The Physical Education Program strives to promote children’s physical development, fitness, and game strategy and rule knowledge, as well as provide children with fundamental skills necessary for life-long physical activity. Twice each week, a Physical Education period is used to help children develop and/or practice skills related to specific sports (for example, serving in volleyball or passing to a moving target in soccer).
The 7s are introduced to PE and go to the gym twice a week for 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with gym routines and expectations. 7s play a variety of games to learn fundamental skills such as throwing and catching, volleying, and hand and foot dribbling, as well as tag games to increase cardiovascular endurance. The main goal of the Lower School Physical Education Program is to build confidence and cooperation within the group and individual student, so children participate in modified versions of traditional games in both small and big group settings.
The Physical Education Program continues in the Middle and Upper Schools, with students participating for 45 minutes, twice a week. PE provides an opportunity for students to practice gross motor skills and learn sports in a more teacher-directed environment. The PE Teacher introduces a variety of classic sports, such as volleyball, basketball, and soccer, and non-traditional sports, such as pickleball, badminton, and Tchoukball. The PE Teacher organizes drills and skill-based activities that help children develop the skills needed to play games independently. Many of the activities introduced in PE can be adapted in the Ball Yard once the children have learned the rules of the game and feel confident enough in their skills to play the game independently.
The Program also builds social skills for the students, by providing another avenue for the children to develop confidence, problem-solving, and effective communication skills, as well as promoting cooperation, team building, sportspersonship, and leadership skills in an alternative environment.
Outside of the regular school day, Afterschool PE is available for 8s–13s one day a week during the fall and spring.