On November 16th and 17th I was excited to attend the 2017 IAHPERD Convention in St. Charles, Illinois.  This year's theme was IN THE ZONE!; the teaching zone, learning zone, advocacy zone and the leadership zone.  I attended numerous sessions that improved my knowledge and skills in all areas.

The convention planning committee worked for entire year on putting together an outstanding program.  There were many sessions with a wide range of topics.  There were sessions on assessments, using technology, physical education, health teaching strategies and activities, adventure/outdoor education, dance and many others.  They also had two Shape American 2017 National Teachers of the Year from Illinois.

The IAHPERD convention is one of the largest in the country.  It was a great place to network with colleagues, learn new teaching strategies and techniques, catch up on trending topics, and reconnect with old friends and colleagues.  It's one of my favorite times of the year, and I always leave with new ideas ready for implementation in my classes the following week.  It's like Christmas to me, with the students being the receivers of the new games and activities.

I'm looking forward to showing the students how to play Fitness Pyramid, Cone Wars, Triad, Fitness Ball, Name Game, Fitness 21 and Tic-Tac-Toe, just to name a few.

Today, students in physical education classes at Anna McDonald School will participate in the World Speed Stack Association's Stack Up Day.  Students will stack with people from around the globe to help break a Guinness World Record!  Last year's record was 622,809 stackers.

Sport stacking (also known as cup stacking or speed stacking) is an individual and team sport that involves stacking plastic cups in specific sequences in as little time as possible. The cups are specially designed to allow for faster times. Participants of sport stacking stack cups in pre-determined sequences, by aligning the inside left lateral adjunct of each cup with that of the next. Sequences are usually pyramids of 3, 6, or 10 cups. Players compete against the clock or another player.

Proponents of the sport say participants learn cooperation, ambidexterity and hand–eye coordination.

The 4th and 5th grade classes worked the first several weeks on activities that could be played outside during recess or after school.  These activities included four-square, knock-out and tetherball.

During the month of September, the 4th and 5th graders participated in another activity called Maze Craze.  This activity can be taken out to recess as well.  Two teams competed against each other.  The "running team starts the game by kicking a ball out into the field.  As soon as the kick is made, the first person in each line runs, in any directions, around the base cone and returns to their line.  As soon as the first person returns, the second player runs.  The fielding team tries to get the ball and throw it at the runners.  When a runner is hit/tagged, an out is recorded.  Three outs and teams switch.  Fielding players may not travel with the ball (encourages passing) and the fielding team has 3 seconds in which to throw the ball.

October brought football activities!  Punt-Return-Tag focused on punting the football, receiving (catching) the football and running the ball for a touchdown!  The following week the students participated in Scramble.  Here the focus was on throwing the footballs, receiving the footballs and running them back for a touchdown.

Students are always asked to participate to the best of their ability, each and every physical education class.  If a parent wants his/her child to sit out of physical education class, he/she must write a note to excuse the child from class.  That note is only good for one day.  Students who need to be excused from class for more than one day, will require a note from his/her physician.  If a student has a note from a physician, which excuses the child "until further notice," that child will not be allowed to participate in p.e. class until we have a note from the physician, reinstating the student back into p.e. class.

I CAN...
Wear my gym shoes to class.
Walk into the gym, sit in my squad and wait quietly for the teacher to begin.
Keep food and drinks out of the gym.
Stop--Drop--Listen when the whistle blows.
Keep my hands and feet to myself.
Arrive on time.
Choose kind.

FitnessGram® is the most widely used youth physical fitness assessment, education and reporting tool in the world. Based on Healthy Fitness Zone® standards, created by the FitnessGram Scientific Advisory Board, FitnessGram uses criterion-based standards, carefully established for each age and gender.
People come in all shapes and sizes, but everyone can benefit from regular physical activity and healthy levels of physical fitness. FitnessGram evaluates the five components of health-related fitness: Aerobic Capacity, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Flexibility, and Body Composition.
FitnessGram uses scientifically determined standards that are based on how fit children should be for good health. Most children can achieve the health-related fitness standards if they perform sufficient amounts of physical activity on a regular basis. The standards are set specifically for boys and girls and take into account changes with age.
The FitnessGram assessment is based not on athletic ability, but levels of fitness needed for good overall health. No matter what your children grow up to become, they will live happier, more productive lives if they are healthy--and physical fitness is vital to overall health. FitnessGram provides valid and reliable information about your child's level of fitness. The FitnessGram test (and report) includes a number of different assessments since health-related fitness has multiple components. Some children may score high on muscular strength but need to improve their aerobic capacity score. By having a complete report, you (and your child) will know more about their overall level fitness and how it can be improved.

All students (3-4-5) at Anna McDonald School will participate in the FitnessGram assessments.  We will finish up our last test, the week we return from Spring Break. 

Why must students be tested and districts submit data?
Students shall be tested in an effort to meet State Goal 20, where students achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Based upon continual self-assessment, fitness testing can help students identify their fitness levels and set goals for improvement. Gathering this data also enables parents and schools to better understand the health trends within their region and encourage enhancements in a school’s physical education program.

Does the data reported to ISBE contain individual student data?
The fitness data reported to ISBE will not contain any individual student name or assessment results. Only a school’s aggregate data of those tested by grade and gender will be reported.
For example, if a school had four sections of fifth grade, the data submitted to ISBE would only include the total number of students tested by gender in the fifth grade at that school identified as achieving healthy fitness zone or needing improvement.

The third, fourth and fifth grades students ROARED with excitement, when they heard the news that they had raised over $9,799.00 for the American Heart Association.  Students were able to collect donations online or using the AHA collection envelope.  Students who collected any monetary donation were eligible to participate in our 2017 AHA Knock Out Tournament on February 14th. 

We had a total of 187 students who participated in our Knock Out Tournament.  Cade C. (3Lamont) took first place and Mason T. (3KP) took second place in our third grade tournament.  Chase H. (4F) took fist place and Ignacio C. (4G) took second place for our fourth grade tournament.  Finally, Aiden O. (5PP) took first place and Spencer T. (5KR) took second place for our fifth grade tournament.

Mrs. Horwath's third grade class collected $1,268.00 and they were our top fundraising class at Anna McDonald School.  They will receive a pizza party and an extra physical education class period, to come down and play the game of their choice.

I would like to thank all the families, friends, faculty and staff of Anna McDonald School.  Without your efforts and support, our students would not have been as successful in this amazing fundraising event. 
Thank you!

Join the American Heart Association's ZOO CREW!  You can collect all SIX Characters and Roary's Zoo Crew Badge.

Step 1:  Go to www.heart.org/hoops
Step 2:  In the "Find Your School" and "Sign up" area, click on your state or enter the city where your school is located.  Click on the first letter of your school's name.  Once you find your school, click on "Join Team."
Step 3:  Create your Username, Password and answer a security question. 
Click Continue  (Be sure your Username and Password are easy to remember.)
Step 4:  Fill out the registration form.  Review the Online Waiver and click the box to accept it.  Once you are done, click the Continue button.

Now send your e-cards:
Step 1:  Once you're registered, log in to your HeadQuarters and click on the E-Card under Step 2.
Step 2:  Choose your character, background and personalize your card with your own picture (optional)
Step 3:  Take a challenge.
Step 4:  Add a personalized message or use the one provided and send to as many friends and family as possible.  You can also share on social media and have friends support you that way.

**Please make checks payable to American Heart Association.
**Ask your sponsors if they work for a company that matches the contributions of their employees.  They can provide you with their company's matching gift form to include in your collection envelope.
**For the safety of our children, we ask that your child NOT go door-to-door or ask strangers for donations.

All on-line donation forms, envelopes and monetary donations are DUE by February 8, 2017.