Hi Everyone,

Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing and fun summer.

The school year is off to a great start.  The physical education classes are all beginning with activities that build cooperation and trust, as well as reviewing the class rules and the tribes four agreements.

During each class we do exercises that build strength, flexibility and endurance. Every month I introduce the  "muscle of the month"  and a exercise that works that muscle. For the month of September the featured muscle is the hamstring.  And the exercise is the sit and reach.

The third, fourth and fifth graders will begin training for the fitness assessment that will be given in October.  The assessment has a  new component. The mile run will no longer be given.  The P.A.C.E.R. test will be used instead. P.A.C.E.R. stands for Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run. It is a muti-stage fitness test performed in a shuttle-run format, that helps children pace themselves effectively, and is generally regarded as more fun for younger children than the mile run because the pace can be set to music. It is administered indoors and measures aerobic endurance just like the mile run.

The other three tests are the back-saver sit-and-reach which meausures flexility, the curl-up which measures abdominal strength and endurance, and the 90 degree push-up which measures upper body strength and endurance. All the students in these grades should be working at home to get ready for this assessment.

The primary grades will be working on their kicking skills using different kinds of balls, such as soccer balls and playground balls.

I am looking forward to a great year!

Keep on exercising!!!

Sue McCabe