Physical Activity at School Matters
We know you’ve heard it plenty of times before - physical activity makes youth healthier and helps prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease. But did you know that increases in student physical activity throughout the day ALSO improves attention, productivity, overall student academic success, and even helps the development of social and emotional skills that students need to be successful throughout life?
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is doing some amazing work to boost opportunities for students to be active throughout the school day and create better overall learning environments for their students. These programs include activities in the classroom and Wellness Committees.
MCPS follows guidelines based on wellness regulations when adding active programs to the schools. They don’t take the place of other key types of physical activity at school, like recess and physical education (PE). PE is where students learn skills and knowledge for physical activity and fitness, and more PE has been linked to better grades, test scores, and classroom behavior. Recess, whether as organized activities or as completely free time to play, gets students moving, improves learning, and builds social and emotional skills that help students long into their future.
Get Involved
Contact the principal at your child’s school to learn more about physical activities at school and get involved. The button below will take you to the Montgomery County Public Schools website. After entering your child's school in the “Find your school” search box, you'll be provided both the name of the principal and available contact information.
Here is a video that illustrates the effects of being active on a student.
You must be noticing a pattern here… physical activity matters, not just for health but for an overall better school environment for our students to learn and thrive. Spread the word by sharing the video below (who doesn’t love puppets!?), and head back up to the section above to take action!
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A Piece of the School Wellness Puzzle
The work on physical activity at school and in the classroom being done at your schools is just one important piece of a much part of a larger picture of “School Wellness.” School wellness efforts are aimed at creating the healthiest school environment possible for our youth. Schools provide a place for students to not only learn what’s in their books and on the whiteboard, but to develop healthy habits, like healthy eating and being physically active. And guess what? The students who eat well and stay active, also perform better in school, showing higher grades and test scores.
All school districts already have written standards in place to make sure they provide your students with the healthiest school environment possible - typically referred to as a School Wellness Policy. But they need parents and families like you to make sure those standards are up to par, and that they are actually implemented at your individual schools!
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