GYM CLASS...NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE

My recollection of physical education class can be summed up in one cringe-worthy compound word. Sit-ups. Based on the evidence I see when passing our Penn View PE classes, rising generations of students will have MUCH fonder memories to cherish.

PVCS is thrilled to welcome two fresh faces to our athletic department this school year.  Mrs. Jayne Longacre and Mr. Nathaniel Freed are wonderful additions to our faculty. 

Energy is palpable when Jayne is in the house! Engaging our youngest PE students, Jayne works with children ages four through six.  Mrs. Longacre was leading her group through four fun stations during a recent kindergarten PE class. 

(Ball rolling skills demonstrated in the background)

I admit to enjoying the rolling station perhaps a little more than necessary.  One student was to roll a ball along the floor in an attempt to get the ball into the hula-hoop which was being held in position by another student. 

The serious concentration on the face of the roller ended up being unnecessary when Colton was the hoop-holder.  No matter how far from the target the ball rolled, he generously re-positioned the hoop to accommodate a successful roll.  

Everyone needs a friend like Colton!

   
I have met a lot of energetic people in my life but none can compare to the delightfully expressive likes of Mrs. Longacre.  Just watching her for five minutes makes me tired! This exercise in observation convinced me I had chosen well when I did not become a PE teacher. Imagine the phrases below shouted with a combination of genuine glee and tender encouragement and you will have a snapshot of gym class with Mrs. Longacre. 

"Good try!" (spoken with great sincerity after a failed kick attempt into the goal...)



"They're coming in hot!" (when several students attempted to simultaneously shimmy below the jump-rope limbo obstacle)

"WOW!  You lost your shoe!" 
(after another wild kick which sent a ball flying)

"I LOVE the sound of bowling pins!" 
(after one of the small bowlers knocked down the carefully placed pins for the umpteenth time)

"KEEP WORKING HARD!"  
(cheering her tiny charges toward physical fitness)




(and amidst shouting and organized chaos, she says and truly means....)

"THIS IS GREAT!"  

Sweet Sarai taking a break

One of our own, Nathaniel was a 2006 graduate of Penn View.  He is back on campus serving our 1^st and 2^nd graders as well as the Middle School students.  He has also accepted the Athletic Director role for this school year!

The day we stopped by to take some photos, Mr. Freed was reviewing the rules for a game called Octopus.

Before the game could begin, Mr. Freed needed to complete important tasks such as answering philosophical second-grade inquiries about what constitutes a cheater. 

He also accomplished some focused shoelace surveillance, scrutinizing sneakers and generously tying several.

Karis was the designated octopus, as evidenced by the purple foam “octopus leg” she was granted and with which she began tagging her screaming classmates.  

Sea and barnyard collide in this game because in some strange twist of logic, the octopus propagates her squad by collecting allies who then wield rubber chickens as they attempt to grow the team even further.   How I’ve lived for half a century and never knew one could purchase color-coded rubber chickens is a mystery.

It didn’t take long to notice that the intense energy in the room made it a difficult zone for passing along instructions.  When not holding his fluorescent orange whistle between his lips, Mr. Freed’s resting face repeatedly returned to the universal signal for shhhhhhhhh! He is a very patient man.

Apparently, second-graders cannot run from one side of the gymnasium to the other while dodging a purple foam octopus leg and multiple rubber chickens without squealing at the top of their lungs.  The movement portions of the game were positively deafening.  And when the students reached the black lines of the safe zone, they threw themselves into the wall mats with an intensity which would likely knock me unconscious if I attempted the same.

Captured for all of time.  We may have to pull out this photo when these two
animated friends are graduating from Penn View in 8th grade....

Some trash talk began to stir up some dust near the red rubber chicken corner.  



“I don’t want to hear any taunting!” Mr. Freed kindly reminded his charges.  










One gleeful student briskly crossed the room, evading capture to the rhythmic pattern of his own new and triumphantly whispered chant: “Taunt…taunt…taunt….”  (Resident Photographer Kathy Gordon and I are pretty sure the jubilant chanter could not define the word "taunt" for us- even if cash prizes were involved).

When only three untagged students remained, Madison was clearly overjoyed with how impressively she had evaded assimilation.  “This is so fantastic!” 

I have to say, it truly was.