Programs: Running Club
Morning Creek Running Club: We Run for Fun!
What is Running Club and when is it held?
Morning Creek Running Club is a fun, voluntary activity for students in Grades 1-5 that is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays, before school and at recess. In the event of a Monday or Wednesday schedule conflict, we will run on Friday. The schedule is posted on the Morning Creek website. Kindergarten students will begin running in January. Running Club is brought to you through the generosity of the Morning Creek PTA. See the Morning Creek School Calendar for a complete list of dates.
How Does it Work?
Parent volunteers set up a 1/4 mile running loop on the lower field. As a student completes one lap, he/she receives a “Running Club stick” from a parent volunteer. The students complete as many laps as possible during the allotted time. Students bring the sticks to their classroom where they are collected and counted after each running session. Volunteers will keep a running total throughout the year for each participant.
Why run with Morning Creek Running Club?
Running is healthy and fun! We encourage a friendly atmosphere where students work together to meet personal and class goals. Students are recognized for their running accomplishments; both individually and as a class. Each month, students are presented with toe tokens for every 5 miles they run. We also present end-of-year awards to each students who runs over 50 miles during the school year. ?
Other Important Information:
1. Morning Running Club begins at 8:05am. Students can enter the school from the front gates or from the lower field. The school does not allow students on campus prior to 8:05am.
2. Morning runs will be approximately 15 minutes. Recess runs will be approximately 10 minutes.
3. Parents are WELCOME to join their children at running club! If you?d like a nice run, join the students but please don?t collect sticks; we need them all for our student runners. If you would like to support the program but not run, please contact Kathryn Takeuchi at ktakeuchi@me.com to become one of our wonderful volunteers!
4. Siblings may run before school, but only if a parent is present on the field with the child and the volunteers deem it to be safe. These children will not collect sticks, but are welcome to keep count!
5. In the case of a lost or dropped stick, replacement sticks cannot be given unless turned in by another student. This is our way of encouraging the Morning Creek Character Pillars.
6. We do not distribute awards to top runners; we distribute awards to all runners that reach certain milestone goals. Running Club strives to maintain a friendly atmosphere where students support each other.
7. In the case of inclement weather or any other safety concern, Running Club will be cancelled. If the grass is too wet or the dirt is muddy, our lower field becomes very slippery. For the safety of our students, Running Club will be cancelled. If you aren?t sure of conditions, come by the lower field and see if the cones are set up. If the cones are not up, head on into the school grounds and enjoy being early to class.
- 8. Kindergarten students will begin Running Club in January.
If you have any questions, please contact Kathryn Takeuchi (Volunteer Running Club Coordinator and Morning Creek parent) at ktakeuchi@me.com. We hope to see you at Running Club!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Running Club a coached track team?
No, Running Club is a fun, voluntary PTA Program provided for the students of Morning Creek.
I'm not much of a runner. Can I still participate in Running Club?
Of course you can participate! Running Club is open to anyone who would like to complete a lap. We have plenty of walkers at Running Club. Everyone is welcome!
What does it cost to be in Running Club?
There is no cost for students to participate. Morning Creek PTA will generously fund all expenses of the Running Club program.
When are the classroom awards distributed?
Classroom awards are presented at the first Friday Flag of the month. There is always quite a rivalry between classrooms of each grade to see who will win the coveted trophy and stuffed colt. Parents are encouraged to attend.
What is a Toe Token and how are they earned?
A Toe Token is a little plastic foot that is awarded for every 5 miles that a student runs. Student runners will receive a chain with their first toe token and will then collect Toe Tokens throughout the school year. Toe Tokens are presented to students in the classroom by their teacher. Most students display their Toe Tokens on their backpack.
Will the miles I run in kids? races, 5K?s, and triathlons count towards my Running Club miles? Although we support all physical activities outside of Running Club, only miles run at school during Running Club runs will be counted towards Running Club totals. Some exceptions do apply: Jog-a-Thon laps,?Finish Chelsea's Run 5K on 3/2, Cinco de Mayo Trail Run 5K on 5/4, and the Cross Country Mile event run as part of the Morning Creek team will be included in Running Club miles.
How can parents help?
Volunteers are always welcomed and needed! We need volunteers to help pass out sticks to the students before school and at recess. It is fun to come down to the lower field at recess after helping in your child?s classroom. We also have many other small jobs to help facilitate the program. If you would like to help, please contact Kathryn Takeuchi at ktakeuchi@me.com.?
When will I know if Running Club is cancelled due to rain?
The final decision to cancel Running Club due to rain will be made after a volunteer has been to the field to examine the field?s safety conditions. All volunteers are also parents, so we don?t get to the field until 10-minutes before Running Club begins. Therefore, you won?t know until you get to the field to see if the cones are set up or not. If Running Club has been cancelled, students are welcome to come onto campus and enjoy some free time before school begins.