Physical education and physical activity in schools have been staples as long as there has been education. Children walked to school, played in the school yard, and physical education was included in a complete education. Even Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew Peter Carr that: “In order to progress well in your studies, you must take at least two hours a day to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning.” The visionary Mr. Jefferson made many observations about exercise and its impact on learning and attention that today’s research is supporting.
Over the last 30 years, there has been a shift in thinking about whether physical education and physical activity have a place in school. Childhood obesity has been on the rise, and yet inclusion of physical education, physical activity, and recess in schools has been declining, with school leaders divided about the role of schools in supporting the health of our youth. With students spending a majority of their waking hours in school, it is evident that kids need opportunities during the school day to engage in physical activity for their good health, and also to support effective learning.
In 2008, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), an association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD), released a position statement defining Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP), encouraging schools to adopt as many of the components as possible in order to support healthy youth and improve educational outcomes. A CSPAP includes effective, quality physical education as its foundation, and includes physical activity before and after school, physical activity during school (such as recess and physical activity breaks), staff involvement, and family and community involvement in physical activity programs at the school.
Healthy children are better learners, and health staff members are more effective teachers. Creating a culture of physical activity at school is about synthesis, aligning programs in school toward the common goal of creating a healthier learning environment that transcends the school. Engineering this environment requires the collaboration of all educators and staff at the school, and requires a commitment to make every choice for youth the healthy choice. CSPAP programs are led by a variety of staff, with physical activity integrated into classrooms of all subjects, and all grade levels. The mindful commitment to create a vibrant school culture that supports wellness and physical activity is very achievable.
In Miami FL in 2006, Principal Charmyn Kirton had a vision to create such a school environment in which students would become physically fit, and the school would promote a culture of physical activity for all. Kirton and Dr. Jayne Greenberg, district director of physical education and health literacy for Miami-Dade Public Schools, developed a plan for a CSPAP for Norma Butler Bossard Elementary School, while the building was still in the planning stages. The new school was designed with activity in mind, and program elements were planned well in advance of the school’s completion. When the school opened, programs included daily physical education, physical activity breaks, recess, and a wide variety of physical activity opportunities throughout the school day. The intention to create a healthy environment for learning that encouraged healthy choices and unified messaging was intentional and required a team effort, with staff and students experiencing the benefits.
School districts do not need new buildings to provide a culture of physical activity in a school, but support at all levels is integral to success of the program. In 2010, AAHPERD launched a new initiative called Let’s Move in School, in order to provide support to schools in planning CSPAPs. A website with targeted resources provides information to superintendents and school boards, educators, and parents. Some vital planning steps include:
- Use of AAHPERD’s Let’s Move in School Superintendents and School Boards Toolkit to assess the state of current physical education and physical activity policy,
- Use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index to assess the status of programs at the school campus level,
- Develop a plan using toolkit guides.
Every stakeholder in a school district has a role in making great programs happen in schools. School boards have a responsibility to pass local school wellness policies ensuring that youth have an opportunity to receive a physical education, and opportunities throughout the day to become physically active. Superintendents are responsible for developing budgets that support quality education taught by highly-qualified educators for every subject area. Principals are responsible for supporting the scheduling of physical education classes, encouraging recess and physical activity breaks, and for promoting a culture of physical activity at a school. Many local education agencies implement comprehensive school physical activity programs by thinking creatively and examining use of time, resources and staffing available to the school, and develop focused plans for engaging all school stakeholders in keeping youth and staff active.
Educators are responsible for finding ways of implementing physical activity breaks throughout the school day so that students can take a break and return to academic classes with great attention. Parents and parent organizations have a responsibility to ask questions on behalf of their children, to ensure that schools are requiring physical education and providing time for physical activity during the school day. And the community as a whole needs to support all schools providing youth with the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to be physically active for a lifetime.
Need more information? To view an AAHPERD Let’s Move in School Webinar on demand, go to: http://www.aahperd.org/letsmoveinschool/tools/webinars/archive.cfm to select a title that meets your needs. Does your school have a great CSPAP program? Tell us about it on NASPE’s Facebook page. For more information about CSPAP, contact: [email protected].
Francesca Zavacky is a Senior Program Manager with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), recently serving as Project Director for a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has been a physical educator since 1976, and has received numerous teaching awards, including NASPE Teacher of the Year. Francesca has presented over 150 professional development sessions across the United States on topics as diverse as children’s fitness, incorporating brain research into physical education, interdisciplinary PE, student assessment, and grant writing for physical educators. She has served as an instructor for physical education workshops at The Pennsylvania State University, Longwood College, NASPE’s PIPEline Workshops, Howard University, and many state and local departments of education across the United States. Francesca is committed to improving professional practice and creating a culture of physical activity for youth across the country. You can reach her via email here.
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