Massapequa School District administrators and the Board of Education recent
ly cut the yellow ribbon on its newly renovated fitness room at Massapequa High School. The 3,200 square-foot, air-conditioned space features more than 80 pieces of state-of-the-art fitness machines that offers something for every fitness need and level.
Currently equipped with 26 cardio stations (including treadmills, spin bikes and upright and recumbent bikes) as well as custom rack stations, single stations, a dual adjustable pulley station, two double-tier dumbbell racks and two glute/hamstring stations. There is also a Smart Board screen/teacher station for instructional use, as well as five LED flatscreen TVs with a custom sound system.
The room, which formerly housed outdated equipment and was underutilized, was on the to-do list for the district for a long time. It is now fully equipped to modify and expand the physical education curriculum for students as well as provide income-generating potential.
According to John Piropato, director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics, also envisioned are video models of correct movement patterns for weight training to reinforce safety, distance learning opportunities where students can acquire the latest physical fitness information, heart rate monitoring during physical activity, Fitnessgram testing, assessing and evaluating student progress, and student projects on health and wellness issues.
“The instructional addition to the facility turns the fitness room into a learning lab,” said Piropato. “A perfect example is our tenth-grade personal fitness course where students’ personal fitness plans can be researched and practiced in a safe environment.”
Students are welcome to use the gym for their after school work out from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. while athletic teams are allowed to train from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with their coach’s supervision. The facility is currently open to the community through a 10-week course called “Introduction to Fitness Training,” which is offered through the district’s Adult Continuing Education Program. Special needs students are also benefitting from a 10-week, after-school adapted fitness program that runs from 2:30 to 3:10 p.m. These programs are expected to expand in the future along with a summer fitness program.
