Arts/Wellness Department
Wellness Curriculum
Grades 9-12

Norwell Public Schools’ grade 9-12 Wellness curriculum is aligned to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework, last revised in 1999, through its wide variety of rigorous programming. The PE/Health program at NHS is designed to address students at the developmental level specified by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as by the end of grade 12, and to prepare them to lead healthy and productive lives after high school.

The Wellness program at NHS promotes a multi-dimensional approach to well-being that emphasizes individual responsibility. It is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.  Students in grades 9-10 enroll in Health I and II, and specialized physical education offerings are open to students in all grade levels.  Students in grade 12 may also enroll in Survival Skills for Adulthood, in which students learn important life skills and strategies for making healthy decisions regarding the many challenges of life after high school.  Topics include but are not limited to: stress management, self-worth, self-advocacy, financial health, sexual health, health literacy, physical literacy, employment skills (applications, interviews, resumes), interpersonal communication skills, and digital etiquette.  Practical knowledge will be shared through experiences related to lifelong fitness, personal safety, cooking, mindfulness and more.

The Arts/Wellness Department believes that students should be knowledgeable in skills and concepts from the four core strands of the Massachusetts DESE Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework

• Physical Health: Students will recognize decisions that all individuals make with respect to their bodies in daily living and identify relationships among actions, conduct and wellness.
• Social/Emotional Health: Students will develop skills needed in daily life as they come to learn about their identity and how to manage interactions with other people.
• Safety and Prevention: Students will learn how to make decisions and weigh the probable consequences of their actions. 
• Personal and Community Health: Students will develop a clearer understanding of their personal, social and civic responsibilities by acting on accurate information to improve health in their communities.

2023 Massachusetts Comprehensive Health & Physical Education Framework

Norwell High School Program of Studies provides more detailed information about courses, expectations and opportunities.