The Best Parts of My Week! 9/17/12--9/21/12

Hi everyone,
     It has been a very exciting start to the school year at North Park!  We have so many new students and families and I think that I made some progress this week in getting to know everyone!

.....I was impressed by a fourth grade student who completely understood the concept of pacing himself during a warm-up and fitness activity this week.  It is a hard concept to teach and I am always thrilled when the message gets through!

.....My upper elementary students were assigned their pedometer numbers this week.  This is always exciting and when it was time to put the pedometers away I rattled off the odd numbers from 1-30 so that those students could clean up first.  One of my fifth graders looked at me while I was doing this and said "impressive!"  I responded - "Thanks!  I like Math!"

.....My younger students were playing a game called "Find My Color", which I use to reinforce the assignment of color groups at the beginning of the year.  Students look under cones to find foam sticks that match their color group.  One of the rules is "No Peeking".  One of my first graders took this rule very seriously and it was great to watch him play by the rules!

.....One of our early pedometer activities is an activity during which students walk for six minutes and attempt to get as many steps as possible.  It is always a challenge to walk and not run during this test.  I was proud of how well the students followed the directions and was also impressed at the number of steps they walked!  They were too!

.....During the course of the week I heard comments from several adults about how PE has changed over the years.  They are glad for the opportunities their students have to learn about nutrition and lifetime fitness during PE class and wish they'd had that opportunity when they were growing up......

.....We are off to a great start in our journey down the Healthy Highway!  One of the opportunities that our students have is to earn a bracelet and a mile for their class if they bring a healthy snack for their birthday treat to share with class.  We have had so many take advantage of this opportunity already this year!  Students have brought in homemade blueberry muffins, zucchini cakes, popcorn, and more to share with classmates as they celebrate their birthdays!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 9/10/12--9/14/12

Hi everyone,
     School is in full swing and in many ways it feels as if we never left!  It was a busy week!

.....We started the week with our first Healthy Highway Assembly of the year.  This was very exciting because we have so many new students.  It was great to be able to introduce the program and how North Park travels down the Healthy Highway to so many new students and adults!  I read Fitness Frankie's Summer Adventure book to everyone and we explained the meaning of our traffic light sticks and our very first road of the year:  Courage Crossroads!  Our school motto is:  "We have the COURAGE to do the right thing!"  "Physical Eddie" and "Healthy Hannah" made their debut and of course, we danced!  At the end of the day I was talking with some students and asked them about their favorite part of the day.  Several of the students  commented on the assembly and about how much they liked the dance!  It was great to start the year on such a positive note!

.....During the summer I created a bulletin board that I call "Fitness Frankie Approved!"  The board contains ten different summer activities and some paw prints.  I asked the students to place paw print stickers on the activities that they participated in this summer.  Each student and adult received four paw print stickers and they were asked to place them on the activity board.  It was great to see the excitement from the students and adults!  One of the students asked me if I put my stickers on too!  I was happy to share that my stickers were put on the activity boards for kayaking, walking, bicycling, and golf!  Fitness Frankie was watching as the students placed the stickers.  Some of the students in one of the fifth grade classes asked me if they could hold him.  They were very excited to pass him around and said that they loved his new hoodie!

.....This week we held our annual Meet Your Teacher nights.  I enjoyed so much meeting so many new parents and the opportunity to share what North Park PE is all about with parents and grandparents with a slide show celebrating last year's activities.  I had some great conversations!  I finished showing this slide show to my students as well this week and it was great to hear comments like "I love that!" when students were watching all of the activities that they participated in last year!

.....My primary students are learning about moving in general space safely with a game called "Bubbles".  Students use hoops to create a bubble and attempt to move throughout the gymnasium without popping!  When I explained that the hoops would be pretend bubbles, one of my first graders suggested that they could also be a force field!  How creative!

.....I ended the week with the signing of the Healthy Highway pledge board.  It was wonderful to see the students sign carefully and take the pledge seriously!  I invited the adults in the building to sign it as well and they were delighted to be a part of it!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 9/4/12--9/7/12

Hi everyone,
    Well, the summer flew by!  I had some wonderful adventures, time to rest and relax, and time to get ready for the new school year!  Summers are wonderful but when they are over, I am always ready to get back to school!  I had a great first week!

.....If you follow this blog, you may already know that the end of last year was challenging because a school in our district had to be closed.  As a result, most of the students from that school were scheduled to come to North Park in the fall.  It has been terrific meeting so many new friends!

.....The first day of school is always so exciting!  There were many smiles, only a few tears, and much anticipation for the opportunities and promise of a new year!

.....As I was getting to know our new students I recognized some names from the past.  It turns out that several of our new students had parents and family members who went to North Park as well!

.....During our Cooperative Hands Project, where students decorate a paper hand as a promise to follow the class contract, I noticed that one of the students was decorating his hand with an American Flag........it was great to see such patriotism from such a young student!

.....The first PE class of the year involves a brief movie of pictures from the previous year's activities.  I find that this is a great way to introduce new students to North Park PE, and to remind current students of the amazing opportunities that we have.  During the primary classes, I encouraged the students to look for Fitness Frankie during the show.  It was so great to see the students point him out to our new friends, and the delight on their faces each time they saw him!  (He is all over the place!)

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week! 6/18/12-6/22/12

Hi everyone,
    This past week was the last week of school and it was full of "best parts"!

.....Our PTA treated our students and staff to an all natural fruit ice pop this week.  I was in charge of getting the ice pops and distributing them.  I had a second grade class at the end of the day and I thought they would like to be my "Pit Crew".  They did an amazing job and we distributed more than 350 ice pops in no time flat!  At the end of the distribution, my "Pit Crew" and I got to enjoy our ice pops!

.....I only had classes for the first two days of this week as there were special events and early releases for the rest of the week.  As a special treat, I took my primary classes to the playground for their last PE class for the school year.  One of my kindergarten students, not in my class at the time, was out at recess and she came up to me to show me all of the yoga poses she had learned this year!  She was very good at them!

.....My second grade students completed a PE portfolio for the first time this year.  They worked very hard all year long and I was getting the portfolios organized and ready to go home.  As I looked back at the work they had completed, I was proud of their efforts and knew that their families would be just as proud as I was!  It was fun bringing them to the classroom teachers to distribute!

.....Mid-week we held our moving up day ceremony for our fifth grade students.  I am always surprised by how much the students have grown and I am always proud of their accomplishments.  During this ceremony I am able to witness their accomplishments in so many areas as they are recognized for their hard work.  I am also privileged to be able to honor several students for exemplary work during PE class.  Not only were the families smiling and applauding, the students were smiling and applauding each other!  At the end of the ceremony, our principal asked our students to recite our school pledge one more time and asked them to take the message with them as they grow and learn.  I noticed a former student in the audience reciting the pledge right along with everyone else!

.....After school one day this week I had several former students come to visit.  I love catching up!  While they were visiting, a mom of one of the students came in to chat as well.  While we were chatting the students were reminiscing about their years at North Park and they even sat on the circle where they gathered as kindergarten students in PE class!

.....The last day of school is exciting, yet sad......we take pride in the learning and friendships that took place, but we are sad that a year is ending because we know that next year will always be different than this one, and never quite the same....We have quite the celebration on the last day, complete with streamers and bubbles!  Many of our fifth grade students, while happy to have completed elementary school, are in tears as they leave on the last day.  It is wonderful in a way because to me that means that we have had a positive influence in our students' lives......

.....There is so much work to be done to finish the school year and I always wonder how I will get it all done!  I am not alone and despite the deadlines and work to be done, there was much camaraderie among my colleagues this week.  Unfortunately we are saying good-bye to many who are moving on....some to other buildings and some to other ventures.....  We wish them all the best!

.....It was a great school year!  Summer vacation is upon us and I will resume this blog in September! Thanks for reading about the "Best Parts of My Week"!

Visit the North Park PE website if you would like more information about the PE program at North Park!

The Best Parts of My Week: 6/11/12--6/15/12

Hi everyone,
    As we get closer to summer vacation, the excitement grows and the celebrations continue!

.....My students have been enjoying a bowling unit recently and they have been so excited!  We are fortunate to be able to set up six bowling lanes and at times it sounds like a real bowling alley when the pins go down!  I loved the looks on the faces of my students when they were successful with a strike or a spare.  Many students this week looked both shocked and excited and exclaimed "I got a strike!" or "I got a spare!"

.....We were treated to a day long visit from chefs from the Culinary Institute of America on our Wellness Wednesday this week!  This event was made possible by our Fuel Up to Play 60 grant and a generous grant from a family which funded our Healthy Snack Cart.  Chef Rico and Chef Christina spent the day and taught our students how to make healthy snacks.  The variety was fantastic and each grade level made a different snack.  Students were able to participate in the creation of the snacks and then eat what they had made.  The students were so engaged and excited!  One of our fifth graders said:  "That was awesome!" after he made and ate a spring roll made out of rice paper and fresh vegetables. I could not help but think that this was an amazing opportunity for all involved!  Click here for a slide show of this event!

.....Most who know me know that I am a creature of habit and that I am a detail oriented person.  That being said, I do forget things sometimes, especially when there is so much going on at the end of the school year.  This week I forgot to put out one of our character bears - "PE Paddy", and our "Stop and Think About it Center".  One of my kindergarten students noticed and reminded me that I had forgotten to do both!  I appreciated another "detail oriented" person helping me out!

.....At the end of the week our principal, librarian, and myself had the opportunity to go to another school in our district and present a Healthy Highway assembly to the student body.  This particular school is closing, and while we are all sad that the school is closing, we are looking for ways to make the transition smooth.  Most of these students will be coming to our school so we thought it would be fun to introduce Healthy Highway to the new students.  We brought Fitness Frankie, our Courage Lions - Courageous Carlos and Courageous Cassie, our NP Healthy Highway car, and the book that I wrote about Fitness Frankie's Summer Adventure.  We had a great time introducing the program to the new students and they seemed to enjoy it.  At the end of the assembly we danced the Healthy Highway dance!  It was great fun!  I felt a little bit like a rock star when students came up to us to ask questions after the assembly!  I also was able to visit with some former students and I enjoyed catching up on their adventures!

.....Our Kindergarten Celebration was held on Friday afternoon and I had the pleasure of taking pictures for our school website.  This events celebrates the growth and hard work of our kindergarten students.  We are all so proud of how much they have learned and how much they have grown!  There were more than a few tears of pride and joy from parents and teachers alike!

Thanks for reading about the "Best Parts of My Week!"

Visit the North Park PE website if you would like more information about the PE program at North Park!

The Best Parts of My Week - 6/4/12-6/8/12

Hi everyone,
    The "Best Parts of My Week" can be summed up in two words:  FIELD DAY!  Well, alright, a little elaboration is necessary.......

The Memories
.....I recently spent some time with my son and some of his friends.   One of his friends and my son were students at North Park once upon a time.......We were reminiscing and the memory from North Park that came up time and time again was Field Day!  My son's friend said:  "Field Day was the best!"  These young men are adults now and have careers, but they still remember Field Day!  I start preparing for Field Day in late March and by the time the event arrives the excitement in the air is palpable, but somehow I am always surprised by how excited everyone gets!  I wonder if other alumni remember Field Day with the same excitement?

The Weather:
.....We divide our Field Days by grade levels to keep the event fresh as the years progress but also to be sure that age appropriate activities are included in the various Field Days.  Tuesday morning was Field Day for grades 3 and 4, Tuesday afternoon was Field Day for grade 5, and Wednesday morning Field Day was scheduled for grades K-2.  The weather was cool and cloudy (actually a perfect day for Field Day), and we hoped for the rain to stay away for both days.  It did and we were able to complete all Field Days in grand style!

The Families:
.....We have so many wonderful parents and adult family members that volunteer to help with our Field Days.  It makes me smile to see the excitement on the faces of the parents as well as on the faces of the students!

.....Every year we have moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and other family members come to Field Day just to watch their children participate.  It's great to see the pride on the students' faces when their family members cheer them on!

.....This year we had some North Park alumni who were parent volunteers.  I had fun reminiscing about Field Day when they were students.   (Yes, I was their PE teacher back then!)

.....Some of our parent volunteers for our 5th grade Field Day remarked that it was their last Field Day at North Park.  They have volunteered unselfishly for so many events at North Park for so many years.  We will miss them and their children!

The Students:
.....Our students were amazing during Field Day!  Our Field Day events are non-competitive and meant for fun and exercise.  Students know this and it was heartwarming to hear our students cheering for each other!

.....As I was moving from station to station at our various Field Days, I participated in some of the stations with the students.  I was included in each event enthusiastically and students were happy to share that they were having a great time!

.....My wonderful husband helps me to set up for Field Days very early on each scheduled day.  When the event is over, I always marvel at how quickly the equipment is cleaned up.  I had some wonderful help from students and families!  This help made it easy to get ready for the next one!

Fitness Frankie and Exercise Ernie
.....I had a terrific time taking Fitness Frankie and Exercise Ernie to each of the events!  Students were happy to see them and smiled for the camera along with FF and EE!  I was even able to introduce them to some of our parents who had not yet met them!

My Colleagues
.....I work with an outstanding group of professionals who work incredibly hard everyday to teach our students.  Field Day requires a school-wide effort and I am so grateful to all of my colleagues who helped in so many ways....supervising stations, helping to set up, cheering, being flexible with daily schedules, and so much more!  I can not do it without them.......Thank you to all of my wonderful colleagues!

Thanks for reading about the "Best Parts of My Week!"

Visit the North Park PE website if you would like more information about the PE program at North Park!

The Best Parts of My Week - 5/28/12--6/1/12

Hi everyone,
     All I can say about this week is:  WOW!  It was terrific!

.....Exercise Ernie spent the weekend with a staff member and her family.  He had a terrific time and on Monday I was presented with a book of his weekend adventure!  It was complete with pictures and a story which included being part of a Memorial Day Celebration and remembering those who served.....

.....A primary student was exercising to warm-up and said:  I'm sweaty!  I said:  sweaty is good!  He agreed!

.....As the end of the month comes near, many students return their completed Fitness Calendars so that they can be included in the list of Fitness Fanatics.  One student brought me a stack of Fitness Calendars completed by her entire class!

.....Operation Healthy North Park was coming to a close this week as well.  I received many, many "Coop Cars"in the inter-office mail this week.  I was thrilled to see that one pile of these cars came from our middle school.  I recognized many of the student's names as North Park alumni.  I wrote an e-mail to the Health teacher that promoted this project in her class to thank her for supporting the project.  She responded by saying that she thought it was a great project and that many of her students remembered participating in the project when they were North Park students.  I realized that sometimes it is possible to continue to make an impact long after students leave the building.......

.....Students in the primary grades have been participating in activities called Movement Sentences and Locomotor Go Fish.  Both activities require some reading on the part of the students.  The students have learned so much this year and I was proud of their work as I watched them read and help each other with words that were challenging.  My kindergarten classes surprised me most of all when they read words that I was sure they did not know!

.....As many of you know, our school is a pilot school for a program called Healthy Highway.  Wendy Cooper is the creator of this program and we have become colleagues and friends throughout the years. Wendy offered to create a station for our Family Fitness Night and also wanted to spend the day at school with us on Friday.  We had such a good time!  Baking Bella was in attendance and our students and staff were happy to see her again!

.....Our first ever Family Fitness Night was scheduled for this past Friday - June 1st.  This event was made possible by a Fuel Up to Play 60 grant that was obtained as a result of the efforts of our Food Service Director and several others.  We had been planning this event for quite some time and I will admit that I was a bit nervous......I wanted everything to go well, of course, but it was also the first event that our new students - from a school that will be closing - were invited to.  It is a difficult situation for everyone when a school closes and we wanted to make all of our new families feel welcome.  I have to say that it was an amazing evening!  I was worried about having enough help, but our PTA, and my friends came through in fine fashion!  We played, laughed, learned about nutritious foods and physical activity, and even had a chance to hear our hearts beat! We hosted 137 people  and had a terrific time with all of the different events, one of which included a healthy snack made by chefs from the Culinary Institute of America!  As I was taking pictures of Exercise Ernie and Fitness Frankie during the event, one of our new moms asked about our bears.  She said that she had looked at our website and that the bears were EVERYWHERE!  I enjoyed telling hear all about their adventures!   I met so many new students and families and I look forward to September when we will begin the new school year with all of our new friends!

Thanks for reading about the "Best Parts of My Week!"

Visit the North Park PE website if you would like more information about the PE program at North Park!