The Physical Education Department at Hampton Roads Academy believes that promoting physical activity and exercise is ultimately the most important role we play, as educators, in the lives of our students. Physical education is designed to develop each child’s physical, social and emotional learning through a series of carefully planned and conducted activities. Children are at different developmental levels, with different needs and interests, for this reason, activities are geared towards a wide range of skill and fitness levels. Regardless if they are in Pre-Kindergarten or twelfth grade, students are encouraged to work towards their personal best. 

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We believe in encouraging every young person to exercise, and we believe in aiding them in identifying sports or activities for their participation and enjoyment. We feel that both strength training and cardiovascular exercise should be part of a quality physical education program. It is also clear that an emphasis on these should be stressed more and more as the students move from Lower School to Middle School and above.  The ultimate goal of our program is to provide students with the skills necessary to live healthy, active lifestyles.

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We believe that a fairly broad and varied program mixing injury prevention, exercise, and sport skills provides a maximum opportunity for student success. Regular involvement in physical activity has been proven to increase test performance, raise self-esteem, reduce the incidence of life threatening disease and produce a positive impact on the social and emotional well-being of an individual. Additionally, team participation in sports can be the most valuable experience for young students in terms of teaching them how to get along with peers, how to successfully disagree, and how to communicate and problem solve. For this reason, at the Middle School level we concentrate on the skills necessary to participate in team sports as well as learning the rules and regulations of the various sports’ activities. These skills are presented through cooperative activities which fosters the students’ ability to be a positive member of a team. In our Upper School elective classes, we provide experiences in hopes of motivating a lifetime of physical exercise while remaining injury free.