Track and Field Day is Friday, May 26th!!

Track and Field day is almost upon us.  This is a much anticipated day for a number of different reasons.  The Kindergarten group will kick off the track events by running of the 50 meter dash at approximately 8:30 a.m.  From there, we will see our primary grades participate in the 100, 200, and 400 meter dash.  The intermediate grades will begin the day at the field events.  Prior to lunch the primary grades will culminate their track events by running the 4 x 100 meter relay.

After lunch the groups will simply switch, the intermediate grades will be on the track and the primary grades at the field events.  More precise schedules will be posted on the concession stand.  Or you can contact me, the office, or the classroom teacher with questions.

Here are a few other reminders about the day...

1.  Water bottles are acceptable and should have a name on them.
2.  Wear your sunscreen!
3.   Be sure to wear your class color.

• KG - purple
• 1st - yellow
• 2nd - blue
• 3rd - orange
• 4th - red
• 5th - green
• 6th - tie dye

4.   I have made an effort to talk about the competitive side of track and field day.  I enjoy the competitive nature of the day as long as we keep things in perspective and recognize a few things.
        a.  The competition helps us put forth our best effort.
        b.  We compete with others not against them.
        c.  The results of track and field day do not define any of our students.
        d.  It is rare when people remember the results, but people will remember how others treated them.  

Keeping my fingers crossed for a dry day on Friday!

Fitness testing is wrapping up...

Typically, the month of April is consumed by testing...  MCA tests in the computer lab and fitness testing in the gym.  In the gym we talk often about doing your best and focusing less on the outcome of the tests.  Fitness tests are not designed to define any of our students.  They are a measure of flexibility (v-sit), muscular strength (pull-ups), agility (shuttle run), muscular endurance (sit-ups), and cardiorespiratory-endurance (half mile and mile run).  I remind students that these particular tests are not a measure of character, intelligence, or even how great they are as a brother, sister, son or daughter.

Here are a few pics of the equipment we use for each test.

V-sit:

Pull-ups:

Shuttle Run:

Sit-ups: 

1/2 mile and mile run:  

Fun in March

March has been a great month at MLE!  We hosted our second annual arts and academics night and it was a huge success🎨🙌.  We wrapped up our bowling unit and even learned how to keep score 🎳... We even challenged ourselves with some exergaming (exercise with video games) by playing "Just Dance 4"🎮🎶🎭! Needless to say it has been quite exciting in the hallways and gymnasium.  The common denominator is they are all lifetime recreation activities that can be done at home with friends and family.  Recreation or "play" can take place anywhere, but school has been, and will continue to be, a great place to be introduced to such activities.  Not only are the activities active and fun, they are also a great way to gain and enhance social/interpersonal skills.  Here are a few pics of the fun that has been taking place.

A pin's eye view...

Happy bowler!

Strike!

Just Dance!

Following the steps...

Spring break is nearly upon us and it is a great time to recharge the batteries for the stretch run of the school year.  Play some cards, visit friends and family, and be active for 60 minutes a day!  Have a great break!!

Jump Rope for Heart

We are officially wrapping up our Jump Rope for Heart campaign and it has been another productive year to say the least.  From talking about how the heart works, to identifying ways we can reduce heart disease, and recognizing signs and symptoms of a heart attack; we covered a ton of material that can lead us down the heart healthy path.  In addition to learning, we also collected over $3,500 in donations for the American Heart Association.  A huge "Thank you" to all the students who participated (approximately 40) and the families and friends who donated.

A couple of quick pics of the our jump rope fun...

6th grade ski trip!!

Friday, January 20th the sixth graders took off for the annual ski trip to Powder Ridge.  Conditions were not ideal, but that certainly didn't slow us down.  Take aways from the day included

• Foggy
• Hard work
• Determination
• Coordination
• Positive attitude
• Friendship
• Camaraderie
• Responsibility 
• Respect
• Safety
• Empathy

The lessons of this day are endless!  Here are few pics from the trip...

Happy Holidays!

I hope this finds you well!  Well rested, well fed, and well....ACTIVE!

This is certainly the time of year when we Minnesotans hibernate and it becomes all to easy to curl up with a blanket and bing watch your favorite movie, series, or tv show.  Don't get me wrong, I love to curl up as much as the next person...  However, this is one of the best times of year to get some exercise and have some fun!!!  Take a hike, go sledding, make a fort, skiing, skating, and snowshoeing, are all great ways to be active in the winter.  Here are a few pictures of our most recent family hike.

I know that winter can be miserable, but make the best of it and enjoy!  Here are some links where you might find some winter fun!

Powder Ridge (tubing, skiing, snowboarding)--http://www.powderridge.com/

Lake Maria State Parks (Hiking, Snowshoeing, Biking, and Winter camping)--http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_maria/index.html

If you find that it is too cold outside here are 4 creative ways to be active while indoors.

http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/4-ways-to-keep-kids-healthy-during-the-holidays/

Happy Thanksgiving!

First off, I would like to wish you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.  We all have many things to be thankful for and I encourage everyone to take time and share one of those "thanks" with others.  

Personally, I am thankfully my family, my health, and a great community/school to live and work in. 

Before we all depart for a day of overeating and indulging, I wanted to share a quick read from a blog I subscribe to.  It is a great way to get active on a day that is easy to nap...

Check out this link for three great activities for a little family fun!

http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/3-thanksgiving-themed-games-to-play-with-your-family/