At CAIS, we focus on physical activity and health and wellness via physical education classes as well as during the after school athletics program. Our teachers encourage our students to view physical activity as a daily practice. We encourage exploration and creativity in our classes and emphasize that people bring varied strengths to the team. We encourage using one’s strengths in positive ways as well as working on the weaknesses without fear of judgement.
Students from Kindergarten to eighth grade participate in physical education class during their regular school day. Physical education instruction highlights fitness development as well as an understanding of team effort and strategies through age appropriate sports and activities. We share a full size gymnasium with French American International and International High School. Maximizing use of the outdoor space and gymnasium facilities provides our students with a broad spectrum of activities and experiences.
In physical education class, all grades play sports, or a variation of, depending on the age. Equipment is tailored to the age group. Starting in Kindergarten and first grade, the focus is on individual skills and partner work. In second and third grade, students start to work in bigger groups of three or four, and in fourth and fifth grade students play variations of sports with groups of five or more.
We have units on a two-year rotation with the popular sports of basketball, volleyball and futsal being taught every year. Included in the physical education curriculum is hockey, lacrosse, tennis, table tennis (middle school only), gymnastics/tumbling, track and field, soccer, badminton, volleyball, basketball, juggling, wrestling, team handball, bowling, flag football, ultimate frisbee and futsal.
Additionally, all students in fifth to eighth grade are encouraged to join a CAIS team in our after school athletics program. To learn more about after school athletics, please see the Athletics section.
Our main focus is to instill a love of being active and to eliminate the fear of trying new things. We want to take away the competitive win at all cost mentality and replace it with the idea that everyone has something to bring to the table no matter what the activity.