Education Notebook: First rule about roller skating club - Have fun

Every Monday after school, classic R&B music and children’s laughter echo through the halls of Frances Scott Elementary.

For the 30 students in roller skating club – run by physical education teacher Kiara Conklin – those Mondays can’t come soon enough.

During the laps around the school’s gym, the second- through fifth-graders encounter hula hoops obstacles, bruised elbows and loads of fun.

“My most favorite thing I like about roller skate club is actually getting to meet new people and make new friends” fourth-grader Amiya Larson said.

Along with having a few new tricks up their sleeves, the students also leave their weekly meetings with some valuable insights outside of the rink.

“No matter how many times you fall, you’ll still get up” fifth-grader Sienna Bee said.

Conklin started the club as part of Spokane Public School’s EngageIRL initiative, which was rolled out at the beginning of the school year.

After growing up on skates and being inspired by her own elementary school teacher to become a physical education teacher, Conklin has always been eager to share her passion with others.

She started the club with support from her boyfriend, mother and several teachers. She even raised money to thrift 15 pairs of roller skates for students to borrow.

The club was in such high demand that it had to capped at 30 students, but she decided to lead a skate meet up at Roller Valley once a month so that kids who didn’t make it into the club still have an opportunity to join in on the fun, Conklin said.

Conklin said she’s seen the kids’ self-confidence blossom.

“I feel like a lot of kids feel pressured to be a part of a team sport … but if you don’t know how to work alone and be independent and efficient by yourself, it’s really hard to engage as a group.” Conklin said. “The kids are building the mindset that, ‘Wow, I mess up, fall down. And I can get up.’ ”

Conklin’s club is what the EngageIRL initiative aims to do: provide an opportunity for kids to take a step back from their devices and get involved in real-life activities, said Ryan Lancaster, executive director of communications for Spokane Public Schools.

The response to the initiative has been encouraging, Lancaster said. Surveys have shown 65.2% of students involved in a club, sport or other activity, as opposed to the 29% of students engaged in May 2023.

“It’s all positive.” Lancaster said, “Especially if they’re doing something they’re really passionate about and engaged in, then often times what I’ve seen is that they get better at skating and that translates to better academics because that confidence boosts them all along the way.”

That confidence Lancaster described beamed from the students as they talked about the club.

“We keep trying and we get better at it, and we don’t give up,” second-grader Shyann McGee said.

Since the initiative’s inception, chronic absenteeism has dropped by more than 13.2% among students who are actively engaged, indicating the initiative’s positive effect on student commitment and overall school culture.

The district offers 1,024 activities, in areas like culinary, dance, music, sports and arts, with 261 being clubs. Lancaster is certain that number will climb next year.

“It’s definitely a momentum thing. We’ve started out at the beginning of the year and it’s really gained over the course of the year.” Lancaster said.

With the school year coming to a close, Conklin is prepping for next year’s club, aiming for two gatherings a week.

When it comes to what new clubs students hope to see next year, fifth-grader Juan Saiz mentioned a schoolyard staple: “Four square club,” he said.