April 2016  PE Newsletter

Dear Families,

Thanks to you all for supporting the Jump Rope for Heart event at Union Elementary School!  Students in second to fourth grade benefited from strengthening their hearts and raising funds for the American Heart Association. The students raised over $10,000, which is the most our school has ever raised!  In a few months students will get their thank you gifts and find out the rest of the results from the American Heart Association.

Beginning this month, grades 2 to 4 will start volleyball, and the lower grades will begin a dribbling, kicking and trapping unit.  Playing volleyball is a way to improve physical strength and health.  Throughout the unit students will learn and participate in activities that will increase their agility, hand-eye coordination, fast reflexes and vertical jump.  Other volleyball-related activities will help your child learn vital life skills including: competition, staying upbeat, working hard and being active.  Your child will not only learn how to be good team player, but also learn good sportsmanship.

The lower-grades unit focuses on the development of foot striking skills such as dribbling, passing, striking and trapping the ball. Students will learn through experimentation, exploration and enjoyment. These fundamental foot skills provide a developmentally appropriate first step towards participating in soccer.

Union Elementary School PE program will be hosting a Family Fitness Night on May 12th. Four fitness stations will be open and available for families to participate in heart healthy activities including: cardio-respiratory, muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and nutrition.  We hope that parents and family members will come and participate with their children. We will send more information regarding this in the near future. Stay tuned!!

Best,

MJ and Emmanuel Riby-Williams