MARCH 2020
We knew life had changed when we received the news that we were to teach P.E. from home. On top of the stress and worry of what was to come, our Department and school suffered the loss of our beloved Neville Scarlett right as we went to remote learning. In so many ways, change was coming.
Extra LOG hours, the legendary “Back Pack” workouts on our new @wolverineactive Instagram page by Mr. Goertzen, Google classroom sessions, texts and phone calls…these were our first experiences teaching in the Pandemic.
June 2020…We’re Baaaaack
Teachers returned to the building to finish up the year. We were able to interact with students in person by appointment. The P.E. Leadership class did a food drive for Winnipeg Harvest to help with local families in need.
Wolverine Athletic Banquet Goes Virtual for the First Time
We were lucky enough to have gotten enough sport seasons in to have our Annual Athletic Awards. We paid tribute to our athletes with the traditional Most Improved and Most Valuable Players for each sport, as well as our Major Awards and Scholarships. Due to a technological glitch, the videos for Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball and Varsity Girls Volleyball could not be transferred here, but can be viewed on our Instagram page @wolverineactive.
Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball: Most Improved Player 2020 Richelle Tolentino Most Valuable Player 2020 Mia Babao
Varsity Girls Volleyball: Most Improved Player 2020 Emma Czoch Most Valuable Player 2020 Katelyn Feschuk
Fast Forward to September
The 2020-2021 school year began much differently. Sanitize your hands when you come in the gym, sit on the yellow “x”, wear a mask, and to the joy of some of you….NO CHANGING FOR P.E.! Gone were the large loud classes! Our activities were based on low numbers, social distancing, and Return To Play Guidelines. When we were able to go outside we played football, soccer and lacrosse. Community walks, table tennis, badminton, and 3 on 3 volleyball became the basics of P.E. Staff had to sanitize equipment after each class.
Fall Athletics
The Pandemic affected the start of our athletic seasons. Cross Country ran (pun intended) to completion, with a meet at Kilcona Park with limited participants of Selkirk and Seven Oaks schools. Football training camp closed shop before any games occurred. Our volleyball teams saw unusually high numbers at the Junior Varsity levels, but had to stop training before actual final teams were selected. Our hockey teams also only made in to the try out stage before any games were played.
The bright spot in our year was the Championship K.P.A.C. banner won by Coach Daryll Flett Girls’s Golf Team!
Intramurals
Table Tennis, badminton and the Basketball Manitoba Shooting Competition were our Intramural highlights Second Semester.
Neville Scarlett Memorial Apparel by KB2
As March approached, the P.E. Department felt that the time to honor our colleague was way over due. With the help of West Kildonan Alumnus Jeff Bannon (1993), the business owner of KB2 Clothing, we designed and marketed a line of athletic wear to help raise money for post secondary education for Mr. Scarlett’s 3 children. Bannon generously donated all profits to the fund.
The Department will be doing a dedication for the new Fitness Room once it is ready to go in 2022. There will be other fund raising events planned for the future.
Staff paid respects to Mr. Scarlett during the our professional development day March 18. Each staff member received a memorial t-shirt and shared some memories in the gym as Mr. Boughen, Mr. Schrofel, and Mr. Wallace paid tribute.
Back to Remote May 12
Our classes enjoyed taking part in STAG’s Mental Health Week, helping with community trash pick up, yoga classes, and the virtual Scavenger Hunt, only to be sent back to various methods of delivery once again! Google meets, Google classroom, on line Health and Modules, and check ins with teachers each week….just when the weather got nice!
We Were Busy When You Were Gone…
A number of projects have been on the go while students were at home during this remote period. There has been plenty of consultation over the new Fitness Room and surrounding areas. New mats have been designed and ordered for the walls. You may notice a little something different at center court when you return! One of the projects we started in April was completed and ordered over this period as well. We are proud to be able to display banners showcasing our diverse and talented athletes in all the sports West Kildonan offers. Thank you to Mr. Asher for his help with the photo session and Ms. Ginter for organizing the sessions and uniforms with all the athletes.
June 3…Province Announces Remote Learning For the Remainder of School Year
The cases were up, the hospitals at capacity. So remote continued. Staff meetings went back to Microsoft Meets, retirements morphed into different ways to celebrate, and students did their best to complete P.E. remotely by taking part in Google Classroom and submitting activity hours at the end of each week. Not what we imagined or hoped for but there you have it. Looking forward to the return of all athletics, full gym classes, All Period Day Activities and the construction of our new Fitness Facility.
That’s it for me….
After 32 years in the biz I venture off into retirement. Not the way I imagined yet the staff and students have made it special in their own ways. I look forward to coaching volleyball and track next year as well as subbing for my fantastic P.E. Department. Stay safe and thank you for all the memories W.K.!!!!
Mrs. G