Olympics Come To Skyview Elementary

The pint-size Americans hold their flags high as they march into the gym. The Aussies strut in next, scarves spangled with little Australian flags. The Mexicans wear serapes, the Kenyans carry zebra posters.

Welcome to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games at Skyview Elementary School. Kindergartners are Americans, first-graders are Aussies, and so on around the world. Skyview students, as well as students from the adjacent Continuous Curriculum School, fill the gym with swirls of colorful flags, natty costumes and nervous energy.

Amazing athletes … the Olympic ideals of striving and sportsmanship … a panoply of exotic countries: The Summer Olympics offer a rich source of material for teachers. While plenty of classrooms are touching on the Olympics, a few schools in the Spokane Valley have more ambitious projects.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” boomed CCS Principal Scott Read at the microphone. “Welcome! To the Skyview and CCS opening ceremony for the 2000 Olympics!”

Nearly 500 bodies tried to control their wiggles. Within 10 minutes or so, the battle was lost. Skyview principal Tammy Fuller declared the games open, and sent the students back to their classroom.

Skyview teachers have designed their own projects. The fourth-graders in Linda Rapp’s class are cooking German food. Music teacher Linda Wruble is teaching folk songs in different languages. First-graders in Debbie Dugdale’s class are following swimmer Ian Thorpe and runner Kathy Freeman in the games.

Freeman’s experience of running as an Australian and Aborigine has sparked discussion about diversity and acceptance. That hits home in Dugdale’s class, where four students are immigrants.

“I’ve just tried to tie it in with our own lives and our own experiences,” Dugdale said.

At Centennial Middle School, sixth-grade teacher David Schultz and his students are comparing the ancient Olympics to the modern games.

Meanwhile, Pasadena Park Elementary School is running its own complete set of Olympic Games - imaginatively modified for younger athletes.

The pool-noodle javelin throw, for instance, gives second-graders a chance to hurl those four-foot-long floating noodles that come in orange and purple and other bright colors.

Nerf archery is coming up, as is an egg-drop high dive and scooter board water polo. The scooter board synchronized swimming will be the last event, the same day as the closing ceremony.

“You should see the kids, hanging out at the medals chart to see how their country is doing,” says Tim Ames, principal at Pasadena Park. The Olympics program at Pasadena also involves problem-solving and class writing projects. Even the class projects will earn medals.

Fourth-grade teacher Rick Franks organized the Olympics program at Pasadena.

“I can’t take any credit for any of this,” Ames said. “But it’s great to see the kids so excited about starting back into school.”