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P.E. in=20 the Home Stretch

By Marcia = Barron

Girls on the Run Vermont

Girls on the Run (3-5) and Girls on=20 Track (6-8)=20 programs have ended their season on a positive note. During the many = weeks from=20 early March until the end of May, 36 girls and 9 coaches participated in = many=20 activities and miles of running or walking. Valuable team discussions = centered=20 around creating habits for friendship, beliefs and living by our values, = being=20 positive and dealing with problems in a respectful and assertive manner. = We=20 wrote thank you notes and provided a community service to the school = which hosts=20 our site.

Donations came from one anonymous donor, Carol Barbagallo, = Wendy=20 Lozyniak, Sue Quesnel, Cheryl McKane, Kristen Kenosh, Maurine McElroy, = Jim=20 Smith, The Vermont Country Store, PTO, and Carris Reels. We thank them = for=20 scholarships, the bus ride to the 5K in Brattleboro, the awards and = pizza party,=20 and other items.

Other volunteer coaches include Cara Solimano, Joan Poczobut, Kate Bucci, Nancy = Smith, Julie=20 Williams, Betsy Beattie, Carol Abenzellar, Jessica Berry. Jim Smith is=20 cheerleader extraordinaire and Shelley Pelkey is our helpful bus driver. = This=20 support is a shining example of what we hope our Girls on the Run will=20 appreciate and value.

Jump=20 Rope for Heart

RTS=20 does it again! This year the students in grades 1-4 participated in the American = Heart=20 Association=92s Jumpa-thon, raising funds for the fight against heart = disease and=20 stroke. Fifth graders as a school Hoops for=20 Heart team=20 raised $5,615. Student teacher, Kate Bucci, taught heart healthy facts = and=20 games. Students learned a variety of jump rope skills, often continuing = practice=20 during recess. To improve your own heart health habits, ask your student = to name=20 some heart healthy behaviors and be a good role model for him/her.

Fitness testing

Students in grades 1-5 participated in a =93Healthy Fitness = Zone=94 annual=20 physical fitness test and learned =20 the concepts of flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, muscular = strength=20 and muscular endurance. The test battery includes a shoulder stretch = test, low=20 back flexibility measure, a sit and reach for hamstring stretch, a 12 = minute=20 jog/walk, curl-ups, push-ups and a modified pull-up test. The students=92 goal is to be = in the=20 Healthy Fitness Zone for each measure, or if not, to know how to improve = their=20 scores through appropriate exercises, activities, and games.

Field Days

On=20 June 13, our grade 1-5 students participated in the annual field day at=20 Northwood Pool for picnic lunch and swimming. Kindergarteners had Field = Day and=20 a picnic at school. The grade 3-5 theme is =93Field Day Fun for = Everyone.=94 Each=20 team participated in five different fun games.