Update | Winter Term physical education and co-curricular programs
The winter term is underway and students have been engaging in a variety of physical education and co-curricular activities.
Physical education
Throughout the winter term, students will continue to engage in our modified and physically distanced program. Due to our adjusted ice schedule, the Year 6 students will begin their skating units prior to the holiday break and all other year levels will begin after the holidays when the second ice surface will be available. Students will engage in a variety of activities including net games, target games, striking and fielding games, active games and outdoor adventure activities. Further communication regarding skating dates will be coming soon.
Equipment requirements
Students should always be prepared to participate both indoors and outdoors. They will need their athletic attire, clean indoor-only shoes and appropriate outdoor gear as teachers have been given leeway and encouragement to change their scheduled indoor activity to one that is outdoors.
Skating units
Students will need skates, a helmet with a full cage or full visor and gloves. For students who do not have the required skating equipment and do not plan to skate other than in school, please look into borrowing from friends or family instead of purchasing brand new items. If purchasing, second hand stores and Canadian Tire are good options.
Students will take their equipment to the Wilder Arena when they arrive in the morning. They will store it in their designated locker room. Note that only students will be allowed into the Wilder Arena to drop off equipment. At the beginning of the period, students will go to the locker room and bring their equipment out into the hallway where they will change and go onto the ice. Equipment will be taken back to their classroom after their skating session. We possess disinfecting equipment and already have a protocol in place to disinfect all used equipment after each class.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, parents will not be permitted to enter the arena to drop off equipment, help with skate tying or to observe classes. Due to smaller cohorts, teachers will be able to handle skate tying duties and will be wearing masks and face shields while doing so. All students (including unmasked students in SK to Year 3) who need help with skate tying MUST wear a mask during the skate tying process due to the close proximity of the teacher. All students in Years 4 to 7 MUST wear masks at all times when in the arena.
Co-curriculars
Students will rotate through activities with their cohorts. Please see our Winter Games Rotation to view the outline of the different activities and when each cohort will participate in them. Please feel free to print this off for home so that your student(s) will be prepared with the appropriate equipment.
Equipment Requirements
Basketball | athletic attire and clean indoor-only shoes
Games of low organization | athletic attire and clean indoor-only shoes
Hockey | skates, helmet with cage or full visor, hockey stick and gloves
Net games | athletic attire and clean indoor-only shoes
Ginastica, martial arts and yoga | athletic attire and clean indoor-only shoes
Drama | no special equipment needed
During their hockey rotation, students will be able to store their equipment in the Wilder Arena in the designated locker room. Note that only students will be allowed into the Wilder Arena to drop off equipment. At the beginning of the games period, they will go to the locker room and bring their equipment out into the hallway where they will change and go onto the ice. Students will be divided into two groups and will enter by their designated door onto their half of the ice. Equipment will be taken back to their classroom after their hockey session.
Ginastica, martial arts and yoga are new activities and will be designed with physical distancing in mind. Students will be introduced to individual activities, stretching and strengthening exercises. In all of these activities, yoga mats will be provided and properly disinfected between each session. We possess disinfecting (“fogging”) equipment and already have a well-established protocol in place to disinfect PE, games and recess equipment. Students are welcome to bring their own yoga mat.
Students should always come to school ready to spend co-curricular time outside. If we have a nice day, coaches have been given leeway and encouragement to change their indoor activity to one that is outdoors.
On behalf of the Athletic and PE departments, we hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
John Hustler
Physical Education Subject Coordinator
Nigel White
Director of Athletics