Exercising Young Bodies and Minds Every Day
Physical activities at The Unquowa School play an important role in the education of our children because we believe that rising to physical challenges can be as instructive as rising to mental challenges. Our program also acknowledges the sad reality that many children in our high-tech society lead increasingly sedentary lives. It is important to tone their young muscles, build their stamina, and provide a wholesome environment in which they may safely burn off excess energy and stimulate their mental skills.
Our program is designed to meet the developmental needs, skill levels, and interests of our students. Locomotor movements, psychomotor skills, coordination and fitness components serve as the basis of skill work within each unit of instruction.
Physical education units of instruction are introduced and proceed along a planned progression (within a grade, and from grade to grade) including fundamental skills, drills employing individual skills, games, rules and strategies. Throughout this progression, the physical growth and development of each student is monitored in conjunction with his or her social, emotional and intellectual development. Within this growth are the vital components of creativity, self-confidence, safety consciousness, decision-making, responsibility to oneself and the team, leadership, character, good sportsmanship, and putting out an effort commensurate with one’s abilities.
Recess
While P.E. offers students daily physical activity with a formal curriculum, recess provides students in PreK-3 through fourth grade with a daily time for unstructured play and physical activity. From swinging and climbing on the playground to imaginative play with friends at the edge of our woods or a quick pickup game of soccer on the field, children have time to simply play without instruction. Teachers schedule recess, and it may vary day-to-day based on the needs of their class.
Sportsmanship
In addition to the cognitive skills imparted, important social lessons are also learned, namely that earning a win is fun, losing is less fun though not catastrophic, and each outcome imparts useful lessons. Winners must be gracious; losers can’t be soreheads; the game is more important than the score and playing by the rule is everything.
Team Sports
There are no tryouts for Unquowa sports teams, coaches simply ask all team members to commit to attending practices and games.
In the fall, we field three soccer teams, one for Grades 3 – 5 and two for Upper School, as well as a field hockey team. Winter is all about basketball with two teams each for girls and boys. In the springtime, cross country is popular as well as lacrosse, with teams for both girls and boys. Our teams compete as part of the Fairchester Conference which combines elementary and middle schools across Fairfield and Westchester counties.
Winning at Wooster
Posted by Sarah Pollex
The cross country team is off to a great start! The first meet of the season was last Thursday at Wooster School, where 5th / 6th graders and 7th/8th graders ran a course of 1.25 miles and 2.5 miles, respectively. Together, we encouraged one another to create a positive, enthusiastic team culture. Individually, we set a school record with four top five finishers: Ryley won the race for grade 5 girls (9:46), Connor won the race for grade 6 boys (8:52), Kelly won the race for grade 7 girls (17:51) and Ben placed third among grade 7 boys (16:39). We are the only school in our league to have three first place finishers. Go Cross Country! Go Gators!
Spring Into the Cross Country Season!
Posted by Sarah Pollex
Brooke and Daniel led our squad to the Dogwood Loop, with a record 30 teammates, to complete our season opener practice of a mile run for time. From our newcomers to our veterans, there was plenty of excitement to make this the best season ever. Individual and team goals were documented and shared and personal bests were even achieved. At the finish line, we all felt like champions. Go Cross Country! Go Gators!
Girls Green Win Season Opener!
Posted by Sarah Pollex
The Girls 5th & 6th Grade basketball team opened the season on January 3 with a 36-7 win over Bi-cultural Day School. The girls dominated all aspects of the game including scoring, defense and rebounding. Over half the team contributed to the score and Grade 5 point guard Ryley Tate-Padian scored double figures. Come cheer on this powerful team of girls…Go Gators!
Cross Country’s Fall Season
Posted by Sarah Pollex
Unquowa’s cross country team ended the fall season on 11/9/17 at Sherwood Island. Our team continues to improve with every season as the runners make an impact both individually and as a team. We enjoyed nine new members to our squad, five 5th graders and four 6th graders. We celebrated personal best times, sometimes taking not just seconds but minutes off them. At every meet we had two runners place in the top five. For the first time ever, we had four runners place in the top five: Karleigh, Connor, Kelly and Ben. Also, for the first time ever, we had two runners win the championship meet: Kelly and Connor. Each of our runners were fun to watch and they exhibited the character of support and sharing that makes a group a team. Go Gators!
Over Land, Over Sea
Posted by Faith Barbuto
Our cross country fall season is off to a running start! I’m so thrilled to be a part of one of the biggest and most enthusiastic teams at Unquowa! All of the coaches have been blown away by the commitment shown by our runners. At both practices and meets the kids have consistently pushed themselves as well as cheered each other on. We greatly appreciate the support of the parents, traveling long distances to root for us at our meets! All of our runners have improved their times race to race and strived for their personal bests. Some of our standouts have been Karleigh placing 5th at Penfield Beach, Kelly placing 2nd at Merwin Meadows and Connor, placing second at all three meets!
JV Soccer Season!
Posted by Sarah Pollex
The third and fourth graders are in the midst of the soccer unit in PE class, working daily to improve their passing, receiving, and shooting skills and to experience first hand, team work and good sportsmanship. Those students who in addition, participate on the JV team, provide an opportunity for authentic assessment, a luxury for PE teachers. The effort given in PE class translates to the soccer fields after school in their games where they demonstrate what they have learned…and they are having a ball!
