Let's Move Active Schools

Editor's Notes

• #3: So let’s start with the problem. There are about 130,000 K-12 schools in the US, equaling about 50 million students.
• #4: And we know that they love to play...and are all designed to move.
• #5: But our kids are moving less and less. Research show that an astounding 2 out of 3 kids aren’t moving enough. By age 15, American kids are 75% less physically active then they were at age 9.
• #6: We also know that kids spend the majority of their time in school. 95% of youth are in school for 6-7 hours per day. But, unfortunately, in-school opportunities to be active are limited. For example, only 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools and 2% of high schools offer daily PE.
• #7: So...if we want active kids, we need Active Schools. Since youth spend a significant portion of their day in school and schools are well-positioned to provide time for organized and free-time physical activity for students, it is critical that we work together to build, develop and shape Active Schools in our communities. An Active School incorporates physical activity before, during and after school for at least 60 minutes every day. Essentially, we are going from physical activity not a priority to it being top of mind.
• #8: What’s the magic in 60 minutes of physical activity? According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, children and adolescents should participate in physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day.2 The Guidelines recommend that activity time include moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, and bone-strengthening exercises, and that kids should be encouraged to participate in age-appropriate, enjoyable, and diverse activities.2
• #9: It can also lead to: Higher test scores Improved attendance Increased focus Students who are physically active tend to have improved cognitive performance including concentration and memory.3 Positive physical activity experiences can boost students’ self-esteem, enhance their mood, and help them develop stronger and more varied friendships.4 Increasing the amount of physical activity in school improves grades and standardized test results.5 Physically active classrooms lead to improvements in mathematics and literacy test performance (especially in reading and spelling).6 Students who are physically active have better school attendance.6
• #10: Better behavior in class Lower rates of childhood obesity A lifetime of healthy habits Physically active classrooms have been shown to reduce students’ time off-task and improve overall behavior. Students demonstrate improved attention and classroom behavior immediately following a physical activity break or recess.
• #11: From this we know that Active Kids Do Better!
• #12: This is where Let’s Move! Active Schools comes in. Three years ago, First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let’s Move! Active Schools — an unprecedented national collaborative that brings non-profit, private sector, government, education and community leaders together to increase physical education and physical activity in America’s schools - as part of her Let’s Move! initiative. Today, Let’s Move! Active Schools is the national initiative to ensure 60 minutes of physical activity a day is the norm in K-12 schools.
• #13: With more than 130,000 K-12 schools across the country, this is clearly no small task. That is why Let’s Move! Active Schools operates using the collective impact framework — a model where the best and brightest team up to solve a complex social problem and facilitate meaningful, sustainable change. Using this framework, our national collaborative agrees to a common agenda, tracks progress in uniform ways, mobilizes mutually reinforcing activities, engages in continuous communication, and dedicates backbone staff to the cause – all to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s youth. Individually, Let’s Move! Active Schools partners already make a tremendous investment in getting kids active. Our partners are thought leaders, change catalysts and difference-makers in their own right. However, aligning with and supporting Let’s Move! Active Schools further amplifies their commitment to a bigger cause than just one organization’s mission. Together, our a national collaborative of 36 health, education and private sector organizations, make it easier for schools to create Active School environments that integrate at least 60 minutes of physical activity into each student’s day.
• #14: With more than 130,000 K-12 schools across the country, this is clearly no small task. That is why Let’s Move! Active Schools operates using the collective impact framework — a model where the best and brightest team up to solve a complex social problem and facilitate meaningful, sustainable change. Using this framework, our national collaborative agrees to a common agenda, tracks progress in uniform ways, mobilizes mutually reinforcing activities, engages in continuous communication, and dedicates backbone staff to the cause – all to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s youth. Individually, Let’s Move! Active Schools partners already make a tremendous investment in getting kids active. Our partners are thought leaders, change catalysts and difference-makers in their own right. However, aligning with and supporting Let’s Move! Active Schools further amplifies their commitment to a bigger cause than just one organization’s mission. Together, our a national collaborative of 36 health, education and private sector organizations, make it easier for schools to create Active School environments that integrate at least 60 minutes of physical activity into each student’s day.
• #15: What is an Active School? An Active School integrates physical activity before, during and after school for at least 60 minutes every day. An Active School environment exists when a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is being implemented. Let’s Move! Active Schools guides schools to success in all five CSPAP components: Physical Education. Teaching knowledge and skills in a fun and inclusive manner. Physical Activity During School. Creating active classrooms, incorporating physical activity bursts during lessons, and offering daily recess. Physical Activity Before and After School. Offering students opportunities to begin and end their day with physical activity through walking and biking to school, being involved in a physical activity club, or participating on an intramural sports team. Staff Involvement. Emphasizing physical activity as a priority for the whole staff. Family and Community Engagement. Working with families and the community to make the school a center for physical activity. Let’s Move! Active Schools guides schools to success in all five areas.
• #16: So how does Let’s Move! Active Schools actually work? Let’s Move! Active Schools makes it easier for schools to create an Active School environment by streamlining physical education and physical activity resources, programs, grants and professional development. Well, Let’s Move! Active Schools figured out that one of the biggest issues for health and physical educators is the overwhelming amount of physical activity and physical education resources, programs and funding opportunities to choose from, and with so many companies and programs coming at you, they’re not sure which to choose or which would be strategic for their schools to get them to that comprehensive environment. Let’s Move! Active Schools solves that problem from the start – navigating the clutter, making your job easier, saving you time and elevating your ability to think big picture. We streamline the selection of programs, resources, PD and grants for you (all nationally-vetted by experts) and then Let’s Move! Active Schools delivers a customized Action Plan that makes sense for your school. The best part is that Let’s Move! Active Schools is FREE, easy and results in a comprehensive, individualized approach to getting students moving for at least 60 minutes before, during and after the school day.
• #17: With Let's Move! Active Schools, a school will Evaluate how they are already moving, Activate resources and programs from their customized Action Plan to help them implement a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), then Celebrate their school's success and hard work around increasing and enhancing physical education and physical activity opportunities.   EVALUATE. How is your school already moving? Our Assessment will help you see where you already shine and where you need to step it up. Adopted from the CDC’s School Health Index, the Let’s Move! Active Schools Assessment is 9-10 questions and benchmarks your school to others in your area.   ACTIVATE. After completing the Assessment, a customized Action Plan will be generated to fit the physical activity and physical education needs of your school. As well, you will unlock access to the full line up of activation tools:   CELEBRATE. You’ve planned, you’ve acted…now celebrate your Active Schools success! Eligible schools will have the opportunity to apply for the Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award – the top physical activity and physical education distinction for K-12 schools. Honorees are provided with a banner, certificate, congratulatory letter and promotional kit.
• #18: Now let’s talk about how Let’s Move! Active Schools help schools and districts shift the culture and integrate physical activity into the school day.
• #19: In addition to simplifying the selection of physical activity and physical education resources and programs and delivering you a customized Action Plan, Let’s Move! Active Schools helps schools and districts become an Active School by...creating individualized solutions. Let’s Move! Active Schools knows that each district and school has unique needs. Therefore, we didn’t create a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead Let’s Move! Active Schools helps schools conduct a thorough examination of their physical activity and physical education environment and then address issues specific to their school. Let’s Move! Active Schools gives each district and school the autonomy, adaptability and flexibility to shape its own educational experience all while cultivating a physically activity culture and student population. When each school and district is empowered to make individualized progress and district/school leadership provides support, systems change can occur. The Action Plan even identifies deficiencies and areas of strength and provides recommended strategies (programs, resources, professional development and grants) that make sense for the school’s current environment.
• #20: Let’s Move! Active Schools is particularly proud to offer health and physical educators additional opportunities to be recognized as gurus, thought leaders and change agents within their communities. By equipping health and physical educators with an evidenced-based roadmap, activation grants, and an exclusive library of professional development, curriculum and implementation guides, Let’s Move! Active Schools helps to advance the profession and encourage a greater understanding of physical education. Additionally, Let’s Move! Active Schools also facilitates a standards-based PE program that includes assessment and demonstrates outcomes for students, encourages a greater understanding and adoption of physical education and strengthens credentials and qualifications through FREE professional development and coaching from industry thought leaders and experts.
• #21: Also, one the biggest struggles is “How do we make the case” for PE/PA? Let’s Move! Active Schools also equips health and physical educators with an evidence-based, comprehensive strategy that links PA/PE to academic success. We all know that Active Kids Do Better, but through Let’s Move! Active Schools, schools and champions are able to make the case with research, data and statistics of why schools should provide physical activity and physical education programs.
• #22: Who can sign up? Everyone has a role to play, and anyone can become a Champion! From encouraging your school to join or actively leading your school’s Active Schools team, every effort (big or small) is integral to the process. We need school leaders, teachers, parents and community members to work together to get our nation’s kids moving again.
• #23: Here’s where you go to sign up or log in on www.letsmoveschools.org.
• #24: Enter your school’s zip code above and “Search Schools.” Click Join/Start School’s Team.
• #25: Then Complete the short registration form, and adopt a School Membership Type: “Team Member” or a “Fan.” “Team Members” will have the ability to fill out the Assessment and activate the Action Plan. We suggest this role for school administrators, physical educators and other teachers and staff. The “Fan” role will serve in a support capacity for your Active School team, cheering on progress and providing implementation ideas. We suggest the “Fan” role for parents, community members and researchers.  
• #26: After your submit your registration form, make sure to confirm your enrollment through the link sent to your email. Then, log in to your Dashboard to get started and access: - School and Team Details Progress bar and next steps Tips on how to build an Active Schools Team Step-by-step on how to invite co-workers Proof of how and why “Active Kids Do Better”
• #27: Adopted from the CDC’s School Health Index, the Let’s Move! Active Schools Assessment contains just 9-10 questions, benchmarks your school compared to others in your state, and is measured on a scale 0 to 3 (0 means opportunity for improvement while 3 means 100% implemented). Markers on the left-hand indicate level of completion Use the Let’s Move! Active Schools Assessment to annually benchmark your school’s physical activity and physical education programming against national standards, trends and developmental appropriateness. Update your action plan each time you take a step forward or make progress throughout the school year to unlock incentives along the way. Filling out the Assessment should only take about 10 minutes each year!
• #28: Example of assessment question detail
• #29: For questions not fulfilled, you will be delivered a customized Action Plan that meets the needs of your students and current school environment.
• #30: At that point in the process, your school had full access to the full lineup of Let’s Move! Active Schools activation tools, including:
• #31: After completing the Assessment, a customized Action Plan is generated to fit the physical education and physical activity needs of the school, and champions unlock access to the full line up of activation tools, including: • Grants and funding opportunities• Special incentives and discounts• A one-stop shop of vetted and evidenced-based resources • Game-changing professional development opportunities: o PhysicalActivityLeader(PAL)LearningSystemo Customizedprofessionaldevelopment o Onlinetraining  
• #32: Let’s learn more about these Activation Tools. Partner organizations like Action for Healthy Kids, Billion Mile Race, Fuel Up to Play 60, Good Sports, KIDS in the GAME (PHIT America GO! Grants), Marathon Kids, Presidential Youth Fitness Program, Safe Routes to School National Partnership (Fire Up Your Feet Challenge Awards), Sportime featuring SPARK, UNICEF Kid Power, USATF and Yoga Foster offer either exclusive grants for schools enrolled in Let’s Move! Active Schools or will offer Let’s Move! Active Schools’ schools a priority point when applying for their grants. Once a school is enrolled in Let’s Move! Active Schools and completes the Assessment, they will be encouraged to apply for grants. Grant information can always be found on via your Let’s Move! Active Schools Dashboard, or look for information in the Champion newsletters to know when application periods are open. 
• #33: Let’s Move! Active Schools also wants to encourage you to make Active Schools progress during the year. And, what a better way to do that than with incentives and prizes! Generously provided by Adventure to Fitness, Focused Fitness, GenMove USA, Gopher, Polar, PlayCore, SHAPE America, S&S Worldwide and UNICEF Kid Power, Let’s Move! Active Schools incentives will are awarded on a quarterly basis.   Want to get in the action? Whenever you mark an Action Plan item complete, your school will be entered to win physical education/physical activity equipment, trainings, curriculum modules, activity packs, programming and registrations to professional development events.   If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Let’s Move! Active Schools Customer Support Center at 1-855-972-0876 or help@letsmoveschools.org.
• #34: The Let’s Move! Active Schools discounts program will make it easier for schools to purchase physical education/physical activity equipment, curriculum, and professional memberships. Industry leaders - Adventure to Fitness, Focused Fitness, GenMove USA, GoNoodle, Gopher, Polar, SHAPE America, Sportime featuring SPARK, and S&S Worldwide – will offer Let’s Move! Active Schools-enrolled schools exclusive discounts off products and services that will help get students moving for at least 60 minutes a day. Eligible schools will be able to take full advantage of these special discounts year-round by visiting their Dashboard.   Ready to save on your next physical education/physical activity purchase?   Visit www.letsmoveschools.org to either "Sign Up" or “Log In” your school. *Make sure to select the Team Member role. Once logged in, click on the Evaluate tab to complete your short Assessment. Voila! You will unlock access to the “Discounts and Special Offers” section your Let's Move! Active Schools Dashboard.
• #35: The Physical Activity Leader (PAL) Learning System is a dynamic, action-focused professional development resource within the Let’s Move! Active Schools framework. This unique opportunity is designed to fuel sustainable change and continued leadership development. This is not a “one-and-done” training. Instead, the PAL Learning System is a 12-month journey that prepares you to be the best possible advocate for physical education and physical activity in your community. PALs are equipped with: A personalized implementation plan. Data to clearly communicate and make the case for a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). Leadership skills to foster support for a physical activity initiative (60-A-Day) in the local school/district. The ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of the five CSPAP components. The knowledge and know-how to serve as a local champion for Active Schools. The ability to plan and implement efficient lessons; coordinate and organize physical activity events; promote an Active School environment; and evaluate programmatic progress. The PAL Learning System evolves with industry trends and advances, and prepares PALs to impact the health and fitness of future generations. PAL Learning System Workshop The PAL Learning System begins with a one-day, in-person leadership workshop. PAL trainers, materials, communications and logistical support are provided at no cost to ensure a successful day of development and learning for groups of 30-50 PALs. Online Community After completing the in-person workshop, PALs unlock access to a collaborative online community. All members of the community join in knowledge sharing, success stories, discussion boards and innovative problem-solving approaches. As well, PAL trainers and thought leaders are available to help initiate personalized implementation plans and provide guidance.
• #36: Let’s Move! Active Schools is all about individualized solutions and personalizing its training to meet your district’s or school’s needs. So, to help you move through the Active Schools process and to address physical activity and physical education topics that are important to your school, Let’s Move! Active Schools brings a National Physical Activity/Physical Education Expert to you! Customized Professional Development can accelerate your teaching methods, instructional strategies and best practices on your way to Active Schools success. Depending on your schedule and preference, Customized Professional Development can be facilitated either with an in-person training session or a virtual webinar format. Customized Professional Development areas include: Increasing MVPA in PE, Best Practices in PE, Standards Based Instruction, Integrating Classroom PA These customized trainings are either in-person or live virtual and are offered at no-cost to you, and are based on the results of your LMAS Assessment.
• #37: Let’s Move! Active Schools offers on-demand trainings and webinars designed to fit into your busy schedule. Start, pause, and finish these at a pace that works for you. These online training modules enable you to ensure 60 minutes of physical activity a day is the norm at your school: Let’s Move! Active Schools 101 Making Sense of Assessment in Physical Education Meeting the Mark with Presidential Youth Fitness Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity I: Spelling it Out Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity II: Making it Happen Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity III: Disguising Fitness Promoting Your Physical Education Program Best Practices in Physical Education Modules will continue to be updated and expanded, so check back often. 
• #38: Once the requirements within your Action Plan areas are fulfilled, schools have the opportunity to apply for the Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award.   The Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award is the nation’s top physical education and physical activity distinction for K-12 schools, recognizing schools that have done outstanding work in providing students with at least 60 minutes a day of before, during and after school physical activity. To earn a Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award, a school must meet or exceed significant benchmarks in five areas: physical education; physical activity before and after school; physical activity during school; staff involvement; and family and community engagement. Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award recipients enjoy national media attention, a congratulatory letter from First Lady Michelle Obama, an official Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award certificate, a large display banner, and a promotional kit to help share and amplify the great news.
• #39: Ultimately, Let’s Move! Active Schools is all about getting our nation’s kids moving again and helping kids reach their greatest potential both in the classroom and in life. This movement empowers school and district leaders to create early, positive experiences for children, that in turn, motivate kids to be active for a lifetime. By working together, we can help our schools get moving and shape a future where physical education is the norm and physical activity is a core subject within schools. We hope that you join us in this generation- changing movement to transform our schools into active and healthy hubs that set children on a path to reach their greatest potential both in the classroom and in life.
• #40: Go to www.letsmoveschools.org to learn more and to sign up. Questions?