Mr. Van Sluys MTS

This week we began our gymnastics unit in earnest (last week we just learned the warm-up), and the students were excited to get moving in some new ways. Every class began by practicing our gymnastics warm-up, which is made up of a series of “animal travels.” Students move across the gym like different animals to get their bodies warm and ready for movement. Some of the movements are the crab walk, penguin walk, and monkey crawl. These movements help students build strength, coordination, and body control, which are all important skills for gymnastics. After warming up, we began working on some foundational gymnastics skills. This week our focus was on balances and learning how to hold our bodies still and strong in different positions. Students also practiced jumps and safe landings, making sure to land softly with bent knees and good balance. For the older students, we added an extra challenge by practicing different “get-ups.” These are creative ways to get up from the floor witho...

This week in PE was a full and exciting one. We wrapped up our Jump Rope for Heart campaign, and I am thrilled to share that we raised over $10,000. That is an incredible accomplishment. I am so proud of our students and families for their generosity and enthusiasm. Beyond the fundraising success, the students worked hard on their skipping skills and learned more about how to keep their hearts healthy. It was a great way to combine physical activity with an important cause.  We culminated Jump Rope for Heart with an assembly on Tuesday, where The Heart and Stroke Foundation presented an award to one of our former students, Max.  8 years ago, Max saved his father's life by recognizing the signs of stroke and quickly calling 911.   I also had the opportunity to attend the Be Brave Hitmen Game , hosted by the C algary Hitmen . It was a meaningful event and a great experience connecting sport, courage, and community. Events like this provide powerful real world exampl...

This week in Physical Education we continued with Jump Rope for Heart and the improvement has been incredible to see. The students are gaining confidence, building endurance, and showing much better coordination. Many students who found jumping challenging at the beginning are now able to jump for longer periods of time and try new skills. It has been exciting to watch their hard work pay off. We continue to talk about how jumping rope helps strengthen our hearts and keeps our bodies healthy and strong. Our fundraising is also going incredibly well! As of Feb 19th, we are 3rd place in Canada for fundraising.  I am so proud of this community.  It is truly amazing! We also spent some time floor curling, and it was a huge hit. The students quickly picked up on the strategy and teamwork involved. They were focused on aiming, controlling their force, and working together to score points. It was wonderful to see the decision making involved and encouragement between teammates. It h...

We are incredibly proud to share that our school community has now raised more than $4500 for Jump Rope for Heart. This is an amazing accomplishment and a true reflection of the generosity and commitment of our families. Our students have shown tremendous heart, both in their fundraising efforts and in their participation in our jumping activities. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make a difference. We have also started our floor curling unit. Students learned the basics of the game, with a major focus on how to accurately throw a stone with the correct weight. Students are working on controlling their force so their stone travels the right distance, while also aiming carefully for the target.  Our curling unit has connected nicely to our learning about the Winter  Olympic Games . We have been discussing the three Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship, and what those look like in our gym. When we "catch" students demonstrating exc...

This week in PE we proudly kicked off Jump Rope for Heart. Students were excited to get moving while also learning how to take care of their hearts. We began by talking about EASY Healthy Habits. EASY stands for EAT healthy foods, be ACTIVE every day, SCREENTIME should be less than 2 hours a day, and say YES to water and no to sugary drinks.  We discussed how small choices each day can make a big difference in keeping our hearts strong. Students shared great ideas about ways they already stay active and healthy. We also learned how to recognize the signs of a stroke using the word FAST. F is for Face drooping. A is for Arm weakness. S is for Speech difficulty. T is for Time to call 911. Knowing these signs can help us act quickly and potentially save a life. Of course, we spent plenty of time jumping rope all week long. Students practiced their basic jumps, tried some new skills, and challenged themselves to keep moving for longer periods of time. It was fantastic to see their e...

This week we wrapped up our hockey unit with some 3 on 3 games. Students had a chance to use the skills they have been practicing such as stickhandling, passing, shooting and teamwork in game situations. The energy in the gym was high and everyone did a fantastic job showing respect, safety and effort. Hockey has been a fun unit and it was exciting to finish it off with games that let students put everything together. - Mr. van Sluys