sketches and brief notes, pictures and notes, work samples, stories, social media posts, etc. Students might also attend a handful of events during the school year to speak about reflections on their experiences and to share their curated evidence of learning.
The very last date we can register students for Chelsea Center summer coursework is May 15, so if this is something your student wants to discuss and consider with us, please ensure they see us in Room 200 sooner than later!
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Webster Groves High School
Email: erb.mickey@wgmail.org
Website: www.webster.k12.mo.us/wghs
Location: 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 963-6400
Facebook: facebook.com/WGAlumni
Twitter: @WebsterGrovesHS