Prescription Drug Initiative Teen Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Initiative Medication Assistance Program Obesity Initiative Health Disparities Initiative General Grants

FIT TOGETHER NC (Obesity Initiative) - Fit Kids

Background
In recent decades, schools throughout North Carolina have been forced to substantially reduce physical education and activity for students, often as a result of budget cuts or academic pressures to meet end-of-grade testing requirements.  According to a 2004 survey of School Health Advisory Councils by the Department of Public Instruction, less than 14% of elementary schools in NC reported having daily PE.

In March 2005, HWTF's Study Committee on Childhood Obesity issued recommendations on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity in North Carolina schools.  Based on these recommendations and a motion from HWTF Chair Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue, the following policy was proposed to the State Board of Education (SBE) in April 2005:

A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided by schools for all K-8 students daily. This requirement can be achieved through a regular physical education classes and/or through activities such as recess, dance, classroom energizers or other curriculum based physical education activity programs. However, such use of time should complement and not substitute for the physical education program. The physical activity required by this section must involve physical exertion of at least moderate to vigorous intensity level and for a duration sufficient to provide a significant health benefit to students.

The SBE unanimously adopted this proposal to amend its Healthy Active Children policy, making North Carolina the first state to pass a 30-minute physical activity policy at the State Board of Education Level.  School districts began implementing this new policy at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year.

Objective
Having led the effort to adopt the new physical activity policy, HWTF felt an obligation to provide practical solutions to assist school districts in the effective implementation of this, an unfunded mandate.  HWTF has since provided grants to develop effective resources to help teachers and administrators implement this new policy, and will be the leader in actively promoting these resources across the state.  Although still in its early stages, upon completion this effort to implement the SBE's improved Healthy Active Children policy will be known as HWTF's Fit Kids initiative.

Program
HWTF is currently developing a user-friendly, interactive Web site that is designed to assist teachers and administrators in meeting the new physical activity mandate through curriculum-support classroom activities, as well as resources and tips for PE, recess and intramurals.  To ensure that the site provides only the latest and most evidence-based information available to date, the Commission has funded the following research to provide content for www.FitKidsNC.com:

• DPI has collaborated with East Carolina University to develop Classroom Energizers (curriculum support activities) specifically for middle school grades, as well as a resource guide for implementing intramurals. 
• The Center of Excellence for Research, Teaching and Learning (CERTL) at Wake Forest University's School of Medicine is working with classroom teachers to adapt existing and/or create new curriculum-support physical activities that are aligned with subject areas from the NC Standard Course of Study.  Following pilot testing (ongoing), CERTL is making the most useful activities available statewide on the Fit Kids Web site.  Streaming video showing examples of classroom best practices are included. 

On May 1, 2006, HWTF Commissioners approved a $750,000 proposal from Be Active North Carolina and DPI to provide every elementary and middle school teacher in NC training on curriculum-support activities to meet the SBE mandate.  These trainings have begun and will continue throughout the 2006-2007 school year and beyond, utilizing the resources on the new Web site.  Outreach efforts to all 115 school districts will be coordinated through a partnership with the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), the state’s largest and most influential teachers' membership association.  As an added incentive for school districts to participate, HWTF will provide $1,000 in discretionary funding to each LEA, following the completion of their local training as well as award 1.0 Standard Renewal Continuing Education credit to teachers meeting the criteria and receiving approval from their districts. But these steps are just the beginning.   

Looking toward the future, www.FitKidsNC.com will be a constantly evolving resource for schools; a site where best practices from North Carolina’s best teachers will be submitted by and shared with their colleagues statewide.  It will also include content for assisting families and after-school programs with their efforts to meet an additional 30 minutes of physical activity recommended outside of the school day.