Let’s Move, West Virginia Active Schools Campaign

Message from Dr. Marple

Academic Benefits: According to Robert Wood Johnson foundation “Activity breaks can improve… cognitive performance classroom behavior.” Benefits of Physical Activity Health Benefits: Reduces the risk for overweight, diabetes, and other chronic disease Helps children feel better about themselves Reduces the risk for depression and the effects of stress Helps children prepare to be productive, healthy members of society and improves overall quality of life.

Wood County Nationally recognized research from Wood County Schools in Parkersburg, WV recently highlighted by both the Centers of Disease Control and the American Heart Association, has clearly shown the positive connections between healthier children, daily physical activity and academic performance.

Increase understanding of the relationship between Fitness Health Academic Achievement Wood County Research Goal

Wood County Findings

Supports an association between physical fitness and academic achievement Suggests that marginal fitness is better than little fitness. Wood County Results

2010 Aerobic Capacity County specific data is enclosedAerobic Capacity 2011 County data available in July on OHS website Aerobic Capacity

Where do Counties start? Superintendent support for Let’s Move! WV needs to be conveyed to principals before school starts. Principals need to provide information on Let’s Move! WV Resource guide to the entire staff during opening meetings for the 2011/2012 school year. Let’s Move! WV Resource guide

Wellness initiative Consideration for 15 minute activity breaks as a goal in County Wellness Policy County on-line Strategic Plan Under Student Support Service- place to put county wellness plan containing physical activity goals.

Where do schools start? Beginning of School, the online Physical Activity Resource Guide will be available for downloading Notification of availability sent through ListServs and Office of Healthy Schools website. Physical Education teachers should be encouraged to be assume the role of the “activity” director for the school.

Planning 2510 has been revised to remove time constraints Time is available for 15 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. May be accumulated in 5 minute movement breaks Key point-In addition to physical education, recess and other physical activities

It is suggested that the activities be introduced by the physical education teacher at the beginning of the school year. After the introduction of the activities, the classroom teacher facilitates student participation in Let’s Move! WV-Active Schools with activities from the guide or of their choice. *Web based physical activity tracker under development* for use later in school year.

Professional Development RESA Regional School Wellness Specialist (RSWS) available for technical assistance Health and Physical Education Leadership Academy graduates Application for Health and Physical Education Leadership Academy West Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (WVAHPERD) Fall State Conference

Let’s Move! West Virginia Active Schools Draft Resource Guide

Sample Physical Activity

Everyone in school needs to be actively engaged in and supportive of Let’s Move! WV -Active Schools for it to be successful. Dr. Marple’s message says it all… “ If you are in a school where kids aren’t physically active… …do something about it!”

In a recent CDC report, West Virginia was the only state with an increase in teen birth rate in the past two years. WV State Teen Pregnancy Plan

Existing Resources: CSPHP created in 2009 Regional Network Local County Wellness Councils Proposed Strategic Efforts Collaboration between WVDE and WVDHHR Top Down support (curricula, resources, linkages, in-school collaboration District control based on data