ACS recognizes the tremendous benefits of physical education for all children, a belief supported by research demonstrating the positive relationship between children’s physical activity, healthy habits, readiness to learn and academic achievement.

Physical Education

All students at our school take physical education every week. We provide developmentally specific instruction for students in our Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle School, with emphasis on foundation activities and skill building for the younger students, and an activity-based model for our upper elementary and middle school students.

P.E. in Early Childhood Education

Once a week, our Early Childhood specialist helps Begindergarten (preschool), Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten students develop spatial and body awareness, further define their auditory discrimination skills and learn rhythmic movements through Musical Movement class. They have fun moving like different animals at the zoo, undulating to music beats from around the world and playing various musical instruments. In doing so the children are acquiring body and spatial awareness, non-locomotor and locomotor skills, manipulative skills and elements of movement fundamental to their academic and social development.

Elementary P.E.

The Elementary P.E.'s curriculum is led by two teachers specializing in developmental P.E. approaches featuring continuous movement lessons that offer introductory conditioning, gross motor development, skill building, lead-up games to team sports and fitness testing.Elementary students participate in physical education three times per week. In addition to fitness training, introductory nutrition and fitness testing, students have the opportunity to play modified multiple ball and equipment games, which promote a high level of repetitions to develop fundamental skills for team sports including soccer, football, softball, basketball, hockey, volleyball, and track and field.

Middle School P.E.

The Middle School program further expands on these competencies to include “Fitness for Life” studies and team sports. Middle School students participate in physical education four times a week. The program’s goal is providing exposure to a variety of athletic activities and basic nutrition, with an emphasis on effort rather than skill — all while instilling a joy of movement, having fun cooperatively, learning sportsmanship and achieving improved physical fitness.

After School Athletics and Intramural Team Sports

ACS also offers an after-school sports program for grades 5-8. The ACS Cougars participate as a member school in the Silicon Valley Athletic League (SVAL). ACS offers boys flag football and girls volleyball in the fall, boys and girls basketball in the winter, and co-ed track and field in the spring.

Teams are grouped by grade (5th and 6th are “C” teams and 7th and 8th are “A” teams). There are no cuts and all students may sign-up and compete on a team. Teams typically practice twice a week and individual coaches determine practice days. Games are Monday-Friday after school with occasional Saturday tournaments.

While ACS teams have experienced a great deal of success, winning league championships at all levels of play (the “A” and “C” football teams have won the SVAL championship five of the last 10 years), our priority is promoting the values of sportsmanship and camaraderie. We believe that by participating in sports, young people gain a foundation for a healthy lifestyle while extending our school’s emphasis on the importance of respect, teamwork, discipline and having fun at school.

We’re proud of all our student athletes. We encourage children to participate in our after-school sports program and take advantage of this enriching aspect of the ACS experience.