These ensembles rehearse after school at a variety of locations in town. Physical Education Physical education classes meet twice weekly at Runkle. The main emphasis of physical education is on individual skill acquisition, fitness and team building. Students must wear sneakers to participate in class. All physical education classes emphasize social and emotional development as well as physical development. Students work to develop cooperation and respect for individual differences and abilities. The program for K-3 concentrates on basic loco-motor skills such as running, skipping, hopping, and galloping. The 4th- and 5th grade curriculum introduces more complex games as well as team sports. The program for grades 6 through 8 has a stronger emphasis on fitness as well as more advanced game strategies in various sports. Technology Computers are used to support the curriculum in all grades at Runkle. Every K-8 classroom has at least one computer networked to a printer. The school also has 15 laptop computers available for classroom use. Internet access is available in every classroom. The computer lab is equipped with 25 networked computers, each with Internet access. The lab also has a scanner, a digital camera, digital video camera, and headphones for multimedia work. Each classroom has access to the lab when needed. The library card catalog as well as numerous other public library catalogs in the Metro West area can be accessed from the school network. Reference materials on CD-ROM are available in the lab as well as in the library. Internet Policy The Public Schools of Brookline’s (PSB) Acceptable Use Guidelines are part of the standard student registration packet. The policy requires users to refrain from downloading inappropriate, non-educational material and condemns the illegal distribution of software. PSB reserves the right to examine all data stored in computers or on disks and to revoke any accounts found to contain illegal, pirated files. PSB takes no responsibility for any information or materials transferred through the Internet. All users assume full liability for their own actions. To view the guidelines in their entirety, search “Acceptable Use” on the PSB website. Elementary World Language At Runkle School, students in Grades K-2 receive 20 minutes of Spanish instruction three days a week. Students in Grades 3-6 receive 30 minutes of Spanish instruction three days a week. At the end of the 6th grade year, students and their families choose whether to take Spanish or French in Grades 7 and 8. Those classes meet five days a week, like their other academic classes.
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