Spring and Soccer!!

Just wanted to give an update....TESTING IS OVER!! Yippy!! We have been getting outside as much as possible lately. The weather has been sweet!!
Please make sure your student(s) wear proper clothing for the weather and proper footwear for athletics!


thanks!
Coach Jones

Field Day 2016!!

Parents and students....information for Field Day will be going home soon!! Be on the lookout! We will be selling field day shirts again this year for the students to purchase. Field day shirts are an awesome way to show your school spirit! Shirts will be sold up until Wednesday, April 27. We will not be taking any additional orders after the 27th.
Shirts will be sold for $8.00, and order forms will be coming home this week! This only give us about a week and a half to get our order forms and payment in!!


I am really pleased with this year's design! I went back to a slight old school look...parents you will get it, or at least you should get it!
Shirts will be a midnight blue for grades Kindergarten through 4th.
The 5th graders will be ordering certain color shirts depending on which class they are in:
Bell will be in Turquoise
Bujnoch will be in Lime Green
Branch will be in Orange
Daniels will be in Hot Pink


Parents- We WILL NEED volunteers. So if you are interested in helping please be on the look out for the volunteer form! It will be attached to your students' T-shirt order form!!


thanks and Go Field Day!!
Coach Jones

Spring is here!!

Man, I still can't believe it's already April! This year is flying by. We have done a ton of units this year, and have mainly been inside over the last few months!
Over these next 5 to 6 weeks we hope to be getting outside a little more often. We love getting outside, but please remember a couple things-
-Proper shoes: sandals, flip-flops, and crocs are not good PE shoes.
-Proper clothing: fancy dresses and dress clothes don't really work well for most all outdoor PE activities.


Obviously we won't be able to get outside everyday, but we are going to be making it a point to try and get out more often! Up next on the books for us- SOCCER!!
Once soccer is complete, we will be squeezing in our fitness testing, but that shouldn't take more than a few days. Then it's back outside we go!


thanks and here's to the next 6 weeks going great!!
Coach Jones


PS- Have a great Spring Break!!

March Madness!!

March Madness is going on in PE....sort of. We actually are having a big hockey unit right now. Coach Ames, from KSU, has been teaching grades 2- 5 all sort of pretty cool hockey skills. The students are doing great with it! We have broken a couple hockey sticks, but the students are staying safe and having a blast!
We will soon have the older grade (4th and 5th) competing in some structured, competitive game settings. This will be a great opportunity for the students to show off the skills they have been working on, and to demonstrate the different tactics that have been introduced!


Go Hockey!!
Coach Jones

Introducing....

Just wanted to let everyone know we have a new addition to the gym. We have a student teacher from Kennesaw State University. His name is Cody Ames (Coach Ames). Coach Ames has been with us for a couple week, and it fitting in great! He will be with us up until the beginning of May. Actually, this week he is starting to take over for some lessons, and next week (after the break) he will take over in a larger role.
If any of you parents swing into the school be sure to say hello to Coach Ames!

It's Fall Ya'll!!

This year has been flying by! It seems like just a couple weeks ago we were starting a new school year. Quick update on the goings on in PE right now:


K-2nd: We have been working on kicking skills (soccer). Went over basic ball handling, dribbling, shooting, and really wanted to get outside...however the weather didn't cooperate. We are finishing up soccer now and will be moving on to a new unit after the Thanksgiving break!


3rd- 5th: Flag Football! The students have loved playing flag football...when it's not raining! So as you can guess we are way behind on this unit! We will be finishing soon. For flag football we use the Sport Education Model. This model allows the students to run the class. They will be both players and referees. They must demonstrate their knowledge of the rules by making correct calls and keeping the games running smoothly.
The students are also rated by a 'fair play report.' This report allows the students from opposing teams to rate how well your team performs at non skill related part of the game: sportsmanship, knowledge of rules, respect for opponents...etc. It's a great way for the students to reflect on the activity as a whole!


Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving break!!

Fitness Testing

We have now moved on to fitness testing! I know, some of the students stress out about this, but I keep telling them- it's not about the numbers right now...it's about the effort. If someone wants to get better at any skill (being fit and healthy) they have to work hard at it!
According to the State of Georgia and Cobb County Schools we will be testing you child in the following fitness test:

For Grades 4 & 5:
Height
Weight
Push-ups
Curl-ups (sit-ups)
Sit and Reach (measures flexibility)
Pacer (measures cardiovascular endurance)

**These test are part of the Fitness Gram fitness test. You can look up more information at: http://www.fitnessgram.net/

For Grades K-3:
We will practice those tests, but will only record numbers for height and weight.

Thanks, and stay healthy!!
Coach Jones

More Volleyball...??

So this week we should have been moving on to our next unit and away from volleyball, but thanks to all the snow days we had, we find ourselves way behind. So we are going to stick with volleyball for a couple more days with the older groups (2nd through 5th).
The kindergarten and 1st graders have moved on to jump rope!! This is a rather difficult skill for some of our students. I've been telling them the key to getting better is to just keep working at it and to not get frustrated if they mess up. In PE we never care how many mess ups they have...just as long as they keep giving their best effort!!

Coming up soon we will be shifting to our next unit- Fitness Testing!! Some of the students are really excited about this, while I'm sure you can guess some others are dreading it! We will be testing/measuring the students on the following:

• Height
• Weight
• Push-ups
• Sit & Reach
• Curl-ups (sit-ups)
• Pacer

In order to follow the state and county guidelines- we will be recording height and weight on all students K-5. We will only be recording and reporting the scores on all tests listed above for 4th and 5th graders. I do like to allow the other grade levels to attempt the tests, but we just count those as practice!
Tell your student(s) to just give their best effort. That is all we ask of them!

Thanks
Coach Jones

Volleyball!!

Hey People...wanted to apologize for neglecting my blog lately!! I am going to work on getting more up to date information on here.

Right now our volleyball unit is in full swing for the 2nd through 5th graders. We are getting into our modified games this week (the snow week) and next week as well. The students are doing great with it and are really starting to understand the flow of the game!

For K and 1st grade- we just finished up our intro to volleyball last week. We used balloons because we found out- they move much slower than an actual ball!! The K and 1st graders practiced some pretty sweet skills. Ask them what skills they practiced...hopefully they can tell you- Forearm pass (also called a bump); overhead pass (also called a set); spike (more commonly called a hit).

Since the K and 1st graders don't stick with volleyball as long as the older grades, it's time to introduce them to the next unit- jump rope!! We will be swinging ropes all over the gym!

One thing I could use your help on- please make sure your children are wearing athletic shoes on their PE days. We have had way too many boots lately. I know it's cold, but boots don't work well with PE skills....especially not jumping rope!!

thanks!!
Coach Jones

Parking for School Events

I just wanted to pass along some information regarding parking at school events. Often times our parking lot fills up rather quickly, and it can be hard to find a spot. Please be aware of the following:

Parents, family members, and Friends of the students- vehicles parked in the public roadway pose a serious safety issue not only for themselves and their passengers but for the general public as well.
Vehicles parked on the roadway, as we have had happen in the past, will be issued a citation.

Thank you for understanding!
Coach Jones

Welcome Back!!

Welcome back!! We are looking forward to another great year in PE. Yes...if you noticed I said 'we.' I am pleased to introduce everyone to our new PE Parapro- Jackie Escalante. Jackie will be with us everyday during 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade classes, and the coolest part- we don't have to share her!! She is just PE.

These first couple of weeks we are reviewing and playing some of our large group games, and having a couple of 'fun Fridays.' Next week...we will be jumping into our first units.
K - 3rd: throwing and catching skills review
4th & 5ht: Flag Football!

Here's to a good year!!
Coach Jones

The Fun Run!!

The Fun Run was today! What a blast. The students have been working hard raising money for the Davis Foundation, and today all their hard work paid off. What a great event....and...what I loved the most- they were all active!! They got a ton of great physical activity in today. Several, in fact quite a few, ran over the 2 mile mark! That is incredible! I love to see elementary students being physically active. Nice job to all the fun runners! Can't wait to see how much money was raised for the Davis Foundation.

Fitness Fridays

OK...I am admitting it. I have been neglecting my blog. I apologize. We have just been doing so many awesome things in PE this year, it has totally slipped my mind.

Let me get everyone up to speed. We've done a little of everything! Check out these units we have done: basketball, football gymnastics, throwing and catching, locomotor skills, fitness-Fridays, large group games, soccer, frisbee and of course fitness testing.

I wanted to focus for a minute on Fitness Fridays (FF)! Each time your child comes to PE on a Friday this year we will be participating in a FF activity. These activities are focused on one main thing- getting your child moving AND keeping them moving for as long as possible. We talk each FF about why (cardiovascular) exercise is important, and we look closer at what make the days activity fall into the 'cardio' category.

We would love it if you guys could keep that conversation going at home as well. The more your child hears it and sees it the more apt they will be to try and live it.

thank you!
Coach Jones

Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser!

Next week, April 1^st – April 5^th we will be participating in a fundraiser to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF web site is www.cff.org). The CFF is a nonprofit, donor-supported organization who’s goal is to attack Cystic Fibrosis from every angle possible. The CFF was established in 1955, and is one of the most efficient organizations of its kind and is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

·         clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and

·         obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

Davis Elementary has supported the CFF for the last 4 years with outstanding results. We have raised more money for the CFF than any other school in the state of Georgia for 4 years running! We would love to keep that streak alive this year. Below is a quick schedule of what we will be doing this year to raise funds:

-          CF Awareness Bracelets will be on sale every morning next week for $2.

-          Hat Stickers will be sold on TUESDAY and THURSDAY next week for $1

-          JAR WARS- each day next week we will be challenging classes to see who can bring in the most change each day to put in their classes’ jar. The students are going to target certain denominations on certain days. Here is the schedule:

o   Monday- Pennies

o   Tuesday- Nickles

o   Wednesday- Dimes

o   Thursday- Quarters

o   Friday- Dollars or Checks

§  Checks should be made out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or just CFF

Thank you for your support, and if you have any questions please feel free to contact Coach Jones!

January 2013 Update

Just letting everyone know what we've been up to over the last couple weeks!
3-5th grades got to finish up their basketball unit we had started back before the break. They did a great job. We covered the basics on the major skills (shooting, passing and dribbling) and also got into a little bit of strategy- with basic defense and offense.

K-2 grades had a skills review on throwing and catching. We worked for a class or two on the mechanics of the throw and the catch. Then we were able to play some throwing focused games. Be sure to ask your student how throw a ball the correct way. Hopefully, they will be able to show off some for you!!

This week we are starting new units:
-The 3rd-5th graders are learning floor hockey. We've had a couple class periods on the basic skills already and hope to get into some modified games next week! We've been using wiffle balls for our skills work. Next week we will break out the soft 'gator skin' balls for our games.

-The K-2nd graders are starting a kicking unit. I know what you're thinking- it's too cold for kicking! True, it is cold outside, but we are modifying instruction to make it work indoors. Once it starts warming up again we'll get outside for our kicking review. They've been working hard on some of the short distance kicks and traps!

Hope your year is off to a good start!!
Coach Jones

Letter from PTA

Davis Families,

We are all still reeling from the recent violence at a Connecticut elementary school, and wondering what can be done to keep our own students safe.  If you read the letter from Dr. Mobley, you know our administration and the county are reviewing procedures and investigating additional methods of enhancing school safety.  Meanwhile, there ARE things the rest of us can do:

ALWAYS sign in.  Always.  Many of us have run in for “just a second”  and perhaps skipped that step, but it is important and it takes just a moment.  The sign in sheet will either be in the front office or at the desk in the front lobby.  Take a moment, and sign in.

DON’T be offended if a faculty or staff member questions your presence in the school or asks if you need help or directions.  It’s part of their job to ask.  In fact, we should thank any employee of our school who takes the time to inquire, as it’s a key part of keeping our students safe.  Also, if you are volunteering in the school and see someone who appears out of place or who might need direction, you should ask as well.  And if you have any concern about someone in the school, report it to the front office immediately.

VOLUNTEER for a shift at the front lobby desk.  We have had very little participation in this volunteer program despite repeated calls for volunteers.  This is a simple yet extremely effective way of monitoring who is in the school.  You can sign up for one shift or multiple shifts in a row if you have a day off, and you can sign up for multiple days at a time. Please sign up here:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/342345634578268077

If we all work together, we can improve the safety of our school, and therefore of our students.

Davis Elementary PTA

Letter from Dr. Mobley

Dear Davis Parents:                         Monday, Dec. 17, 2012

It has been a difficult weekend for all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Newtown, Connecticut community and especially the Sandy Hook Elementary school family.

I want to assure you that Davis has many security measures in place and we practice several different safety drills throughout the year. We want our students to feel that school is a safe place to be. We have multiple measures in place that enable us to keep the learning environment uninterrupted and safe.

Unfortunately there are acts of violence that take place like the events in Newtown that even our surveillance cameras, limited access to the building or other security measures cannot protect against. This was perpetrated by a disturbed individual. Despite that our highest priority is the safety of our students, your children. 

The staff will meet this afternoon to remind us all of the safety plans we have in place, to address concerns and make plans as we move forward from these heart wrenching events. We will make every effort to reassure the students that they are safe and we will do everything we can to keep them safe. We will not have discussions of what happened in any detail.

Cobb county police are visiting all schools in the county this week. We had an officer visit already this morning. They will also be readdressing safety plans and making any needed adjustments.

Thank you for your support. Hug your children a little tighter and celebrate the time you spend with them.

Dee Mobley

Flu Season...yuck!

Hello everyone, I just received some information about the flu, and since I have already had it this season I decided to pass this info on to you.
So here it is:

As you are well aware it is influenza (flu) season, and many of our students and staff are showing flu-like symptoms.  These students/staff get sick very quickly and have symptoms of high fever, cough, sore throat and possibly headache, stomachache and vomiting.

The flu can be passed from person to person.  It is most contagious starting one day before the person feels sick and for approximately three to seven days after the symptoms begin.  The flu-causing virus is spread when a person with the disease coughs, sneezes, or speaks, and releases the virus in the air. The virus can be transmitted from the surface to the hand, then to the nose, mouth, or eyes, resulting in flu infection.  Therefore, it is important to wash hands frequently, cover your cough, keep hands away from the face, and clean commonly touched surfaces.

If the student/staff develops a fever or flu-like symptoms, it is important that they stay home and rest.  Guidelines for exclusion and readmission to school due to illness include:

1. Returning to school when fever free (100.9 or below) for 24 hours without fever reducing medication
2. Returning to school 24 hours after the last diarrhea stool
3. Returning to school 24 hours after the last vomiting episode 

Thorough hand-washing with soap and water is the best prevention.   

The best prevention from influenza (flu) is to be vaccinated with the flu vaccine even now.  It’s not too late.

Informational links below:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/a_flu_guide_for_parents.pdf

www.flufacts.com 

www.flu.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HealthyTips/index.html    

http://www.choa.org/Child-Health-Glossary/5/5W/5-Ways-to-Fight-the-Flu_KH_Teen

http://www.choa.org/Child-Wellness/Child-Wellness-Prevention/Operation-Prevent-Flu

http://www.choa.org/health-professionals/nurse-resources/school-nurses/building-bridges/building-bridges-newsletters