OACS News Service
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Schools engage community experts for phys.-ed program NCS contracted the local YMCA for its physical-education program, and on Wednesday afternoons the entire school goes to the YMCA for two hours. Called a wet-dry program, Grades 1-4 spend the first hour in the gym while Grades 5-8 use the pool. For the second hour the grades switch. NCS principal Cindy Warr says the idea to use the community fitness centre was sparked because the school doesn’t have a gym. “We started thinking about ways that we could offer a really good phys.-ed program with the resources we had and the YMCA was really willing to work with us so that’s how it started,” says Warr. The YMCA instructors were given copies of the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools’ (OACS) physical-education curriculum and follow its scope and sequence, notes Warr. There has been several benefits from using the YMCA, says Warr, including that it is good public relations. The students change into NCS T-shirts and shorts during the gym program, and photos of the students has been included in a couple YMCA advertisements. Staff members have the opportunity to meet a lot of families that travel through the YMCA in the afternoon, says Warr. While the teachers are in the foyer waiting area having prep time they often connect with people from the community. Warr says the school plans to continue the program with the YMCA as long as it is feasible and works out for everybody. “It’s a wonderful physical-education program and our kids love it,” says Warr. “They get so upset if it’s a snow day on a Wednesday.” Rhema Christian School recently added a wrestling unit to its Grade 8 physical-education program. Teacher Peter Oussoren says he plays hockey with wrestling coach Bill Bailey, who also works at Gold’s Gym, and approached him about teaching at the school. The result was Rhema’s first-ever wrestling unit, which took place every other day throughout January. “(The students) love it, there’s high interest,” Oussoren says. He says it is an opportunity to teach students about real wrestling, similar to what would be seen at the Olympics. The unit is an opportunity for students to experience an individual sport rather than a team sport, notes Oussoren. “In phys. ed we don’t do enough highlighting of individual sports, so you start see kids who maybe don’t excel as much in team sports really excel at this, so it’s a chance to diversify the phys-ed program and have different kids excelling at different sports, and that’s the real plus,” he says. For the last wrestling session Oussoren planned to take the students to Peterborough’s Gold’s Gym to experience some grappling in the cage. If you have feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, or e-mail jennifer(at)axiomnews.
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