​

Morning Creek Running Club is a FREE, healthy and fun, goal-setting activity for students in Grades TK - 5 that will be offered as a part of Physical Education (PE) during school hours.  Note: TK recess is held in the front playground, so they would need to go to the lower field if interested in participating. Running Club strives to maintain a friendly atmosphere where students support one other. The upgraded electronic tag system was funded by the generosity of the Morning Creek Foundation, and the maintenance costs are funded through the PTA!  

 

We ask that each student and parent review the running club rules with their student(s); this will help the students understand the expectations and allow them to earn the incentives provided by running club.  The philosophy of the Morning Creek Character Pillars and No Excuses University apply at Running Club.

​

​

When does Running Club start and how often is it held?

Grades 1-5 will begin on Monday 9/25/22.  Kindergarten students will begin running a couple weeks after they transition to full-days at school, the exact date will be communicated in class and via our Running Club email distribution group. All students will have the opportunity to run during their morning recess on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The tower will be on starting at 9:15am and turned off at 10:30am. Each recess is 15 minutes long, students can run for as long or as short as they'd like during recess.

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

How many total days will the kids get to run?

We estimate 50-60 days of running for grades 1 - 5.  Kinder will run fewer total days due to the transition from reduced to full-school days.  15 minutes per session.  Check out the Running Calendar to see which days the kids run, which days we skip, and we'll likely count down as we get closer to the end.

 

 

When/Why does a Running Club session get canceled and how are parents notified?

In the case of SpringYearbook Picture days, inclement/extreme weather or any other safety concern, Running Club will be cancelled. (e.g. grass is too wet or the dirt is muddy, our lower field becomes very slippery.  Canceled days will be communicated via the Running Club email distribution group.    We also have a Running Calendar so you can easily see the upcoming weeks of running to plan accordingly.

​

​

How the Miles are Tracked

We use an electronic tag system that tallies laps automatically as students pass the "Tower".  The students will no longer keep their Running Club tags. The Running Club tags will now be on a lanyard and given to the teachers, to be distributed right before Running Club, and collected again after Running Club is over. This will help reduce the number of lost and broken tags.

 

For each running session, parent & student leadership volunteers will set up a 1/4 mile running loop on the lower field behind the school. The students will lineup at the starting line. The lead volunteer will blow the whistle to start the session. The participants must pass the "Tower" to start counting the laps. As a student completes each lap by subsequently passing the tower, they receive a quarter mile credit. The students complete as many laps as possible during the 15 minutes.  Laps will be tallied automatically.  Volunteers will keep a running total throughout the year of each participant.  Volunteers will also provide each teacher with a monthly report of student miles earned.

​

​

Safety Guidelines

• Please be respectful and follow the volunteer’s directions. Our volunteers are also parents who want to ensure the safety of everyone in order to keep this a fun and friendly experience.

• Water bottles are encouraged! It's important to stay hydrated when exercising, these belong towards the black top ramp away from the field.

• Be sure to follow/stay close to the cones around the entire field (to avoid muddy sections, divots, and other dangers on the field)

• Do not cut across the field, cut corners, or weave in and out of lanes.

• Do not stop in the middle of either lane to tie your shoe, move to the side to avoid a traffic jam.

• Tags are read by the tower up to 30 ft away, students must stay in the appropriate lane and not put their tags right up to the tower.

• Do not hold hands while running.

• Wear appropriate shoes and breathable clothing for comfort.  It is recommended to pack an extra pair of socks.

• Be aware of others and if someone needs help or gets injured, help them out off of the track, get a teacher/parent volunteer's attention.

 

​

Rewards

We will have runners that reach 50, 75, and even 100 miles in just one year!!! Students are recognized for their running accomplishments; both individually and as a class. Check out the running statistics here.

 

Individual accomplishments will be recognized in many ways such as a chain of Toe Tokens for 20, 30, & 40 miles, presented by their teacher, checkmarks on Running Club t-shirts for 50-mile intervals (50, 100, 150, 200), and end-of-year certificates to each student who runs over 100 miles during the entire school year.  Note: Most students display their chain of Toe Tokens on their backpack.

​

Monthly classroom and challenge awards will be presented at the first Friday Flag assembly each 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 to do if a lanyard needs to be replaced?

Caring for the running lanyards is an opportunity for students to show responsibility for their belongings.  If a lanyard breaks, first attempt to re-tie it or fix it to a useable condition.  If it cannot be fixed, the lanyard can be replaced one (1) time free of charge.  Work with your teacher to request a replacement with the Running Club lead.  

​

**Replacement Fees:   

First Replacement, there will be no charge to the student.

Second Replacement, there will be a $2 fee.  Cash or check (Payable to Morning Creek PTA) must be brought to the Lead Running Club Volunteer at the next available session, please include a note with the student's and teacher's name.  

​

What to do if an electronic tag is broken or lost?

As soon as possible, the student must notify the Lead Running Club Volunteer of the broken or lost tag.  Until the tag is replaced and applicable fee** is paid, the student must complete the "Broken Tag Log" at the Running Club Wagon on the field EVERY DAY to manually track the laps.  At the end of the month before Running Club statistics are gathered, the Running Club Data Lead will add in the manually tracked laps.

​

**Replacement Fees:

BROKEN electronic tags, there will be no charge to the student.  

LOST electronic tags, there will be a $5 fee.  Cash or check (Payable to Morning Creek PTA) must be brought to the Lead Running Club Volunteer at the next available session, please include a note with the student's and teacher's name.  

​

If my child is not athletic/not a runner, can they still participate?

Of course!!! We have  always had plenty of walkers at Running Club.  Every lap counts towards a personal and class goal!  Walkers should walk further from the cones, Runners will be nearest the cones.

 

How can parents help?

Volunteers are always welcomed and needed!!! We need a lead parent volunteer to set-up and break-down the field with the help of Student Leadership volunteers. Each volunteer session is 30-45 minutes, and Running Club Lead Volunteers will get a dedicated spot in the front parking lot.  In addition parent volunteers along with teachers will keep an eye on the kids to make sure they stay safe as well as encourage and cheer them on.  We also have many other small jobs to help facilitate the program (trophy collection, shirt reward tracking, toe token organization, data processing, tag distribution/collection, etc.  If you would like to help, please contact the Running Club Chair(s) at mcesrunningclub@gmail.com.

​

​

Big THANK YOU to our Parent/Family Volunteers!!!

​

Christine Goldsmith

Cheryl Hillman

Yumi Nikolic

Asia Rutyna-Tonesi

Nettie Salda

​