At Arbor, P.E. is truly intended to be physical education, encompassing both physical development and character development. In addition to general fitness and skill proficiency, P.E. at Arbor is geared toward developing life-enhancing habits: an appreciation for being active and an understanding of the need for proper care of the body. Arbor's P.E. program takes as its core mission the development of sportsmanship: observing the rules of play, treating other participants with fairness and generosity, and winning or losing with grace.

Arbor's P.E. program is not designed to serve as a pre-competitive sports program, but older students will have occasional opportunities to exercise their skills within the context of a competitive situation with teams from other schools.

P.E. classes take full advantage of Arbor's outdoor spaces, which include several soccer fields, a bark-chip track, and basketball courts.