Dear PTA Leaders,

Florida PTA, together with our Health & Wellness Adviser Dr. Jayne Greenberg and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition are partnering to launch Let's Move! Active Schools.  Is your school a Let's Move Active School?  Well it should be...no excuses!  As the weather changes and we have daylight savings we all need more exercise and of course our children need to run, jump, and play. It's not only good for them physically but mentally too! Continue reading below and find out how your local unit PTA can partner with your school to get moving!

Today, childhood obesity and physical inactivity are rampant across the nation. Almost one out of every three children in our nation is overweight or obese, putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, anxiety and depression. As youth are designed to move, creating positive experiences for children and integrating physical activity into everyday life will encourage future generations to embrace physical activity as the norm-where running, jumping and kicking will help children reach their greatest potential.

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, youth need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day! Since youth spend a significant portion of their day in school, it is critical that we all work together to help schools become hubs for quality physical activity.  Yet, schools across the country are struggling to integrate physical activity into the school day. Today, only about 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools, and 2% of high schools offer daily P.E. and only 9 states require recess in elementary schools.

Let's Move! Active Schools is a comprehensive program to help schools integrate physical activity back into the school day. The program empowers school champions-physical education teachers, classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and parents-to create active environments that enable all students to get moving and reach their full potential. Let's Move! Active Schools focuses on five key areas:

1. Physical education - Provide high-quality physical education that is fun and inclusive.

2. Physical activity during school - Create active classrooms and include physical activity breaks in lessons.

3. Physical activity before and after school - Offer students' opportunities to begin and end their day with physical activities.

4. Staff involvement - Emphasize physical activity as a priority for the whole staff.

5. Family and community engagement - Connect with the community. Make your school the center for physical activity.

We as parents have an important role to play in creating an active school and encouraging more activity in a child's daily life. (CALL TO ACTION FROM FL PTA). CLICK HERE to download a document for you to take to your school leadership.

Don't forget parents play an important role in supporting your child's school efforts. A great opportunity for parents to support Let's Move! Active Schools is through theFire Up Your Feet program. Fire Up Your Feet provides a way for families to get active and spend time together being active before, during and after school. Families track their activity with the easy-to-use online activity tracker and help their school earn awards. Walking, bicycling, trips to the park - any activity counts!

For information to see if your School is already part of the Program or how your PTA can get started copy this link.(https://myactiveschool.letsmoveschools.org)

If you are doing this already at your school let me know and I will post it!

Get moving, get walking, get running, get jumping, have fun and Lets Move!!!

I do, I love Pilates, Yoga, and walking!  

Regards,

Eileen Segal, Florida PTA President

Why PTA? Because our Children Matter