YMCA Delivers Expanded Physical Education Opportunities for Montessori School Students

In a prime example of good neighbors working together, the North Suburban YMCA is partnering with Northbrook’s Countryside Montessori School to offer a new physical education program for the school’s seventh and eighth graders. The proximity of the two facilities, located on opposite sides of Techny Road, inspired an innovative approach to supplement the school’s curriculum.

The new program evolved from an inquiry to the Y by Guy Calise, Countryside’s Middle School Director. Calise hoped to develop a PE curriculum for his students that could take advantage of the Y’s extensive fitness facilities and the knowledge of its professional staff. Working with Ashley Almdale, a Y staff member with a degree in K-12 physical education, they developed a balanced PE course that includes a variety of sports and cardio conditioning activities. The sixteen students in the program are transported to the Y three days a week for 45-minute PE sessions. Tuesday and Thursday classes are devoted to sports featured in the high school PE curriculum (football, volleyball, gymnastics, floor hockey, and swimming). On Wednesdays, students challenge themselves at cardio stations to achieve a comprehensive workout. The students also have the opportunity to play recreational games like pickleball and badminton in the gym, and to use the Y’s X-Zone interactive area for team building exercises.

Almdale, who leads the class, has received great feedback from the students. “The kids are really enthusiastic about the new program,” she notes. “They come in with a positive attitude, and enjoy the variety of activities and facilities we provide. We want to inspire them with a life-long love of fitness, and we hope that they’ll come back to the Y for afterschool activities as well.”

Photo Caption: Instructor Ashley Almdale (far left) leads warm-ups for students from Countryside Montessori School before PE class at the North Suburban YMCA

About the North Suburban YMCA
The YMCA is a not-for-profit entity and relies on donations to make services accessible for all families and individuals. All board members are community volunteers, who donate their time, talents and financial resources. Located at 2705 Techny Road in Northbrook, the YMCA has served area families in its fifteen-city region for over 45 years. The Y is about youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, providing programs and services that meet the needs of our community and are accessible to all. For more information or to make a donation, call Barb Flanagin at 847-272-7250, or visit www.nsymca.org.