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You are here: APS Home → Students → Get in the Action

Get in the Action

Get in the Action

APS in Action

APS in Action

APS in Action

1 in 3 students are overweight or obese in Albuquerque Public Schools. Schools can be part of the solution by providing opportunities for students to move more throughout the day. Students who are healthy and physically active are more likely to be motivated, attentive and academically successful.

APS is launching a new initiative called “Get in the Action” which encourages principals, staff and students to be more physically active.

Simple strategies for moving more during the day will be sent out to schools monthly. Schools are encouraged to incorporate these activities or any other ideas you might have to get everyone moving more. Pick one or two activities to try each month and if you already have something that is working at your site, keep it going.

By the end of spring semester, let’s celebrate by getting everyone moving all at the same time. The plan is to have all students Get in the Action for 15 minutes of simultaneous physical activity at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4. Mark your calendar.

Suggested Monthly Activities

Following is a month by month breakdown about how you can spearhead this initiative at your site. Do what you can to help students and staff move a little more AND remember it can be done and fun! Here are suggestions of things that you can do.

FEBRUARY

Start a school-wide daily or weekly activities. For example:

  • Fitness Friday - schedule a 15 minute school-wide walk every Friday. You can call it “15 & Fit.”
  • Moving Monday - every Monday start the day with stretching and breathing activities and encourage teachers to incorporate movement breaks in the classroom when needed.
  • Wellness Wednesday - every Wednesday include a wellness tip in morning announcements.
  • Discuss and plan with your SHAC/wellness committee ways you can “Get in the Action” and incorporate this initiative at your school. For example, has your school done something with literacy that can be a model for a similar school-wide effort around physical activity? Or look at practices that might be sending mixed messages; for example, does your school withhold physical activity as discipline?

MARCH

  • Jammin’ Minute - Start the morning with a Jammin’ Minute, a school-wide movement activity led over the intercom immediately after morning announcements. Check out this free, easy program at www.jamschoolprogram.com.
  • Testing - Add physical activity “brain breaks” before testing.
  • Brain Break - Ask a few teachers to demonstrate “brain breaks” at a staff meeting. Distribute materials and encourage staff to try at least one “brain break” activity per week with students in class. Remind staff that these activities are linked to standards and can be easily integrated into the classroom. Go to www.emc.cmich.edu/brainbreaks.
  • Reach out to families - Send home a flier or include an article in newsletter about “What Families Can Do” prior to spring break. Resources will be sent to schools in March.

APRIL

  • Staff meeting - Ask teachers to share how activities are going during a staff meeting. Share any observations about student responses and/or behavior.
  • Recess - Teach students a new game to play at recess to help engage students that may not be active during recess.

  • Start dancing - Participate in city-wide group dance activity. More information to come.
  • Family Night - Host a family fitness night.

  • Turn off the screen - Participate in and promote TV Turn off Week, April 18-24. Send home a flyer about screen time and other activities youth and families can do. Resources will be sent to you in April.
  • Reach out to families – send home a flyer about the family-friendly community event sponsored by the YMCA. More information will be sent out in April.

MAY

  • 15 & Fit – Participate in the district-wide event where everybody (students and employees) moves simultaneously for 15 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 4.

    Here are some useful ways for employees to exercise at work:
  • Walk and Roll to School – Organize “Walk and Bike to School Day” and encourage students to walk or bike to school during the month.
  • Reach out to families – Send home a flier about fun family activities to do over the summer. Health and Wellness will send the fliers to schools in May.

Celebrate the Action

We want to celebrate those getting in the action. Throughout the semester we will spotlight schools that are helping students and staff move more.

Let us know what you’re doing by sending videos and/or written submissions to the Health and Wellness Department.

Send CDs of your video to Jennie McCary, 380W City Centre. Or email us a mccary@aps.edu.

 

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