Special Subjects

Don’t tell anyone but I’m secretly thinking of teaching computer full time! The contrast to the noise of the gym and students actually staying mesmerised in their seats is very appealing. We’ve had a month transition as Mr Brent has been as busy as usual installing 22 new desktop computers and adding more laptops for our growing class numbers. Mr Brents last day is tomorrow (Sept 23) and he is going to be missed greatly. Mr Brent is one of those teaches that the kids adore because lets face it, he’s a big kids himself and loves to play soccer or shoot baskets at lunch, he plays just about every musical instrument, can sing, works the sound booth, helped with soccer club, ran a photography club and has done so much more in his 3 years at FBCS.

Thank you Mr Brent, you will be missed! But… we have your email and phone number for when those pesky technical questions arise!

(Check back soon for an update on computers and what our students have been working on.  Miss Janet is teaching grades 4-6 and I am teaching Grades K-3. )

Coach Claire

Welcome back to a brand new school year! Hoping everyone had an active summer and had lots of fun. This is a great article on Kids and Exercise from kidshealth.org. I’m excited and privileged to be leading FBCS students and reading an article like this gets me ready and raring to go…I hope you and your kids are too

Enjoy the article -

Healthy blessings - Coach Claire

When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights.

But for kids, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, soccer practice, or dance class. They’re also exercising when they’re at recess, riding bikes, or playing tag.

The Many Benefits of Exercise

Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. Kids who are active will:

• have stronger muscles and bones
• have a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat
• be less likely to become overweight
• decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
• have a better outlook on life

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

The Three Elements of Fitness

If you’ve ever watched kids on a playground, you’ve seen the three elements of fitness in action when they:

1. run away from the kid who’s “it” (endurance)
2. cross the monkey bars (strength)
3. bend down to tie their shoes (flexibility)

Parents should encourage their kids to do a variety of activities so that they can work on all three elements.

Endurance is developed when kids regularly engage in aerobic activity. During aerobic exercise, the heart beats faster and a person breathes harder. When done regularly and for continuous periods of time, aerobic activity strengthens the heart and improves the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

Aerobic exercise can be fun for both adults and kids. Examples of aerobic activities include:

• basketball
• bicycling
• ice-skating
• inline skating
• soccer
• swimming
• tennis
• walking
• jogging
• running

Improving strength doesn’t have to mean lifting weights. Although some kids benefit from weightlifting, it should be done under the supervision of an experienced adult who works with them.

But most kids don’t need a formal weight-training program to be strong. Push-ups, stomach crunches, pull-ups, and other exercises help tone and strengthen muscles. Kids also incorporate strength activities in their play when they climb, do a handstand, or wrestle.

Stretching exercises help improve flexibility, allowing muscles and joints to bend and move easily through their full range of motion. Kids look for opportunities every day to stretch when they try to get a toy just out of reach, practice a split, or do a cartwheel.

The Sedentary Problem

The percentage of overweight and obese kids and teens has more than doubled over the past 30 years. Although many factors contribute to this epidemic, children are becoming more sedentary. In other words, they’re sitting around a lot more than they used to.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average child is watching about 3 hours of television a day. And the average kid spends 5½ hours on all screen media combined (TV, videos and DVDs, computer time outside of schoolwork, and video games).

One of the best ways to get kids to be more active is to limit the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching TV or playing video games. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under the age of 2 years watch no TV at all and that screen time should be limited to no more than 1-2 hours of quality programming a day for kids 2 years and older.

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

Parents need to ensure that their kids get enough exercise. So, how much is enough? All kids 2 years and older should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most, preferably all, days of the week.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) offers expanded activity guidelines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers:

Infants and young children should not be inactive for prolonged periods of time — no more than 1 hour unless they’re sleeping. And school-age children should not be inactive for periods longer than 2 hours.

Raising a Fit Kid

Combining regular physical activity with a healthy diet is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some tips for raising fit kids:

• Help your child participate in a variety of activities that are age-appropriate.
• Establish a regular schedule for physical activity.
• Incorporate activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, so you’ll be a positive role model for your family.
• Keep it fun, so you can count on your child to come back for more.

What a fantastic year we have had in PE this school year! I would like to wish you all an active summer with some rest too! Here are the TOP 10 Fun fitness activites from the Ace Fitness website to keep kids active this summer!

Summer is here and children need to stay active, healthy and busy during their break from school.

Parents need to encourage their children to warm up properly and stretch before each activity and teach them never to play through any type of pain or make winning the reason for playing any sport. Let them choose the activity and keep the focus on having fun.

To keep kids moving, the American Council on Exercise suggests ten, fun fitness summer activities.

1. Soccer This highly active game involving both agility and teamwork has grown increasingly popular in the U.S. in recent years. To keep kids injury free, be sure they are geared up in appropriate protective equipment, such as shin guards. Soccer players should also wear shoes with cleats or ribbed soles to prevent slipping. 

    

2. Martial arts With a variety of forms to choose from, martial arts are a great way to get kids involved in a sport that involves strength, coordination and mental discipline. Proper training and equipment to prevent injury are a must. 

    

3. Bike riding Bicycle riding is a fun activity for the whole family. Experts suggest children ride on sidewalks and paths until they are at least 10 years old, show good riding skills and are able to follow the rules of the road. Helmets, of course, are a necessity for both children and adults. 

    

4. Swimming Nothing beats splashing around a pool with friends, and swimming offers the benefits of a full-body workout for both young and old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends swimming lessons for children ages 4 and up, although classes are available for babies and toddlers as well. 

    

5. Basketball Whether it’s a round of HORSE, a game of one on one, or a full-court competition, basketball is ideal for developing hand/eye coordination and teamwork. Encourage children under the age of seven to use a smaller foam or rubber ball, and lower the height of the basket if possible. 

    

6. Obstacle courses Challenge kids to use a variety of different skills by setting up an obstacle course at the park using playground equipment or other items, such as jump ropes, balls and cones. 

    

7. Dancing Whether your kids like ballet or hip-hop, dancing encourages them to be creative and move their bodies freely. For video arcade fans, an innovative new game challenges opponents to follow a dance routine while watching the video. Kids can spend time learning new moves while also getting a great workout. 

    

8. Board sports Whether snowboarding in the winter, surfing in the summer, or skateboarding year-round, kids love to be on the board. Injury risk, however, is higher for these sports. For both snowboarding and skateboarding, kids should wear helmets to prevent head injuries, and surfers or boogie-boarders should always be accompanied by an adult. 

    

9. Jumping rope Jumping rope is still a favorite on most playgrounds. Whether alone or in a group, jumping rope challenges both coordination and stamina. 

    

10. Ice-skating/inline-skating Ice-skating, inline-skating and hockey can be both fun and safe as long as appropriate protective gear such as a helmet, wrist guards and kneepads are worn. Hockey players should wear a helmet with foam lining and a full-face mask, a mouth guard, pads for shoulders, knees, elbows and shins, as well as gloves.

See you in September!

Healthy Blessings -

Coach Claire

On Friday June 3rd we held our annual whole school swim gala at the Lions Pool. Every child is encouraged to participate and have fun in the water and a great time was had by all. Those still learning to swim use noodles or floats and all students participate in a freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke race. We ended with a fun dress up relay and I’m not sure who enjoyed it more this year - the students or the staff! Thank you to parents for coming out to support us and to Thais Ducent for the following photographs.

Waiting for the Gala to begin.

Some of the Grade 1 girls

First race, Kindergarten.

Coach Claire listening to K questions!

K boys not looking so sure...

....and they are off!

Grade 2 boys with Dillon getting a flying start.

Mason from grade 4 in the freestyle race.

Olivia Grade 4 Breaststroke event

Delaini (with Miss Barb) in the backstroke eventCoach Claire explaining the dress up relay.

Easy - go get an item of clothing...

...and dress up a teacher!

Looking good Miss Sandra!

A little chilly Miss Barb?!

Amanda about to dive in.

FBCS staff looking very dashing!

A big congratulations to all FBCS students for completing 506 miles together in this years PACE trek.

A huge congratulations to Paul for completing the 506 miles and being the first person to run solo from the Grand Canyon to Badwater Basin in Death Valley. You can follow Pauls amazing adventure by clicking here.

As always we have great fun running our laps in the gym -

Kindergarten are ready!

Collecting stickers to count lapsAlways time for a boogie break - and Kindergarten have the moves!