The fifth grade physical education program mirrors our seasonal athletics offerings, giving our students experience in each sport before making athletics selections in middle school. Fifth graders spend a lot of time working on sport-specific skills, and they have already completed field hockey, flag football, and soccer units this fall. However, every fifth grader knows there will be no drills, stations, or games on Mondays. Monday is hiking day.
Like many new initiatives, the Monday hikes began in 2021 as a COVID-safe activity. It was a way to reconnect with nature, build fitness, and experience mindful movement on the trail network behind BDS. It was clear that students relished the opportunity to engage with the woods and one another, and it stuck.
This year’s crop of fifth graders is making the most of their Mondays, moving with pace and setting distance records for class hikes, according to their teachers, John O’Neill and Jade Morris.
