Currently at both schools the primary students are working on their locomotor skills.  Locomotor skills are the ways kids can move.  The skills are: running, walking, jogging, hopping, jumping, leaping, sliding, skipping and galloping.  The students are also working on moving safely through general space while maintaining their personal space.  This means students are careful not to run into each other.  The older students started football.  They will be working on offense, defense, teamwork and sportsmanship as the unit develops.

The school year is well underway.  This year started with playground games, kickball, four square and hopscotch.  These are just a few of the games that the kids can play when they have recess.  It helps the kids be active so that they are ready to learn when they return to their classrooms.

Welcome Back

Welcome back to the new school year!  I am excited to be back at Longfellow and Mitchell.  I look forward to teaching returning students as well as meeting new students at both schools.  Be sure to check back to this blog to get all the information you and your child will need for a successful year in Physical Education.  

Recess Fun

The students are enjoying the sun and fun at recess at Mitchell.  

A kickball game on the lower playground.

Monkeying around on the playground equipment.

 Having fun on the swings.

 Shooting buckets...always a good choice!!!

Hanging out with friends!

 More fun on the swings!

 Who can resist the tube slide!

Field Day

Field day is right around the corner. Here are some details:

Mitchell

Date--Wednesday May 22nd, with the raindate being Thursday May 23rd.

Place--Mitchell playground and gym

How--There will be three sessions (4/5, 2/3, K/1/2), one in the morning and two in the afternoon. After completion of the events, popsicles will be provided by the PTA.

Longfellow

Date-- Friday May 24th, with the raindate being Tuesday May 28th.

Place--Old recreation department on 68th Street

How--As a school we will walk to the park. There will be snack time built in to one of the stations. After completion of events, a hot dog lunch will be provided by the PTA. There will be two school-wide events after lunch, then we will walk back to Longfellow.

Check back for more information when the events get closer.

PACER:  Wall of Fame

 

Mitchell has a Wall of Fame.  All students who beat their previous PACER score by at least one lap had their picture taken for the Wall of Fame.  Stop by and see it. 

 



 

If you don't know what the PACER is, ask your child, they should know :)



Fitnessgram

Both Longfellow and Mitchell are in the middle of our final round of Fitnessgram testing.  Results will be sent home with report cards on June 12th.  If you have questions about the Fitnessgram Assessment, please see the tab on the front page of the blog, or feel free to give me a call at either school.  

Jump Rope for Heart

 

Both Longfellow and Mitchell did a fantastic job in helping the American Heart Association during Jump Rope for Heart.  Longfellow raised just over $500.00 and Mitchell raised just over $1900.00.  The top earner at Longfellow was Jackie Baskerville in Team Unity and at Mitchell it was Connor Dortbudak in Mrs. Ceel's class.  Congratulations to both schools in their efforts!!!

Sight words and Physical Education

My Longfellow students pose for a picture with a few of their grade level sight words following a fun activity. This activity demonstrates one way that Physical Education strives to make connections to the classroom curriculum.

 Mrs. Moglowsky's kindergarten class.

Mr. Bombien's kindergarten class.

 

 Mr. Bissen's kindergarten/first grade combination class.

Miss Poehler's first grade class.

 

Miss Mejac's first/second grade combination class.

 

Mrs. Wandsneider's second grade class.







Rock Wall
This week the students in grades kindergarten through third grade started rock climbing.  The rock wall and activities work on the students fitness level, particularly muscular strength, balance and agility.  Check out the pictures of Longfellow students climbing the wall.

 The students are playing a game called "Shark Attack".

The students can also traverse the wall with obstacles.  We use hula hoops and the students can climb over, through or under the hoops. 

PACER--Wall of Fame
Check out Longfellow's PACER Wall of Fame!  What is the PACER Wall of Fame?  It is a wall dedicated to the students that were able to score at least one more lap this time on the PACER.  Over 100 students were up for the challenge!  Take a look during parent-teacher conferences this Tuesday.

Community News
The West Allis Health Department is working on a community health improvement plan to help improve the health of citizens of West Allis.  Their main objective this year is to increase the percent of adults classified as have a healthy weight.  In a news release from the health department:
     "Beginning April 1, 2013, the first day of National Public Health Week, the West Allis Health Department invites you to stop in and privately weigh yourself and look up your body Mass Index (BMI).  West Allis-West Milwaukee resident may come to use the scale any day Monday through Friday from 8:00-4:30."
The goal of this program is to increase the percent of adults with a healthy weight from 23% to 37%.  If you have any questions, please contact the West Allis Health Decpartment

Jump Rope for Heart

 

Congratulations to Mitchell Elementary and their supportive families and staff members.  Because of their generosity, we were able to raise over $1800.00 for the American Heart Association during Jump Rope for Heart.  Way to go!!!

Jump Rope for Heart

 

Jump Rope for Heart at Longfellow was the week of the 19th.   The kids had a lot of fun supporting the American Heart Associaion and healthy hearts.  Here are some pictures from the event. 

 





Jump Rope for Heart

Here are some more pictures from Jump Rope for Heart at Mitchell.

Jump Rope for Heart

Jump Rope for Heart was a success at Mitchell.  The classes completed several stations that incorporated jumping.  Special thanks to the Mitchell PTA who provided a bounce house for the classes to use.  The event has special meaning to Mitchell because one of our very own students was born with a congenital heart defect.  Her name is Kyleigh Forster and she is fourth grader.  Her mom shares Kyleigh's story.

Kyleigh was born with a congenital heart defect called Tricuspid Atresia, Hypoplatc Right Heart Syndrome.  Essentially Kyleigh was born with half a heart.  In order to survive Kyleigh needed to undergo a series of 3 open heart surgeries.  Kyleigh's first open heart surgery was performed at only 9 weeks old and she weighed just 4 pounds 9 ounces.  Kyleigh nearly lost her life during that surgery but being the fighter she is, she battled through it.  She then has her second surgery at 6 months old and her third surgery at 2 /12 years old. she is on a regiment of heart medication and sees her heart doctor on a very regular basis.  Her heart is not fixed and she will need more surgeries in the future.  With all of this, Kyleigh continues to light up the room with her amazing smile, helps her mom out and loves school.  Congenital Heart defects affect every 1 in 100 babies that are born.  What is that happened to someone in your family.  Please do your part and Jump Rope for Heart to help raise awareness along with the American Heart Association.  



 Here is Kyleigh, and she started the event off for her class. 



Kyleigh and her jumping group.





Jump Rope for Heart

Jump Rope for Heart is this week at Mitchell.  Lets help support the American Heart Association and their work for heart health!  Check back here for pictures of this weeks events!

Inquiry Night

Inquiry night was held at Longfellow Elementary on Wednesday January 23rd. The specialists also took part in this night.  The 4th and 5th grade classes learned the Samba in both Music and Physical Education classes. The students kicked off the Inquiry Night with a performance of the Samba. 

  

 

Angelle Gomez helped introduce the dance to the audience.

 

 

 

We are fortunate enough to have a talented parent who helped drum along to the music.

The students learned the basic step and then were able to create their own combinations using the same basic step.

 

 

 

  

 

After the student demonstration the students went into the audience and asked people to join them in the Samba, dance of celebration and joy.



Congratulations to Mrs. Wandsneider's second grade class and Mrs. Schroeder's second/third grade class for winning an extra gym class for having the most students wear tennis shoes to P-E.  For safety reasons, it is important that children wear tennis shoes to P-E class everyday. 

Jump Rope for Heart

 

Jump Rope for Heart is right around the corner.  Your child should be bringing information home soon, if they did not already. 

Jump Rope for Heart at Mitchell is the week of February 11th.
Jump Rope for Heart at Longfellow is the week of Februay 19th.
We look forward to supporting the American Heart Association and all the work they do with heart related illnesses. 

Heart facts on the gym wall!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at Mitchell (604-4500, ext. 1524) or Longfellow (604-4300 ext. 7035).