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Fitness Activities

Grades 9-12
:
Curricular/Intramural
  • Includes:  Aerobics, circuit training, and any other fitness activity (for example, chinning bar, stability ball, slides, steps, tubing, medicine ball, balance board and shields) which does not use weight training machines or free weights.
  • Consult Risk Management for additional general safety requirements.
  • If the activity is happening with an Outside Activity Provider then they must be presented with this activity page prior to the activity taking place.  The Outside Activity Provider must meet the minimum requirements listed on this page. Consult Outside Activity Providers for more information on planning activities/trips using Outside Activity Providers.
Equipment
Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery
Facilities
Environmental Considerations
Special Rules/Instructions
Supervision
First Aid
Definitions

Equipment

  • Determine that all equipment is safe for use (for example, no sharp corners, cracks, or splinters). Students must be encouraged to report equipment problems to the teacher.
  • All fitness equipment must be appropriate to the size and ability of the students.
  • All fitness equipment must be regularly inspected.  All damaged/broken equipment must be removed and not be accessible to students.  
  • Music players (and other electrical equipment) must be in good working order and kept away from the activity area.  
  • Steps and/or slides must be equipped with non-slip tread.
  • Tubing/elastic straps must be appropriate to the fitness level of participant (appropriate length and resistance).
  • If high apparatus is being used (for example, chinning bar, peg board) then a utility mat must be placed directly below the activity area.
  • Consult Weight Training if free weights or weight training machines are used.
  • Students may use personal audio devices with headphones during activities which do not require a spotter or which do not require on-going instruction.  The personal audio device must not pose a safety hazard (for example, headphone cord length).

Refer to the First Aid section for first aid equipment requirements.

Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery

  • Activity appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn.
  • No exposed jewelry is permitted with the exception of fitness monitors.
  • When long hair poses a safety risk it must be secured. Devices (for example, hair pins, elastics and barrettes) used to tie back long hair must not present a safety concern.

Facilities

  • Teachers must determine that all facilities are safe for use. Students must be encouraged to report facility concerns to the teacher.
  • The training surface and surrounding area must be free of all obstacles (for example, tables, chairs), and must provide safe footing and traction.
  • The weight room/training room always be locked when not in use.
  • A process must be developed to regularly disinfect equipment and facility.
  • Limit activities on stages to those that are stationary (for example, tubing, chinning bar, stretching).
  • Consult Safety in Fitness Rooms, for safety precautions when using non-gym areas.
  • Walls, stages, equipment, trees, and posts must not be used as turning points, finish lines, end zones, or boundaries. Use visual markers such as lines or pylons to establish clearly delineated boundary lines in advance of the hazards.

Outdoor Running

  • Teachers must do a safety check ‘walk through’ in order to identify potential problems prior to initial use of route or course.
  • Teachers must teach students the route or course (for example, notice of areas to approach with caution) before the start of the run.
  • Students must be directly supervised if crossing busy intersections.
  • The playing surface must not have any hazards (for example, holes, glass, rocks, sprinkler heads, sewer grates), and severely uneven surfaces must be identified.  The conditions must be made safe, or the activity must be modified or moved to a safe location. Hazards which cannot be removed must be brought to the attention of the participating students and a plan created to avoid the hazards. Teacher must notify the principal/designate of unsafe field conditions.

Indoor Running - Use of Hallways and Stairs

  • Designate a safety or slow down zone (for example, using pylons) for turnarounds or end points.
  • Designate a safety zone (for example, using pylons) for all doors that open out into the hall.
  • Where school hallways or stairways are used for fitness training, appropriate safety measures must be in place:
    • hallway protrusions must be clearly marked
    • inform appropriate staff members of times and locations of fitness training
    • no running to take place where showcases presents a hazard
    • hall double doors have to be secured open
    • monitors must be positioned at corners
    • floor surface must be dry and provide good footing
    • stairways must have a hand railing
    • students must be instructed on safety procedure for running stairs (for example, one step at a time, blind spots, spatial awareness, using railings for balance, maintaining body control, respect for personal space)

Environmental Considerations

  • When environmental conditions (for example, humidex warnings, thunderstorms, or higher elevations of pollutants) may pose a risk to student safety, teachers must follow their school board/school protocols and procedures related to environmental conditions (consult Weather) and insects.
  • Students must receive instruction on safety procedures related to environmental conditions and be made aware of ways to protect themselves (for example, wearing a hat during hot sunny weather).
  • At all times the school board’s weather and insect procedures are the minimum standards. In situations where a higher standard of care is presented (for example, outside activity providers or facility/program coordinators), the higher standard of care must be followed.

Special Rules/Instructions

  • All training sessions should include a proper progression of activities to minimize the risk of an injury.  The following should be included: warm-up, muscle strength/endurance and/or cardiovascular endurance, peak work, flexibility training, cool down.
  • During partner activities, students must be matched according to similar weight, height and skill level.
  • Students must be taught proper use of, and demonstrate competency in, the proper use of the equipment before using it independently (for example, stationary bicycle, medicine ball, chinning bar, tubing).
  • Skills must be taught sequentially and appropriate to the age and ability of the student.  Emphasis must be placed on correct body alignment/position to prevent injuries.
  • Allow students to work at personal levels of intensity.
  • Resistance training can be done with the emphasis on high repetitions, low resistance.
  • There must always be a minimum of 2 students in the fitness room during training.
  • Activities must be modified according to the students' age, ability, language skills, previous experience, the number of participants, and the facility/space available.
  • When planning an activity, participant level of fitness, their previous training, and the intensity and length of time of the activity must all be taken into consideration.
  • Activities must be based on skills that are taught.
  • Be aware of students with a medical condition (for example, asthma, anaphylaxis, casts, previous concussion) that may affect their participation. Consult Medical Conditions for additional information.
  • Students must not participate until they receive concussion information specific to school board procedures/policies, activity specific information on concussion prevention, the inherent risks of the activity, how to minimize the activity risks, and rules/procedures for safe play.
  • Students must be instructed on the importance of reporting suspected concussion symptoms.
  • For all off-site activities refer to the school board's transportation procedures/policies related to appropriate methods of transportation, appropriate parent/guardian communication, and obtaining parent/guardian permission.
  • Activities that require students to close their eyes or be blind-folded while moving are prohibited. 
  • Teach students how to walk and/or run backwards properly.  Emphasize safe, controlled movement when students walk or run backwards. Backward-running races are not permitted.
  • If a student displays either verbal or non-verbal hesitation about performing a specific activity/skill then the teacher must determine the reason for hesitation.  If the teacher believes the hesitancy may put the student at risk during activity, then the student must be directed towards a more basic skill or be permitted to select a challenge that aligns with their comfort level (including choosing not to participate). 
  • To prevent dehydration, students must have access to water fountains or personal water bottles before, during, and after the activity.

Supervision

  • All activities must be supervised.
  • On-site supervision is required for initial instruction and use of equipment.
  • In-the-area supervision after initial instruction.
  • A teacher who is providing instruction and is unfamiliar with specific fitness activities must not teach the activity until:
    • assistance is provided by an appropriately trained staff; or
    • Canadian Fitness Standard certification or equivalent is acquired; or
    • training is received
  • Note: Intramural/Club requires In-the-area teacher supervision (even in situations where an outside instructor is present).
  • The level of supervision must commensurate with the inherent risk of the activity. The level of risk is related to the number of participants, the skill level of the participants, the type of equipment used, and environmental conditions.
  • Volunteers are allowed to assist in the supervision of physical education activities. Examples of volunteers are educational assistants, retired teachers, co-op students, parents/guardians, early childhood educators, and teacher candidates. Refer to your school board’s policy regarding volunteers. These volunteers must be accompanied by a supervisor/physical education teacher.
  • Teachers must have experience or training prior to providing activity specific instruction.  Teachers without recent experience or training should receive training or assistance from appropriately trained staff.
  • Students must be informed that using equipment and/or the gymnasium without supervision is prohibited. In addition to verbal communication, the doors must be locked or signs must be posted indicating that students are not allowed to use the gym unless appropriately supervised.

First Aid

  • A working communication device (for example, cell phone) must be accessible.
  • The school's first aid plan/emergency response (consult First Aid Plan and First Aid Emergency Response) and the school board’s concussion protocol (consult Concussions) must be followed.
  • The school evacuation and lock down plans must be communicated to students and followed in the case of an emergency.

Definitions

  • In-Charge Person:
    • Some activity safety pages refer to an “In-Charge” person. The teacher is always "In-Charge" and responsible for the overall safety and well-being of students under their care.  However, sometimes other personnel must be identified as "In-Charge" related to specific situations (for example, a pool lifeguard).  In these situations where another "In-Charge" person is designated, that person in consultation with the teacher are to make final decisions regarding student safety.
  • Supervision:
    • The vigilant overseeing of an activity or sport for regulation or direction.
    • All facilities, equipment, and sports have inherent risks, but the level of risk decreases significantly with effective supervision
    • Manitoba Physical Activity Safety in Schools designate three categories of supervision:  Constant Visual Supervision, On-Site Supervision, and In-The-Area Supervision. The categories take into consideration the activity specific level of risk, the participants’ skills, and the participant level of experience. The three levels of supervision are not hierarchical but represent the type of supervision that an activity requires and the type of supervision that is inherently possible.
  • Supervisor:
    • A supervisor is defined as a teacher, vice-principal or principal with current Manitoba Teachers' Society certification and under contract by a school/school board. The supervisor is legally responsible for the students.
  • Types of Supervision:
    • Constant Visual Supervision:
      • The teacher is physically present, watching the activity in question. Only one activity requiring “Constant Visual Supervision" may take place while other activities are going on.
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. The teacher is at and is watching high jump.
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. The intramural supervisor is at and is watching the parachute games.
    • In-the-area Supervision:
      • "In-The-Area Supervision" means that the teacher could be in the gymnasium while another activity is taking place in an area adjacent to the gymnasium.  "In-The-Area Supervision" requires the teacher to be readily accessible.  
      • "In-The-Area Supervision" occurs during activities in which students may be out of sight for periods of time and the location of the teacher is not nearby (for example, alpine skiing, cross-country running) or during activities where single or multiple "In-the-Area" activities are happening at the same time (for example, a gym divided by a curtain or wall with badminton or table tennis on either side of the wall).
      • The following criteria must be in place:
        • The teacher is circulating and is readily accessible
        • The location of the teacher has been communicated to students and volunteers;
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. For distance running, the students are running around the school and at times may be out of sight.
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. For the scavenger hunt, the students are running around the school grounds and at times may be out of sight.
    • On-site Supervision:
      • The teacher is present but not necessarily constantly viewing one specific activity. Momentary presence in adjoining rooms (for example, equipment room) to the gym is considered part of “On-Site Supervision”.
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. Students participating on the track (relay) can be seen by the teacher who is physically with the students practicing high jump. 
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. For relay games, the students are participating on the playground and can be seen by the intramural supervisor.

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