My name is Culley DeGroote. I teach 6th, 7th & 8th grade Physical Education at West Vigo Middle School. This is my twelfth year teaching at WVMS and my thirteenth year teaching overall. I graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in Exercise Science; and a teaching degree in Physical Education (K-12) and Health Education (6-12). I also have my Master’s in Education Administration from Indiana State University. My wife, Megan, and I have a daughter, Cambry.
I love teaching at WVMS, as I am a 1991 graduate of this great school! I graduated from West Vigo High School in 1995 where I played football, basketball, and baseball. I played basketball and baseball in college and enjoyed every minute of it. I’m currently in my eleventh season as the head baseball coach at West Vigo High School. I’ve also coached boys tennis at WVMS for 3 years, winning the schools first ever county championship. I spent six years coaching the boys soccer team at West Vigo High School as well. I love to coach and work with kids. Teaching and coaching is my true passion in life.
I love teaching because every day is fun and exciting. The energy and enthusiasm that middle school aged kids have is awesome to be around! At WVMS I teach “Fitness Center” to all grade levels. We spend most of our time in the weight room learning and practicing physical exercises that our students can benefit from for their entire life span. When we’re not in the weight room we’re usually outside on the track, in the gymnasium, or doing writing prompts. My goal is to get our students to be as active as possible every day in P.E. class. I believe we have a lack of movement crisis in our country, so we try to keep the kids up and moving as much as possible. I hope my students come to understand the importance of physical exercise and living an active and healthy lifestyle.
DID YOU KNOW???
*Children and adolescents (ages 6-17) should get 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity 3 days a week.
*Physical activity benefits brain health, weight management, reducing disease, strengthening your bones and muscles, and improving your ability to do everyday activities.
*How do you stay physically active while social distancing? Here are some helpful ideas:
- Engage in active family play time. Any game that gets everyone up and moving counts!
- Catch up on household chores such as cleaning out the closet. Vacuuming is also a physical activity.
- Get outside. Mow the grass, go for a walk, pick up sticks in the yard, shovel snow, rake leaves, or take a bike ride. Remember to maintain a safe distance between yourself and other active neighbors.
- Make television watching more active by doing jumping jacks, burpees, planks, wall sits, body weight squats, sit-ups or push-ups during the commercials.
*Nearly 1 in 4 young adults are too heavy to serve in our military.
*Only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. About 31 million adults aged 50 years or older are inactive, meaning they get no physical activity beyond that of daily living.
*Inactivity contributes to 1 in 10 premature deaths.
*Inadequate levels of physical activity are associated with $117 billion in annual healthcare costs
*Among the many benefits of physical activity are:
- Lower risk of:
- Early death.
- Coronary heart disease.
- Stroke.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol or triglycerides.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Metabolic syndrome.
- Colon cancer.
- Breast cancer.
- Prevention of weight gain.
- Weight loss, particularly when combined with reduced calorie intake.
- Improved cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness and muscular strength.
- Prevention of falls.
- Reduced depression.
*Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
- Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minute durations.
- For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
- Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.
- Always be respectful of the teacher’s right to teach, other students’ right to learn, and everyone in the classroom.
- NO cell phones or gum in P.E. class. All cell phones should be off and in their P.E. locker during class.
- Students have 5 minutes after the bell to get changed into their P.E. clothes and be in their squad spot at the start of class. They’ll have 5 minutes to change back into their school clothes at the end of class.
- Every day of P.E. class is worth 10 points. If a student is absent they get 0 out of 10 points for that day. However, they can make up those points at any time during that grading period!
Weekly Schedule
Master Schedule:
1st period 8:05-8:50
2nd period 8:55-9:40
3rd period 9:45-10:30
4th period 10:35-11:20
8th grade/Related Arts lunch 11:25-11:55
5th hour 12:00-12:45
6th hour 12:50-1:35
7th hour 1:40-2:25
8th hour 2:30-3:15
