Beasley Students "Wheely" Love Skate Week

Strap on those sandy brown skates with the bright orange wheels! Why? Because it’s our famous Lower School Skate Week here at MICDS! From October 20-24, our Junior Kindergarten through fourth-grade students rolled into a special week for their P.E. classes—Skate Week!

“Skate Week is a time when students get the opportunity to improve balance and gain a lot of self-confidence,” said Jim Lohr, Lower School Physical Education Teacher. “Roller skating gives you immediate feedback based on your ability to stay up on your skates and how efficiently you can move around the gym.”

In the South Gym, music like “YMCA” and “The Macarena” took over the sound system as students glided across the smooth gym floor. For five days this week, each of our Beasley students had dedicated time for skating to their hearts’ content, joined by peers in their respective grade!

The week began with careful instruction from our Lower School Physical Education Teachers, Susan Orlando and Mr. Lohr. With students ranging in skill level from beginner to advanced, Orlando and Lohr first made sure everyone was geared up properly—Helmets? Check! Skates that fit? Check! Wrist guards? Check! Some students even brought additional padding from home (Kneepads? Check! Elbow pads? Check!).

Next, they reviewed how to safely get up from the floor while wearing roller skates. They also instructed on how to best avoid falling, in addition to discussing the safest way to fall. At last, Lohr turned on the music, and students began circling the gym. After assessing each student’s comfort level, Lohr and Orlando assigned skaters to lanes that best matched their skill level. More advanced students skated around the outer ring of the “gym rink,” while beginner students stayed in the center ring.

Then, it was off to circling the gym floor over and over again. There were smiles, laughs, dance moves, and plenty of Beasley joy to go around!

“We’ve been roller skating for 31 years, and Skate Week is always one of the highlights of the year for the kids,” said Orlando. “Seeing their smiles as they make the transition from skating on the carpet to gliding across the wooden floor is absolutely priceless. Their ear-to-ear grins and shouts of ‘I’m doing it! I’m skating on the wood!’ capture the pure joy of the moment.”

Due to construction, parents and guardians weren’t able to participate in Skate Week this year, but please enjoy a highight reel to glimpse how Skate Week went for each grade! We look forward to inviting parents back to participate next year.

All in all, students wheely loved Skate Week 2025! Thank you, Ms. Orlando and Mr. Lohr, for rolling in Skate Week every year to continue this special tradition!