Pre-K - 5th Grade

 I.              INTRODUCTION

      The Loudoun Country Day School elementary physical education program is designed to encompass the development of the whole child, the physical, intellectual, and social self.

            In the Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten, movement education, through problem solving, is the means primarily used for the development of a child's locomotor (run, walk, skip, jump) and manipulative (throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing) skills.

           The primary grades, Kindergarten through Third

           Grade, focus on basic movement techniques,

           and learning to work cooperatively with others. The children also learn more about their bodies through combining movements that require a more advanced understanding of the locomotor and manipulative processes.

            In the Fourth and Fifth grades, there is greater emphasis placed on specific techniques and strategies as it relates to various team sports.  Knowledge of the games and proper sportsmanship are stressed.

            In all Lower School classes, lessons are structured to develop self esteem, sportsmanship, strategy, safety, and a sense of fun through movement.

II.        PROCEDURES

            Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten students participate in physical education classes two times a week.  The Kindergarten through Fifth classes meet three times per week for PE.

4^th and 5^th Grade – On Tuesdays and Fridays, classes are combined in order to allow interaction between the two grades on a co-ed basis.  On Wednesdays, the classes are separated in order to devote some time towards learning more intricate skills and to facilitate closer interaction between students, and students and their teacher.  Fourth and fifth graders change into their PE uniform at the beginning of class and may remain in their uniform for the rest of the academic day.

III.               POLICIES

A.     Athletic Events

4^th and 5^th grade students are expected to attend and participate in an annual One Mile Run at Hill School and an annual Tri-School Track Meet, unless excused by their PE teacher.

B.     Absences and Illnesses

All students are expected to attend physical education class like any other class. If a student is absent from school, he/she will naturally be excused from class. If a student has been sick at home and should not participate in class the next day, he/she will be excused from class with a written note from a doctor or parent. Any extended absence from participation in physical education classes will require a note from the doctor.  All students are to report to their PE teacher at the beginning of class even if they cannot participate.

Parents and students are asked to regard physical education class like any other class, and not schedule doctor’s appointments or any other appointment during class time.

C.     Uniforms – 4^th and 5^th Grade

Each 4^th and 5^th grade student must purchase a Loudoun Country Day School physical education uniform, green shirts and blue shorts with the school logo on it, for PE classes. Uniforms may be purchased from the PA On-line Bookstore, the Eagles’ Nest.  All students are expected to dress in their own uniform at the beginning of class along with white athletic socks or forest green soccer socks, cleats (strongly suggested but not required), or athletic shoes, and shin guards (soccer and field hockey). Students who do not “dress out” for PE class will be expected to participate in their school clothes.  Grades will be lowered for students who are unprepared for PE.

D.     Grades

Students will be graded based on their preparedness for PE, knowledge of skills taught, effort, participation, attitude, and sportsmanship.

IV.              SCHEDULE

A.     Fall

1. Soccer.

2. Fitness Tests

3. Field Hockey/Flag Football

4. 1 Mile Cross Country Meet

a. Hosted by The Hill School, Middleburg, VA

B.   Winter

1. Basketball

2. Volleyball

3. Gymnastics

4. Floor Hockey

C.   Spring

1. Lacrosse

2. Track and Field

a. Tri-School Track Meet

LCDS, The Hill School, and Powhatan School

b. Hosted by LCDS at Morven Park

c. Wednesday, May 21, 2008

                  D.  Year round – Girls and Boys

                        1. Swimming

            2. Using Ida lee Park’s indoor pool in the winter on Fridays

            3. Competitive with swim meets

            4. Not required, all welcomed to join, fee to participate

IV.       TRANSPORTATION

Students will be transported to all away events and to Ida Lee Pool by way of a school bus. Parents may attend athletic events and take their child home with them, or pick their child up from LCDS upon their return to school.

V.        PARENT SUPPORT

In advance, we would like to thank all parents for their support. Please remember    parents are invited and encouraged to attend all athletic events, both home and away. Children always play better when their parents are present and cheer for them. It is also very nice for all the children to have a large crowd supporting them.

6th, 7th, and 8th Grades

I.                    INTRODUCTION

The sixth through eighth grade physical education program is designed to introduce students to a variety of sports and sports competition. Emphasis is placed on participation, cooperative spirit, and good citizenship. Students are evaluated and graded on knowledge of the sport as it is taught, preparedness for class, physical fitness, and attitude and effort. Student’s ability is taken into account and rewarded only in terms of the student’s motivation and desire to succeed.

Loudoun Country Day School is a member of the Piedmont Athletic Conference which is comprised of four other local accredited VAIS (Virginia Association of Independent Schools) schools: The Hill School in Middleburg, Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, Powhatan School in Boyce, Virginia, and Wakefield School in The Plains, Virginia,

The physical education philosophy of Loudoun Country Day School is that every child plays in every game. No one is excluded but is expected and encouraged to participate in every aspect of every class, which includes the after school games. Each sport is taught equally to every student and each student is given equal opportunity to excel and improve.

II.                 PROCEDURES

A.  Classes combine the sixth, seventh and eighth grades in order to field  coed cross country and tennis teams, and separate boys and girls teams in soccer, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse and track for interscholastic competition. When the need and interest arises, other sports and teams will be added

B.     Teams are divided as follows: All sixth graders and less experienced seventh graders comprise junior varsity teams, and all eighth graders and more experienced seventh graders comprise varsity teams.  Sixth graders may be included in varsity play if socially and physically they are developmentally ready.  If there are not enough players to field two teams, the three grades will be combined to make one team, and will play either junior varsity or varsity, depending on the ability level.

C.     All upper school students meet for PE class three times per week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 1:47pm to 3:10pm.  Students may be bussed to Morven Park, Ida Lee Rec Center, or other facilities for their practices.

   III.               SCHEDULE

A.     Fall

1.      Field Hockey – Girls

2.   Soccer - Boys

   3.      Coed Cross Country Team

4.      Cross Country One Mile Run

1.      Located at The Hill School, Middleburg, Virginia

a.       Required for all 4^th – 8^th graders

B.     Winter             

1.      Basketball - Girls and Boys

1.      Varsity and junior varsity teams

2.      Culminates with a LCDS hosted Talon Tournament for the varsity boys and girls

3.      Varsity teams may be required to practice after school.

2.        Intramural Sports - Coed

1.      During PE time

2.      Students participate in a variety of indoor sports

3.      Class location is Ida Lee Recreation Center, Leesburg, VA

4.      No after school requirements

C.     Spring – Girls and Boys

1.       Lacrosse - Girls and Boys

1.      Varsity and junior varsity teams

2.    Tennis - Coed

            3.    Tri-School Track Meet         

1.      Students participate in at least two track events

2.      Required for 4^th through 8^th graders

3.      All day event, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

                                             4.     Required for all 4^th – 8^th graders

D.     Year round – Girls and Boys

1.      Swimming

1.      Using Ida Lee Park’s indoor pool in the winter on Fridays

2.      Competitive with swim meets on weekends

3.      Not required, all grade levels welcomed to join

4.      Additional fees required

IV.              POLICIES

A.     Practices and games

Students are required to participate in practices and after school games unless excused by their coach. Students with a signed note from a doctor requiring the child to sit out, due to an illness or injury (in some cases, a note from a parent is acceptable), are still expected to attend practices and games.  If there is a conflict with a student’s personal schedule and an after school game, the student’s parent is expected to contact the coach in order to work out the conflict to the best interest of everyone involved.

                  B.     Absences and Illnesses

All students are expected to attend physical education class like any other class. If a student is absent from school, he/she will naturally be excused from class. If a student has been sick at home and should not participate in class the next day, he/she will be excused from participating in class, with a written note from a doctor or parent. All students are to report to their coach at the beginning of class even if they cannot participate.

Since team sports are the primary focus of the class, everyone’s participation is important if the group is to perform successfully as a team. Therefore, parents and students are asked to regard physical education class like any other class and not schedule doctor’s appointments or any other appointment during physical education class time. If an absence for such a reason cannot be avoided, parents and students are asked to notify their coach as soon as they know that a student will not be present on a given day, especially on game days.

If a student is absent on the day of an athletic event (or misses half or more of the school day due to tardiness or early dismissal), he or she is not eligible to participate in the event, unless authorized by the Division Director.

     C.   Uniforms

Each student must purchase the Loudoun Country Day School PE uniform, green t-shirt and LCDS blue shorts, from the PA On-line Book store, the Eagles’ Nest. Both the LCDS green t-shirt and the LCDS blue shorts are required for every class, as well as athletic socks, shin guards (for soccer and field hockey), and cleats or tennis shoes

Students will be provided with a uniform for games: jersey and kilt for the girls, a soccer jersey for the boys, and singlet and sweatshirt for cross country. The game uniforms are to be returned at the end of each season. Students are also required to wear forest green soccer socks, over shin guards, in games.

C.     Equipment

Students will be provided with all additional equipment they may need for the season, except girls’ field hockey and lacrosse goggles, however, we encourage students to purchase their own equipment.

1.                  Field hockey

a.       Mouth guard

b.      Field hockey stick

c.    Goggles (must be purchased)

2.                  Girls lacrosse

a.       Mouth guard

b.      Lacrosse stick

c.       Goggles (must be purchased)

3.                  Boys’ lacrosse

a.       Mouth guard

b.      Stick

c.       Pads – shoulder pads, helmet, gloves, and arm pads

Mouth guards – all students are issued one mouth guard a year at the beginning of the appropriate season (field hockey for girls and lacrosse for boys). Mouth guards are REQUIRED for field hockey and lacrosse; a student who does not have a mouth guard at game time will not be allowed to play. Students will not be allowed to “borrow” mouth guards from each other. If a student loses his/her mouth guard, he/she will be responsible for replacing it.

V.        TRANSPORTATION

Students will be transported to all away games and to Morven Park and Ida Lee Recreation Facility on a school bus. Parents may attend games and take their child home with them, or pick their child up from LCDS after the team returns again on the school bus.

VI.   PARENT SUPPORT  

In advance, we would like to thank all parents for their support. Please remember, parents are invited and encouraged to attend all            games, both home and away. Children always play better when their parents are present and cheer for them. It is also very nice for all the children to have a large crowd supporting them.