The government of Saskatchewan wants school boards to ensure students engage in 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. To meet that goal, outlined in the Ministry of Health's Inspiring Movement document, Living Sky School Division teachers have found themselves having to think outside the gymnasium
Superintendent of curriculum and instruction Tonya Lehman says most school can't meet the ministry's directive by gym alone; if a school has 20 classrooms sharing one gym, there isn't enough space, let alone time in the day.
Presenting a report on Living Sky's progress toward meeting the 30 minute goal to board of education members recently, Lehman said, teachers are looking outside of the box to incorporate movement in their classrooms throughout the day.
"Some of our schools don't have the space needed to offer quality phys ed programs every day," she said.
Nowadays, if you go into a school you might see many kids half way through a lesson standing up to get their bodies moving and their brains shifted so they are ready to learn, said Lehman. Some schools have fitness rooms or stations, walking clubs during the day, recess activities or even start early with organized physical activity or exercise, such as the SPARK program in Unity and Luseland.
"Phys ed doesn't always have to be in the gym," said Lehman.
She added Living Sky learning consultant Sherron Burns is "a great resource in helping classroom teachers to implement movement during the day and outside of the gymnasium."
A number of schools in the division have become recognized by Physical and Health Education Canada, a professional organization for physical and health educators, as QPDE schools. QPDE schools provide a Quality Daily Physical Education program for a minimum of 30 minutes per day to all students throughout the year. Those schools are Connaught, Bready and McKitrick elementary schools in North Battleford and Norman Carter School in Wilkie as well as Medstead School.
Lehman said Bready School has been a leader, making in motion and physical activity a school goal priority. They have in motion activities which involved families as well, encouraging physical activity as well as building positive relationships with the school.
It's more than just exercise, said Lehman. It's about changing a lifestyle.
She also told trustees there are numerous opportunities for students to get involved in extra curricular sports and activities, competitive and non-competitive, that are well supported by the division, including making funds available for travel to events.
There have also been community partnerships established, such as curling lessons for Battlefords students provided by the curling centre in North Battleford. Many rural communities have the same, she added. There have also been partnerships with Table Mountain ski hill.
Getting students involved in extra curricular activities not only improves health, it encourages student engagement, helping to keep kids in school.
The extra time and dedication teachers put into these activities is appreciated, said Lehman.
There is also a new program getting underway in the community, she said. MEND Mind, Exercise Nutrition … Do it.
The program is provided by the University of Saskatchewan College of Kinesiology and Blue Cross. The evidence-based program is a free fun program for families with children who meet the criteria.
Two groups are running in the Battlefords, said Lehman. One is for ages two to four, with the child and the family coming to the program to learn different ways of playing to encourage activity and healthy choices.
The other is for ages seven to 13, to which overweight children are referred through the public health or the education systems. The family also participates.
MEND is supported by the Ministry of Health, City of North Battleford, Light of Christ School Division and Living Sky School Division, said Lehman.
"If it's a hit here, maybe can sell it in our other communities as well," she said.
Lehman told trustees, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, child obesity has tripled in the past 25 years. In Saskatchewan, 29.1 per cent are considered overweight, and 15 per cent don't get the foundation's recommended levels of one hour or more physical activity per day.
Lehman said physical activity can positively influence cognitive skills, attitude and academic behaviours.
"If we don't start to intervene in our schools and communities, we are going to have a problem on our hands," she said.
