Brooklyn Friends School develops the child physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually through physical activity starting in Preschool.  On the roof, in the gym, and during dance, children are developing an awareness of their bodies and their position in the space around them. The ability to move with skill, care, thought, and imagination is a learning process for children as they gain control of their own bodies.  In the classroom, Preschoolers learn what is safe and appropriate to do with their bodies. In dance class, they learn many different ways to move through the room, exploring a variety of themes and music. On the roof or in the gym, the children have the opportunity to run, jump, climb, play with balls, ride bikes and move with freedom. 

 

Lower School children in Kindergarten play in an environment that promotes success for each individual child. Students are taught skills through structured play. Focus is placed on large motor movements, such as galloping, skipping, tagging games, and jump-rope.  Grades 1-4 have PE twice weekly, kindergartners once a week. The program is aimed at total body fitness and physical development as well as cooperative play. Specific skills that are taught include listening, following directions, awareness of space, agility, manipulative skills, endurance, strength, and socialization.  First/Second Grade students are introduced to more advanced ball-handling skills that form the foundation for volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Students take part in cooperative games, gymnastics, track activities, running and dodging games. Learning social skills is an integral part of the physical activities and is an important element in the success of the class.  Third/Fourth Graders’ skills have become more refined and activities are focused on actual sports. Many of the sports activities are modified to enhance team play, skill development and group cooperation. Children learn rules and apply strategies that they’ve formulated.

 

In the Middle School and Upper School, the Physical Education program has five commitments to BFS families:

• We want every child to grow into a competent and confident mover.
  
• We want children and young people to be able to move effectively in a wide range of activities.
• We want all young people to be empowered with the knowledge, skills and understanding to be able to enjoy health promoting physical activity for the rest of their adult lives.
  
• We recognize all young people’s abilities and provide a meaningful and enjoyable learning environment to support and meet their needs.
  
• We refute concepts of ‘natural athleticism’ and we strive to allow each and every student to nurture the athlete within.

The Physical Education (PE) curriculum enables all children and young people to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. We believe specializing in just one sport from an early age does not produce elite athletes nor does it support long term participation. BFS PE adopts the 'Long Term Athlete Development' (LTAD) approach to our curriculum.

BFS PE encourages children and young people to develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are performing, they think about what they are doing, analyze the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others’ performances and find ways to improve them. As a result, they develop the confidence to take part in different physical activities and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles. Discovering what they like to do, what their aptitudes are at school, and how and where to get involved in physical activity helps them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity.

We collect self-assessed information from each student to build a holistic ‘learner profile’. With this information we create a bespoke, broad and balanced curriculum whereby learners can meet their specific needs through a variety of activities. This feeds into assessment for learning, with the student understanding their current achievements and how to improve as an individual, and as a community of learners.

EXEMPTION FROM PHYSICAL EDUCATION

• 11/12th grade students participating on a school sport team will be exempt from PE classes for the season upon attending eight practices. Once the season is completed students will return to PE class.
• If a student is exempt from PE class due to school sport involvement and still wishes to attend PE class, they must commit to full attendance.

ATTENDANCE FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION/ATHLETICS
    •    Students are expected to be prepared for all PE classes. Any student unprepared will be unexcused. There will a consequence for being unprepared to be issued by the Dean of Students.

    •    Students with injuries or health issues that limit physical participation are expected to attend PE classes and must first check-in with their PE teacher for attendance, and then visit the RN for assessment on the issue. Injured students will not be allowed to participate until cleared by RN/Doctor.

    •    A five-minute period is allowed for change of clothes, before and after class. After ten-minutes passing time [transfer from building to building, from locker room/lower to upper gym], students will be considered late. Lateness will be reported to the Dean of Students.

    •    Students choosing to participate on a school team are expected to have full attendance at all practices and games. Attendance will be taken by the coach of the team and updated on a centrally shared document. After three missed practices/games, students will be required to return to PE class. It will not be considered a missed practice/game when the student is absent from school. Students must inform the coach of any absence 24 hours in advance.

SECURITY/LOCKERS
At the beginning of the school year, students are assigned a locker and a combination lock. Students may attach temporary decorations, pictures, etc to the inside of the locker, but graffiti, stickers, or markings of any kind are prohibited on the outside of lockers as a defacement of school property. Students are expected to maintain acceptable levels of hygiene and athletic clothing should be regularly washed. Students are responsible for their possessions and are expected to keep their lockers locked at all times. The school will not be responsible for items lost/missing if the locker has not been locked. If the lock is lost, the student should immediately notify the PE teacher. The student will be issued a new lock and billed $5 by the business office.
 

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The athletic program at BFS is separate from, but complementary to, the physical education program students undertake during the school day. As a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools, interscholastic athletic competition begins in 7th grade.

Brooklyn Friends School enjoys a long and successful sports tradition and an active athletics program with a high rate of student participation. Sports at BFS include soccer, cross country, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball and track. Our philosophy at the Middle School level is that everyone who wants to play should have a chance to play. Fifth and sixth graders learn and practice fundamental sports skills together in the AM Sports program, and seventh and eighth graders participate in interscholastic team sports with other New York independent schools.  The Upper School has varsity and junior varsity levels of play in the NYC independent school leagues. Our soccer and volleyball teams have qualified for state competitions, and our basketball teams have won league titles as well as a state championship. The athletic program stresses the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship.