Homeschoolers Gym Class

You are invited to join our homeschoolers gym class.

For the fall, our boys (James and Jones) will be participating in the local elementary school cross country racing. We have done this the last 2 years and the gym teachers have all been very welcoming and accommodating for homeschoolers to join in. We will have a schedule for you in the next couple of weeks with the dates and locations (local elementary schools) of the races. I think there are usually 5 or 6 meets. They are always right after school (2:30 or 3PM start I think), and the races are very well organized and efficiently run. The race distances are short, varying from 1-2 km depending on age. Boys are separated from girls and also by grade. They have races for grades 3, 4, 5 and 6. However younger children who are keen can jump in the grade 3 races, our Zachary did last year when he was in grade 1.

SO, Coach Ed and Tyler will be offering a cross country running gym class for the fall. I think the races go until the end of October. We will be training on Thursdays 12:45-1:45 AND on Saturday mornings 10AM-11AM. Both days we will meet at the upper parking lot/picnic grounds of the Kentville Research Station. There is a great field here and wooded hills and trails to run on. MANY children participate in these races at all levels. You do not have to be a star runner. For most just finishing the races smiling is the only goal. It is a great achievement to run cross country and these races really are kept short and appropriate for elementary aged children.

IF your child is in grade primary to 3 and not a keen runner, one of us will offer an alternative activity on the field at the Research Station for the Thursday gym class only. But who knows, they may surprise you and be keen to join in the running with the older kids.

Once the cross country running season is finished, we are talking about offering a preChristmas 6-week class at the indoor soccer stadium. We will probably take a month off at Christmas time and will likely move back to the soccer field mid January. There is so much we can do in the soccer stadium and despite the fee (again, it will be $5 per child, per class payable in advance... so that would be $30 per child for the pre Christmas class and we may do an 8 week class in the winter for $40 per child) we have had great attendance for soccer. The children have a blast and they learn and improve so much! Everyone has always told me it is well worth the fee.

SO, this week we start our cross country training: Thursday, Sept. 9th at 12:45 PM at the upper parking lot/picnic grounds. NO FEES for cross country; start saving for soccer!

If you have any questions, please email me back.

See you Thursday!!

Paula James (hurdles@ns.sympatico.ca)

Coaches: Edward James and Tyler Jones