Written by The Huntington Herald
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 16:03
The Pledge of Allegiance, morning announcements over the intercom, attendance, and now jumping jacks and yoga stretches?
Bursts of physical activity in the classroom are being added slowly but surely at Shelton elementary schools in the district, as part of a Valley-wide pilot program, aimed at improving health and fighting the childhood obesity epidemic.The Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools (VITAHLS) brings together Griffin Hospital, the CDC-funded Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and several Valley school districts to develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain a Valley-wide school-based childhood obesity prevention program to reduce the prevalence of obesity in students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, St. Mary and St. Michael parochial schools, and Emmett O?Brien technical vocational school are partners in VITAHLS, which officially launched in October. The program aims to improve nutrition and physical activity in the schools with programs that require little training, cost little to nothing and promote a healthier environment, as well as cause little disruption to the school day. Programs that schools may use include The Nutrition Detectives ? a program that teaches kids how to read nutrition labels ? and ABC for Fitness, both developed by Dr. David L. Katz. The programs are being used in schools across the country.
John Niski, head of physical education and health for the district, is one of Shelton?s VITAHLS representatives. According to Niski, the initiative is in the very early implementation stages. So far, Booth Hill School has started to use the ABC for Fitness program, which involves setting aside a few minutes to allow kids to move around. This week, he was introducing ABC for Fitness to staff at some of the other elementary schools.
?It?s basically an activity burst in the classroom,? Niski said. ?It can be a three- to five-minute burst of activity, but by the end of the day that adds up to 20 to 30 minutes.?
Teachers have been empowered by administrators and Superintendent Freeman Burr to include the bursts of activity and do so with little disruption to normal instructional time.
?We?re trying to take advantage of transition times in the day, like after the morning pledge, doing some jumping jacks and getting those brain juices flowing, during the transition from reading to math or before lunch,? Niski said.
Teachers are using ABC for Fitness on a voluntary basis. Those using it have noticed that it helps the students who are usually antsy in the classroom to focus better when it?s time to get to school work, Niski said.
Other than lowering the obesity rate, an overall goal of VITAHLS is to reduce the average number of sick days per student.
?For me in my position in charge of health and physical education for the district, even I didn?t realize how bad the obesity problem was until I started to look at some of the research ? it?s bad,? Niski said. ?We?re not eating healthy, not exercising enough, and it?s leading now to huge health problems at younger ages.?
Representatives from all five school districts, Emmett O?Brien and St. Mary and St. Michael schools, as well as nutritionist and other health experts are meeting regularly to discuss initiatives and ideas, according to William Powanda, vice president of support services at Griffin Hospital, who has taken up leadership of the initiative.
?The level of commitment, support and passion on part of people attending meetings is very high,? Powanda said.
ABC for Fitness is launching this month in many schools, Powanda said, but some goals of the initiative may take more time and consideration by each district.
?Districts need time to look at curriculum,? Powanda said. ?We are looking for more escalated rollout next school year ??there?s a lot of moving parts here.?
According to information provided by VITAHLS, about 32% of children in the age range 6-19 years are now considered overweight. In 2005, one in four of Connecticut high school students were obese (11%) or overweight (15%). More than two-thirds of children age 10 years and older who are obese will become obese adults.
?This country is still reeling from societal changes, and if we in education can help to provide our kids with a better philosophy about exercise and nutrition and healthy living ? that?s a big part of our goal,? Niski said. ?There is something to be said for ?healthy body, healthy mind,? and we need to do our little part and piece here in the Valley.?
Change in the cafeteria is one goal that could take time.
?At some point we want to include use of the food-scoring system, NuVal, developed by Dr. Katz, to improve the menus in schools and provide healthier options,? Powanda said.
When it comes to cafeteria menus, each district has to see what works, Niski said. Shelton hires an outside vendor for school lunches, and cafeteria representatives from each district are part of the VITAHLS meetings.
?We are looking at the NuVal system, whether it be used on the front end or the back end by the people purchasing the food,? Niski said.
Beyond elementary
The VITAHLS planning and development committee is discussing ways to reach older students at the intermediate and high school levels, since many of the programs are aimed at younger students.
Teaching students about the nutritional scoring system and allowing them to make choices in the cafeteria is one way to encourage better choices for older students, Niski said.
Shelton High athletes participated in a program with the Yale rowing team last summer that Niski thinks could be used again.
?It provided a ton of nutritional education and information on food choices, Niski said. ?There was a whole lesson on fast food choices, understanding that high school kids will be out and at fast food restaurants, but helping them make appropriate choices there.?
Support
One goal of VITAHLS is to secure funding to support any program-related costs so it won?t affect district?s budgets.
Shelton and the Valley as a whole have a nutrition and healthy living supporter in local farmer Terry Jones, who sits on the State Board of Education. Powanda said Jones has spoken to the governor about the program.
?Mr. Jones being involved at the state level is a huge bonus for VITAHLS,? Niski said. ?You couldn?t ask for better.?
Jones called the program ?exciting.?
?Anyone who thinks highly of kids can?t help but be really excited about this,? Jones said.
Jones said he enjoys bringing food, agricultural and nutrition issues to the forefront.
He is also proud that the superintendents of so many different schools came together with a common goal.
?Five schools and five superintendents ? that is a great shining light for the state to see,? Jones said. ?You can?t help but be proud of the Valley and the spirit of being able to work together.?
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