From the South Orange-Maplewood School District:
Let’s Move! Active Schools, part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative dedicated to ensuring 60 minutes of physical activity a day is the norm in K-12 schools, honored Clinton and Marshall Elementary Schools with the 2016 Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award for outstanding efforts in creating an Active School environment.
The Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award is the nation’s top physical education and physical activity distinction for K-12 schools and celebrates a school’s commitment to providing students with at least 60 minutes a day of before, during and after school physical activity. Only 544 schools across the country, and only 30 schools in New Jersey, achieved this prestigious honor in 2016.
Charlene R. Burgeson, Let’s Move! Active Schools Executive Director, visited Clinton and Marshall Schools on September 19, to see first-hand the many ways that each school is integrating physical activity throughout the environment. That evening, Ms. Burgeson presented the Board of Education with special commendations for both schools, and recognized the administrators and physical education teachers for “leading the way in this generation-changing movement that is transforming our nation’s schools into active and healthy hubs.”
Superintendent John J. Ramos, Sr., Ed.D. said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled that both Marshall and Clinton Schools have received this recognition, which celebrates their commitment to helping students learn, focus, and grow through the integration of physical activity before, during and after the school day. I want to specifically recognize the on-going passion and commitment of our physical education teachers in these schools: Mrs. Jordyn Lachmund, Mr. Jeff Lehman, Mrs. Marci Grosholz and Mr. Dillon White; the commitment of Principals Ann Bodnar and Bonita Samuels to infusing activity throughout their learning environments; and the outstanding leadership of Supervisor of Health, Physical Education and Nursing Services, Judy LoBianco.”
ABOUT LET’S MOVE ACTIVE SCHOOLS
Powered by a national collaborative of leading health, education and private sector organizations, Let’s Move! Active Schools equips schools with the resources, programs, professional development and grants to increase physical education and physical activity opportunities for students, and to cultivate an Active School environment.
Why are Active Schools so important? Because Active Kids Do Better. Regular physical activity not only helps kids stay healthy and strong, but it can also lead to: higher test scores; improved attendance; increased focus; better behavior in class; enhanced leadership skills; and a lifetime of healthy habits.
To earn a Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award, a school must have met significant benchmarks in five areas: physical education; physical activity before and after school; physical activity during school; staff involvement; and family and community engagement.
As part of the Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award package, Clinton and Marshall will receive a large display banner, National Award certificate and congratulatory letter from the First Lady.
This school year, in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, Let’s Move! Active Schools is excited to celebrate its National Award schools and to help more students accelerate their journey to leading a healthy, active lifestyle. In support the Council’s #0to60 campaign, Let’s Move! Active Schools will provide school champions with continued information, resources, and inspiration needed to build healthier lives for future generations.
Find out more about Let’s Move! Active Schools at www.letsmoveschools.org.
Click on photos to enlarge:
