December 7, 2017
by Renee Wright, Lower School Director
Lower School students participated in Sports Week the week of November 27. This Lower School tradition is a joyful way to promote physical activity, and as I watched the students immersed in sports activities, I reflected on my own childhood and realize how much I had missed in being a student prior to the enactment and implementation of Title IX. I did not have the opportunity to try out different sports or compete on a sports team. How joyful to watch our students—girls and boys alike—celebrating sports and cheering on each other.
Throughout the week students had the opportunity to tell their sports story and were reminded of the importance of being physically active. On sports dress-up day, students came dressed as soccer players, skiers, dancers, football players, skaters, and more. I was so impressed with the pride Lower School students showed when sharing their sport or talking about the physical activities they participate in individually, on a team, or with their families. When asked why sports are important to them, kindergarteners shared, “Because it is fun to play sports with friends, being active gives you more energy, and playing sports makes your body healthier.”
The kindergarteners were right in identifying the importance (not to mention the fun) of staying physically active. Research shows that sports participation is a significant predictor of a young adult’s participation in physical fitness activities. Three in four adults aged 30+ who play sports today played sports as school-aged children. Only three percent of adults who play sports did not play when they were young (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard University/NPR, 2015).
Participation in sports and physical activity by children and adolescents provides a tremendous benefit to their physical, emotional, social, and educational health that can last a lifetime. Physical benefits include building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Physical activity helps control weight, delays the development of high blood pressure, and even prevents chronic diseases. A comprehensive study and analysis of research found that leisure-time physical activity is associated with reduced risk of 13 different types of cancer (National Institutes of Health, 2016).
Physical activity also benefits children educationally by helping develop and improve their cognitive skills. Studies that tracked children from kindergarten through fourth grade (Piche, 2014) showed that physical activity led to improved academic achievement, better focus and attention, and improved classroom behavior (GAO, 2012). Physical activity and participation in sports can positively affect self-esteem, reinforce leadership skills, and enhance social experiences.
Mounds Park Academy was founded upon the belief that educating the whole child was important to success in life. So, from the very beginning, physical education has been highly valued. The physical education program and curriculum across all three divisions keeps kids active, emphasizes lifelong skills, and strives to teach sportsmanship. PreK students participate in physical education every other day, while students in kindergarten through grade four actively participate three or four consecutive days a week for 35 minutes each day. Middle School students grades five through eight meet for 75 minutes every other day throughout the school year. Fitness activities include both health and skill-related fitness components. Grades nine through 10 physical education meets for 75 minutes daily for an entire semester throughout the school year. Students experience opportunities to improve their individual health-related physical fitness. A number of physical education electives are also available to Upper School students. Mounds Park Academy is committed to the health and wellness of our students.
As an educator, I have had the opportunity to see first-hand the impact that physical activity and participation in team sports has on students. I have observed over the years that after a half hour of physical education, Lower School students are more engaged in classroom activities, more attentive, and more creative. I am convinced that physical activity leads to healthy children, joyful and engaged learners, strong leadership skills, and well-adjusted children.
During Sports Week, it was exciting to see our community come together to promote physical fitness. Our Lower School Parents Association teamed up to hold a sports equipment swap. This is a wonderful service to our community and encourages families to try a variety of sports in a cost-effective manner. Our physical education department also donated sports equipment to the Lower School to be used to keep students active during indoor recess. We are all fortunate to be part of a community that supports the wellness of our children and is dedicated to keeping them active and physically fit.
Mounds Park Academy, a PreK-12 private school in Saint Paul, is currently accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. For more information about admission and to schedule your tour, visit moundsparkacademy.org/admission. We look forward to getting to know your family!
