Physical Education
What a year it has been in the gyms! While a lot has changed (sanitizing equipment after each class, keeping our distance as much as possible, wearing masks and teaching on a microphone), we have not only been able to keep the same student-centered curriculum, we have enhanced our program using the latest in technology, new equipment, professional resources and different lifelong activities we hadn't previously offered at Bernard Zell before. We are currently finishing up our final rotation of Physical Education, and while we didn’t quite know back in September how this would work, our PE team is extremely pleased (as are our students) with how everything has turned out.

First and foremost, an annual highlight—rollerskating and rollerblading—was still able to happen this year. Every cohort from SK to eighth grade got between 4-5 classes of skating this year. In addition to this fan-favorite, our Middle School curriculum focused on individual fitness, racquet games (badminton, pickleball, table tennis, spikeball and tchoukball) and wellness, while our Lower School PE classes enjoyed building on fundamental sports skills, individual fitness, climbing/tumbling/gymnastics, racquet games and small-sided games. 

Athletics
As you have heard by now, our athletics program is back and in full swing. While we are not competing against other schools or doing much traveling, we are thrilled to be back on the Field of Dreams and in our brand new gym. 

Athletics began in early April by offering two sports—track and softball—to interested 6th and 7th-grade students. Session one included 43 student-athletes from these two grades, which lasted for three weeks and saw three intentionally rigorous, fast-paced practices per week. Once the month of May arrived we invited the 5th and 8th graders to join the 6th and 7th grade, as volleyball and soccer were now being offered (in addition to softball and track). We are currently towards the end of session two and have 121 student-athletes participating. Next week we move on to session three (beginning May 17), which will include the shifting of some sports. Our 8th graders will get a chance for both boys and girls volleyball, while our 6th/7th-grade students move outside to participate in soccer and/or track. And our 5th grade can continue with track through the end of the year. We even have a dozen or so students who have committed to two teams at once. 

And to make things even more exciting, beginning Friday, May 21, we are bringing back our popular Friday Fun Run for our track student-athletes giving them a chance to begin their weekend by running along the lakefront path with their track coaches. 

All Middle School student-athletes and parents are invited to join our 12th Annual Athletics Banquet, which will be held via Zoom, on Thursday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m.