Tag Archives: Physical Education

2019 Penny Wheelock Grant Recipient: Terry McDonald

Every year The Hamlin School awards the Penny Wheelock Summer Travel Grant ($2500) to a teacher who has been working at Hamlin for 5 years or longer. The purpose of the grant is:

To expand the horizons of the recipient, thereby enhancing that teacher’s energy and effectiveness in the classroom. To commemorate the joy of teaching about other lands and cultures as exemplified by beloved former Hamlin teacher Penny Wheelock.

On Monday, Terry McDonald had the opportunity to present highlights from her summer grant experience. Ms. McDonald is in her 33rd year teaching physical education at Hamlin. A lifelong soccer fan, she was all smiles describing her experience attending multiple Women’s World Cup games in France. She then watched Serena Williams at Wimbledon, and later took in some cricket, then netball (not her favorite), concluding with watching golf in Ireland. Ms. McDonald hinted at a desire to bring cricket to Hamlin, which would serve to globally enhance our already eclectic sports offerings. This wonderful travel experience will no doubt stay with her for many, many years. The next Penny Wheelock recipient will be selected in April of 2020.

Technology, Physical Education, and The Hamlin Creed

Grade 6 students are working in teams to design an app that describes what they are learning in their PE rotations and how those skills relate to The Hamlin Creed.

The apps have four screens — one home screen and one screen for each rotation (climbing, dance, and group sports). Each student is responsible for creating one screen that describes the current rotation. The team works together to make the home screen.

Students brainstormed what the app would look like, considering colors, button types, and font size, while designing a uniform appearance for all four screens.

Below is an example of a screen that incorporates courage and respect from The Hamlin Creed:

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American Ninja Warrior: Hamlin Style

10-second bar hang, jumping rope, swinging across a pit, these are only some of the features of Hamlin’s version of American Ninja Warrior, where students get to test their agility, strength, balance and speed.

This lively physical education class is the creation of Hamlin faculty member, Michelle Lovejoy.

I like American Ninja Warrior, I think that it’s really cool. There are a couple of women in the show who have been doing the course as well or better than the men. The girls love participating in the class.

Students are timed going through a challenging course that includes:

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