Playworks

About Playworks at Fairmount:

During recess, Playworks sets up structured games to give students different choices for play at recess, and chances to use their leadership, teamwork, and cooperative skills.

If you are a family member interested in volunteering at Fairmount during recesses, please join our Volunteer Coach program. Contact Emma Rapp, our Community Engagement Coordinator, at erapp@playworks.org.

 

Favorite games at Fairmount recesses:

K/1:

  • Catch and Hit T-Ball
  • Mini-Soccer
  • Four-Square
  • Hula Hoops
  • Jump Rope

2/3:

  • Kickball
  • Catch and Run
  • Whiffle Ball
  • Four-Square
  • Jump Rope
  • Basketball
  • Soccer
  • Tag Football

4/5:

  • Basketball
  • Four-Square
  • "Skills" Four-Square
  • Soccer
  • Jump Rope
  • Catch and Run
  • Tag Football
  • Wall Ball
  • Fit Club (led by our Monday volunteer) and Obstacle Course/Relay Race (Fridays)

 

Our Junior Coach (JC) Program

Our Junior Coach (JC) Program is a youth leadership program led by Coach Kim. The JCs consist of 4th and 5th graders chosen by their teachers and Coach Kim to help lead and run games on the yard during recesses. Junior Coaches are responsible for such tasks as equipment set-up and check-out, leading different sports and games at recess, putting equipment away, and have bi-weekly trainings and meetings after school with Coach Kim.

Sports Teams

Through Playworks, Fairmount also has a Girls Basketball Team in the fall, Boys Basketball Team in the winter, and a Co-Ed Volleyball Team in the spring for 4th and 5th grade students. Playworks holds Sports Jamborees on Saturdays in the fall and spring (usually kickball and soccer) for 4th and 5th grade students who are not able to commit to full seasons of game play.

Playworks also provides extra support GLO on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Read more about Playworks on their website: http://www.playworks.org/about

 

A little bit about Coach Kim:

Kim grew up in Oak Park, IL a neighborhood bordering the west side of Chicago. She went to college at University of Wisconsin - Madison (Go Badgers!). She worked with kids all throughout college, at a children's association, as a tutor, and as an autism line therapist, but after graduation she decided to try her hand at the corporate world. After about four years of that, she decided working only with adults wasn't for her and went back to school to earn her Master's in Teaching. The same day she turned in her last grad school assignment she moved from Chicago to San Francisco for the opportunity to work for Playworks as an Americorps member. It's her second year with Playworks, and at Fairmount, and she couldn't be a happier coach! She loves the feeling of community at Fairmount, and is delighted that she is able to work with all the students at the school. She believes most of the conflict in the world can be solved with a simple game of Ro Sham Bo. Her favorite game to play at recess is 4-square, but she is embarrassed to admit that a lot of students are now officially better 4-squarers than she is.