Physical Education Teacher Newsletter: How to Write Your First Unit Newsletter

The first-unit PE newsletter introduces families to what physical education actually looks like when it is taught as a rigorous subject. Done well, it tells them what skills students are developing, how progress is measured, and what they can do at home to support the work. Done poorly, it just tells them to send their kid in sneakers.

Name the unit and its purpose in the first sentence

"We are beginning Unit 1: Fitness Baseline and Aerobic Conditioning. Over the next four weeks, students will complete the FitnessGram assessment battery, set individual fitness goals, and build aerobic endurance through daily interval and continuous running activities." That opening tells families what is happening, when, and why. From there you can explain each component in more detail.

For a team sports unit: "Unit 2: Soccer. Over the next three weeks, students will learn and practice fundamental soccer skills including dribbling, passing, receiving, positioning, and set pieces. We will play modified small-sided games throughout the unit and end with a four-team tournament in the final two class periods."

Describe the FitnessGram assessment in family-friendly terms

The FitnessGram is one of the most common sources of family questions in PE. Here is a newsletter excerpt that explains it clearly:

"FitnessGram Assessment: October 5 to 10. Five components: PACER (progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run, students run 20 meters back and forth to a beep that gets progressively faster until they cannot keep up. The score is the number of laps completed). Push-up test (maximum push-ups in good form without rest). Curl-up test (maximum curl-ups in good form at a controlled pace). Sit and reach (flexibility of hamstrings and lower back). Height and weight (for BMI calculation as one data point). Results are reported in Healthy Fitness Zones, not class rankings. Your student will receive a personal results sheet to bring home. The goal is self-knowledge and a baseline for setting goals, not a competition."

Tell families what students should wear and bring for specific activities

For outdoor units: "Unit 3 includes two outdoor running sessions per week. Students should wear athletic shoes appropriate for running on grass or pavement. Cleats are not required. Sun protection is recommended for October outdoor sessions. Water bottles are strongly encouraged for all PE classes. We have a water fountain in the gym but extended exercise increases hydration needs."

Explain the skill benchmarks for the unit

Families who know what successful skill performance looks like can ask their student meaningful questions. "For the soccer unit, the skill benchmarks are: dribble 20 yards while maintaining control with both the dominant and non-dominant foot (not necessarily equal, but able to use both), pass to a moving target accurately from 10 yards, and demonstrate correct defensive positioning (between the opponent and the goal) in a small-sided game. These are the specific skills I assess during the unit. Students who can demonstrate all three by the end of the unit earn full skill assessment credit."

Give families a home activity that connects to the unit

"If you want to support your student's fitness goals outside of class, the most effective single activity is a 20-minute brisk walk or jog three times per week. This does not have to be formal exercise. A dog walk at a brisk pace, a bike ride, or a trip to a park where everyone moves for 20 minutes counts. Students who are physically active outside of PE class arrive to fitness assessments with significantly better results and, more importantly, develop the habit that makes health outcomes better in the long run."

Address the common concern about a student who does not like PE

"PE generates more 'my student hates this class' feedback than most subjects, usually in the first week. The most common cause is not the activity itself but the fear of looking incompetent in front of peers. This is real and understandable. My class is structured to minimize that dynamic: we use small groups rather than full-class performance, we celebrate effort and improvement rather than raw skill, and we do not put students on the spot in front of everyone. If your student is anxious about PE for a specific reason, email me and I will tell you what that particular unit involves and how we address the concern." Naming the concern and the structural response is more reassuring than asking families to trust you without specifics.