Dear Parent/Guardians:

Beginning in February all students in grades 4-6 will be participating in a 6 week fitness portfolio project entitled "Building Fit Kids for Life". This project will incorporate New York state physical education standards as students will learn to design and maintain individualized fitness plans. They will monitor and record physical activity done during school, after school, on weekends and vacations. Students will also learn how to develop the basic fitness components of flexibility, cardio respiratory fitness and strength, and learn how to take and interpret resting, working, and recovery heart rates.

For every 30 minutes of physical activity completed, students will earn a "fitness building block". Their goal is to try to fill as much of their fitness pyramid as possible. Click here to see a sample of a building block sheet. Students are responsible for maintaining their portfolios and for keeping them up to date. Students will also earn incentives for reaching certain fitness block levels. This program will culminate with the spring fitness assessment. It is hoped that your child's effort in the project will translate into improving their fitness scores. They will also be graded on their portfolios, using rubrics/authentic assessment.

Important things to know:

• Your child's goal is to earn at least 8 fitness blocks a week (4 hours of activity not counting PE class). Only 30 minute increments may be used. Less than 30 minutes doesn't earn a block and more than 30 will be rounded down. 60 min. equals two blocks, 90 min. = 3 blocks, etc.

• Any activity done at home must be signed off by a parent on the attached building block slips. Your child must then bring in the slip, place it in their portfolio, and enter it on their pyramid. No more than 4 building blocks (2 hours) may be earned outside of school on any day.

A goal of this program is for students to realize that fitness is a lifestyle. Be a role model for your child! Go out and exercise and set aside time for a family walk each day. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Mrs. Egre