Our Goal     

Through moving and learning, we teach the importance of fitness and involve students in regular, vigorous activity. We strive to offer a fun, comprehensive PE program; giving students the opportunities to pursue lifetime fitness and wellness; and to promote social skills that enhance cooperation and sportsmanship.

Our Purpose  
    

We want our students to learn the appreciation of movement as an active and joyous experience. The curriculum and activities have been designed to focus on area’s that contribute to one’s health and physical well-being. We use games, fitness, sports, tumbling, stunts, combatives, and rhythmic activities to help us meet our goals.


Mr. Bender's Schedule

St. Joseph's Physical Education

“Every Step Counts!”

Our PE Expectations

Students will:

• learn

• enjoy physical education

• try hard

• cooperate with others

• be safe

• help their fellow students

• be polite and respectful of others

• pay attention to the teacher

To ensure a safe environment for learning, students need to wear clothing that allows them to move quickly and safely. Long dresses, overly loose tops and baggy pants restrict the types of movements students will be doing.

Please have your child wear comfortable, easy-to-move-in clothes and

tennis shoes on their scheduled P.E. days. Platform shoes, clogs, mules, crocks and sandals are not safe for participation in P.E.

Contacting Mr. Bender

The best times to telephone are from:

7:45-8:15 a.m. or 3:15-3:45 p.m.

Call 266-3433

E-mail at: bbender@dowling.pvt.k12.ia.us
2008 May Activities in Physical Education

Presidential Fitness Testing is going well and the students are giving great effort. Our goal for each student is to improve on their results from last fall. If each student meets their goal, the rewards will follow! Any students who do not show adequte effort and be near or better than the standards they have set in the past, are required to retest until they meet their capabilities.

Our annual K-8 Field Fun Day will be held Friday, May 8. Information sheets will be sent home in the future about this event. I would appreciate any parents who would be willing to help supervise the afternoon by serving treats, helping at stations, and moving groups from one activity to another. Our K-8 teaching staff and associates will be helping with the supervision.


                    

April Happenings in Physical Education

Yes, spring is coming upon us in the Des Moines Metro area. Soon we will be outside with the PE classes. I can't wait! The students did a great job bowling before Spring Break.


High scores from each class were:
8th grade: Damon Mehrl - 131    High Series: Damon Mehrl  - 317
7th grade: Luke Fisher   -  181    High Series: Luke Fisher    - 458
6th grade: Shelby Uhl   -   113    High Series: Spencer Cooney - 257
5th grade: Michael McGlothlin - 109 High Series: John Teale - 295
4th grade: Ryan Farrell/Joe Kramer - 122  High Series: Ryan Farrell - 215
3rd grade: Mark Phipps - 114      High Series: Mark Phipps - 213
2nd grade: Dalton Mehrl - 106    High Series: Haley Osweiler - 192
1st grade: Joe Wilson  -  103       High Series: Santiago Flores - 186
Kindergarten: James Jefferson - 120   High Series: James Jefferson - 188
Congratulaions to all St. Joseph's students who participated in bowling.

MS Phys. Ed.
The middle schoolers have been completing their short Rythmns unit learning one line dance and a few swing moves for social dance. We will develop are cardio-respiratory endurance, strength, and flexibility to prepare ourselves for the Presidential Fitness Challenge testing. Encourage them to get in better shape!

Elem. Phys. Ed.
K-4 are completing their dance units and are looking forward to working with our school parachutes. I hope to have the 3-4th grades do a parachute routine to "God Bless America" sung by Lee Greenwood. Students will be juggling various objects from scarves to balls during our juggling unit. 6 yr. olds and up will be doing our spring Fitness Testing in April.

Upcoming Activities in March

February is coming to an end very quickly for our PE classes. Master Jeff Wilbur from the DoJo Martial Arts Academy in Ankeny has been working with all our students. He has discussed attitude, motivation, and the desire to push yourself to improve with the students. He stresses how important it is to be mentally ready to perform any physical activity you participate in. He certainly gets the kids attention and makes his instruction fun for the kids.

Elementary students have completed their tumbling, balance, and transfer of body weight unit. They all did a nice job and many showed great improvement. Students are now working with short and long jump ropes. They will work many different jumps to develop agility, balance, and cardio-endurance. After conferences the students will be participating in a bowling unit. Hopefully we will be able to get out one afternoon to bowl on real lanes. We will be doing our Rythmn and Dance unit this month along with parachutes.

Middle School students completed their Rec Games unit recently with Arman Hlas , Delaney Muse, and Michelle Brackett being the 5th grade champions. The 6th grade champions were Austin Baker and Ali Slater. The 7th grade champs are Zevon Benoit and Taylor Shipley. 8th grade champions were Madeline Slater and Damon Mehrl. Congratulations to all the winners and all who participated. The middle school will be doing their bowling unit in early March. The dreaded Rythmn and Dance Unit ( I don't dance well, nor do I have any rythmn) will be this month. Hopefully I will bring in some guest instructors to make this unit more professional and fun.


January/Feburary Physical Education News

            

Middle School students have completed their Floor Hockey unit and passed their hockey skills test. The students are looking forward to beginning a Rec Games unit that will comprise of Table Tennis, Badminton, Shuffleboard, and tumbling on the stage. Students will move from activity to activity. 5-8th grade will have a singles and doubles ping pong tournament. More of the fitness equipment will be delivered on Jan. 24. Items include: kettle bells, weighted wands, ABC agility ladders, medicine balls, and dumbbells for lifting. I will be looking into getting some martial arts classes lined up for February.

Elementary students are completing a striking unit using long objects such as hockey sticks. We are working on eye-hand coordination and object control/dribbling w/stick.
Elementary kids will have a tumbling unit emphasizing different types of rolls, balance, weight transfer, and body movements. Students will also do a lesson on Raquet/Paddle skills in Feb. I hope to get in martial arts for the elementary students also.


Back to School January newsletter:

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a joyous New Year! When students come back to school on January 5th, we will continue to focus on upperbody strength development in our fitness components.
Middle School students will be starting a floor hockey unit when they get back, and elementary students will be focusing on a scooter unit developing balance, strength, and cooperation. 

Happy New Year!
Sincerely, Mr. Bender
                 

What are PE students doing in December?

Middle schools students are finishing up a Volleyball Unit and are looking forward to participating in a Basketball unit in December. We will work on ball-handling and passing skills. We will play shooting games that should improve their basketball shot. The students will get to play a few BB games during this unit.They will be given a written test over the history, rules, and terms of Basketball. 5-8th grades have been working with JC Bands, med balls, stability balls, and sit discs to improve their strength, balance, and agility.

Elementary students in K-2 will be continuing the manipulatives unit. Students will demonstrate ball-handling skills with basketballs and foam balls. Students will work on passing and catching different types of balls. 3-4th grades will be doing ball skills and lead-up games to basketball. K-4 will participate in various Christmas themed Tag Games for their Instant Activity motivators.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Remember to keep your students active over the Christmas break.

              

News for November

Wow! Where did the last two months go? Footballs have been flying, the high school playoffs are here, and we have completed most of our outside units in Physical Education. Parents, please make sure your kids have appropriate clothing (sweatshirts, sweatpants, coats, etc.) for the days when we may still go outside for PE.

I would like to announce that St. Joseph's will be receiving the first shipment of fitness equipment from the fitness grant that we applied for through Iowa Team Fitness. I will be picking up the first load on Sun. Oct. 26. All the equipment will be used during our fitness components during class. This equipment will benefit your children in flexibility, strength, posture, and cardio-endurance. Some of the first items to arrive include JC Resistance Bands, disco sits, indian clubs, and medicine balls. The students are anxious to begin using the new equipment. Two more shipments will come in Nov. and Dec.

Students in middle school will be starting a Volleyball unit after the first trimester ends. The students will also get to play Fitness Kickball and Ultimate Kickball to bring a little more excitment to the break between volleyball and basketball in December.

The students in K-4 will continue to work with manipulatives and object control in PE.
They will be using foxtails, scoops, beanbags, playground balls, balloons, and volleyballs. The K-2 group will have a striking unit with the use of balloons and foam balls. 3-4 will use both those objects and volleyballs in lead-up activities to volleyball. 4 square will be an activity they will find enjoyment in during this month and Dec.

Sept./Oct. Newsletter

We are starting a new fitness club at St. Joseph's that will concentrate mainly on cardio-respiratory endurance. The club will be called the "St. Joseph Hawks Heart-Flyers!
I hope your child will express an interest in participating in this running/walking/biking/treadmill/eliptical machine and swimming club. All activities will improve and build endurance. Adults will need to help log and confirm mileage for the students each week. The student will then turn in their mileage each week to Mr. Bender. Please consider this club for your child so they can enjoy the health benefits these activities can give!!

All classes have completed the Presidential Fitness Challenge Testing. This info is being recorded and sent in to the State Dept. of Education so we can receive the fitness equipment through the PEP Grant we have worked on for the last 6 months.

K-1 PE have been working on our locomotor skills such as skipping, galloping, jumping, hopping, walking, running, and slide-shuffle. They are graded on their effort and abilities. We will be doing a manipulative unit when the locomotor unit is complete.
The students will participate in soccer also.

2-4 PE have been reviewing locomotor skill and working on throwing, catching, kicking, and punting footballs. They too will have a manipulative unit using hoops, bean bags, balls, etc. We will have 4-Square, lacrosse, and soccer units in these months.

5-8th PE are in the middle of their football unit. At the completion of football they will be doing the lacrosse unit and a soccer unit. We continually work on Fitness Stations.

K-2 health have studied bones, muscles, skin, and fire safety during health. We will have Scrubby the Bear visit school to talk about hygiene and Alan Rodriquez (fireman) will talk to the students about fire safety. Hopefully, he can bring in Pluggy the Fire Hydrant!, We will have Mrs. Hlas come to school and discuss Dental Care.