“A Commitment to Change”

Belmont Station Elementary School

2011-2012

Ten Strategies for Schools to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviews scientific evidence to determine which school-based policies and practices are most likely to improve key health behaviors among young people, including physical activity and healthy eating.  Based on these reviews, the CDC has identified ten strategies to help schools prevent obesity by promoting physical activity and healthy eating.

-Address physical activity and nutrition through a Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP).

-Maintain an active school health council and designate a school health coordinator.

-Assess the school’s health policies and programs and develop a plan for improvement.

-Strengthen the school’s nutrition and physical activity policies.

-Implement a high-quality health promotion program for school staff.

-Implement a high-quality course of study in health education.

-Implement a high quality course of study in physical education.

-Increase opportunities for students to engage in physical activity.

-Implement a quality school meals program.

-Ensure that students have appealing, healthy choices in foods and beverages offered outside of the school meals program.

Physical Activity Goals:

Encourage 100 % of school employees in daily physical activity before or after work hours.  The staff is encouraged to participate in the “Staff Wellness Challenge” within the school as well to model appropriate fitness behaviors to the students.

Continue to provide before and/or after school programs that include physical activity by 10/01/11.  (Examples include:  Girls on the run, "Running with the Stars", intramurals, etc.)

Encourage students to earn additional physical education class periods by demonstrating appropriate and safe behaviors in the physical education setting.  Additional classes will be rewarded to classes throughout the year once every three weeks.

Integrate fitness into the curriculum having grades 1 - 5 participate in movement activities during presentations given to the school community (1:15 P.M. presentations).

          - Grade 5 “Fine Arts Night”

          - Grade 4 “Virginia Fair”

          - Grade 3 “Animal Fair”

          - Grade 2 “Native Americans”

          - Grade 1 “Patriotic Program”

Assure that no less than 75% of the time scheduled in physical education class (Grades 1 - 5) shall be moderate to vigorous activity as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Provide a quality fitness program so that 95% or more of all fourth and fifth grade students will reach fitness zones required on all 5 FitnessGRAM tests (P.A.C.E.R., cadence curl-ups, cadence push-ups, back saver/shoulder stretch, and trunk extension) by 06/01/12.

Continue an after-school walking/running program incorporating the Focused Fitness curriculum (The Fab Five).

Nutrition Goals:

Offer healthy eating choices at all Parent Teacher Association events 100% of the time.

Post healthy eating articles each month on the physical education webpage to better educate parents and/or students of creative nutrition ideas.

Health Education Goals:

Continue a school garden to educate students about herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Provide students in Kindergarten through grade five with behavior-focused nutrition education integrated into the curriculum that is interactive and teaches the skills necessary to adopt healthy eating habits.  Classroom teachers, physical education teachers, and the guidance counselors will be responsible for teaching all of the health standards.

Ensure that classroom instruction in health will engage students in active learning, including opportunities to practice skills across the curriculum.

Promote healthy nutrition through the use of newsletters, school web-sites, positive advertising, and teacher modeling of appropriate wellness behaviors.

Change nutrition/health links on the physical education webpage quarterly.

Suggestions to help promote the wellness program:

·        Copying all physical education lesson plans to the school shared drive

·        Lessons will integrate Focused Fitness content (P.E. related content) into music played during class.