Fall Newsletter

Physical Education News

We’re off to a fantastic start in physical education! At EES, we believe every child is an ATHLETE. We’ve been sharing fall ideas to stay physically active and have fun with family and friends during this wonderful, colorful season!

Sneakers for safety​- Please make sure your child wears sneakers for physical education class. The sneakers should have laces or velcro with good ankle/foot support and a flat sole. Sneakers need to stay securely on your child’s feet during physical activity. Rubber-soled shoes with a strap behind the heel and/or straps down the side of the foot do not offer enough stability. Other rubber-soled shoes and footwear are not appropriate or safe for many of our activities. Due to safety concerns, students who are not wearing sneakers will be unable to participate in the physical education session. If it’s difficult for your child to remember the letter day s/he has phys. ed. class, we suggest keeping an extra pair of sneakers in their backpack or leave an old pair in the classroom. Please look for the letter rotation schedule each month in the school's newsletter. We also recommend students wear socks to prevent blisters and absorb sweat, in addition to wearing comfortable clothing suitable for physical activity.

The fields are often wet with dew for our 3rd-6th graders during their scheduled class time. We suggest students in these grades bring in, or leave in their homeroom, an extra pair of socks and/or footwear to change into after physical education class. Please also be aware that much of our field was once marshland and we have drainage issues after it rains. For certain units, we do try to get outside as long as it is safe, so extra socks and footwear come in handy, especially for students in grades 3-6. Thank you for your support in helping your child be prepared for physical education on their letter day.

If your child is not feeling well for class or has an injury, please send a note from home so that we have the necessary information to modify class activities for your child. Serious injuries such as fractures, recent surgeries, etc., require an MD note regarding activity limitations, as well as, clearance for full participation. We appreciate your coordination with medical and school staff. Your child’s well-being and safety are our top priorities.

Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment for 4th and 6th graders:

All fourth​ and sixth​ grade students are required to take the state mandated Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment each fall. The objective of this assessment is for students to learn the concepts and process of fitness assessment to determine their current levels of health related fitness. We hope that students will utilize this knowledge to stay physically active and maintain an appropriate level of health related fitness throughout their lives.

The four assessment components are:

1.) sit and reach (to measure the flexibility of the lower back and hamstring muscles)

2.) curl-ups (to measure abdominal strength and endurance)

3.) 90 degree push-ups (to measure upper body strength and endurance)

4.) one mile run/walk (to measure cardio-respiratory endurance)

At school, students have been working hard on their conditioning during physical education classes, as recommended by the State Department of Education. I have been very impressed with the positive attitudes and effort students have shown in preparing for this challenging fitness assessment. Our emphasis is on doing one's best! At Essex Elementary, we believe it is important to help develop a student's positive self-image, as well as to provide students with realistic data about their performance, encouraging them to improve and helping them to succeed. More information has been sent home to parents of our 4th and 6th graders regarding this assessment.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions at any time throughout the school year. We are looking forward to an AWESOME year of learning and achievement in physical education!

Kath Walsh, Physical Education Teacher

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

-Mahatma Gandhi