Special To The Mississippi Link
Canton, Mississippi,
Like schools across Mississippi, Canton Elementary School is enjoying more physical activity designed to ensure all students are fit, healthy, and ready to succeed this year. The Mississippi Healthy Students Act, signed into law by Governor Haley Barbour in April 2007. According to Dale Dieckman, the Physical Activity Coordinator in the Office of Healthy Schools, the act instructs schools to involve all students in a total of 150 minutes of activity-based instruction each week. “It’s very exciting to see all creative ways that schools are incorporating activity,” says Dieckman.
“Everyone is seeing benefits from our increased emphasis on physical education and activity,” says Principal Dorothy Smith “Students say that they feel better and have more energy; teachers report that their classes are focused on academic work; and families have been telling us that their kids want to be more active at home too.” Teachers at all grade levels in the Canton Elementary School have been using resources, like the online Health In Action resource from the Office of Healthy Schools and The Bower Foundation, to make physical activity part of academic learning experiences, such as Social Studies or math.
Quality physical education and fun physical activity have become part of every day at Canton Elementary School. “We have noticed a distinct improvement in our students’ fitness levels,” says physical education teacher Jessica Smith “With some new equipment and exciting lessons plans, children are also enjoying their physical activity more.” To meet the requirements of the Healthy Students Act and to improve student performance at the same time, the staff at Canton Elementary School has incorporated movement activities in the classroom and settings throughout the school day. They also encourage students and families to participate in fitness activities sponsored by school partner, Canton Parks and Recreation such as periodically sponsored health walk, and intramural basketball, and baseball. Additionally, in keeping with the Healthy Students Act, the district has mandated increases in minutes of physical education per day or week; morning assemblies with physical activity; family fun nights; school fitness trails; walking clubs; classroom activities connected to math, and language arts, or music. Another physical activity implemented across the district is the Committed to Move Initiative.
The Committed to Move Initiative, a component of the Bower Grant, has enabled the district to purchase supplies that encourage physical activity throughout the school day. Consequently, it is anticipated that the school population’s health indicators such as Body Mass Index findings will prompt awareness within homes, schools, and the community of an ever-increasing obesity trend noted among students enrolled in district schools.
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