National Association for Sport and Physical Education
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The ABC's of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program:
A Back to School Assignment for Parents

RESTON, VA, July 13, 2011 -- As summer comes to an end, many students are gearing for the upcoming school year with a list of to do's to check off from buying clothes to finding the right supplies to double checking their class schedules. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is giving parents a back to school assignment as well. NASPE wants every parent to ensure their children's success and well-being by making sure schools provide a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, or CSPAP. "Every parent has an important role to play in helping our youth become active and in making physical education and physical activity a reality in their local school," said NASPE President Dennis Docheff, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO.

"Schools are powerful places for cultivating physically active, friendly environments which will help in affecting academic performance and overall positive results."

While NASPE recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, a new survey by the Kaiser Foundation finds children spend an average of eight hours a day glued to the TV and playing video games; ultimately less time being active. In addition, parents often find it easier to choose the quick option of fast food or a frozen meal rather than cooking healthier meals. This combination of lack of inadequate physical activity and poor nutrition has led to what has become the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

NASPE's Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, which includes physical education, physical activity before, during, and after school, staff involvement, and family and community involvement, provides a setting for encouraging children to get the recommended amount of physical activity throughout the day.

Physical Education

A foundation of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs, physical education can contribute to students' regular participation in physical activity and should include: 

  • Daily physical education: 150 minutes per week for elementary school and 225 for middle and high school students       
  • A curriculum that meets the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE, 2004)
  • A certified physical education teacher providing meaningful content through standards-based instruction      
  • Student assessment aligned with instruction
  • A student-teacher ratio equivalent to that in the classroom context and adequate space and equipment to provide maximum practice time

Physical Activity During School

In addition to physical education class, students need opportunities to be physically active throughout the school day in order to meet the 60 minutes per day national recommendation. Children need a break from sitting behind their desks; these extra opportunities to be physically active have shown to increase a child's academic achievements. Learn about the positive impact of school-based physical education and physical activity on academic performance in NASPE's Active Kids and Academic Performance brochure.

Physical Activity Before and After School

Physical activity before and after school allow students to practice what they've learned in physical education class. It can also prepare their brains for learning and provide a safe and healthy environment for social interaction with their friends. Some options include:

  • Walk and bike to school programs 
  • Casual recreation or playtime on school grounds
  • Physical activity clubs and intramural sports
  • Interscholastic sports

Staff Involvement

High level support from school administrators is a key factor in implementing a CSPAP. Staff involvement in school-based physical activity provides two key benefits:

  • Improve staff health, increase physical activity levels, and be cost effective 
  • Positive role models for students

Family and Community Involvement

Support from parents and siblings, and even an entire community, can influence a child's level of participation in physical activity. Keeping children and youth turned on to physical activity is also one of the biggest challenges facing parents. That is why NASPE urges parents to help children explore a wide variety of physical activities in their communities to determine what they like and then encourage them to participate in those activities on a regular basis. Families can support their child's school CSPAP by:

  • Participating in school physical activity-based special events
  • Plan a neighborhood or school family fitness fun night
  • Coordinate efforts with other parents to provide safe transportation from school to community and recreational centers to increase your child's participation in physical activities

 

To learn more about how you can help your school to create a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, go to Let's Move in School. The goal of Let's Move in School, an initiative of NASPE and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), is to help children and youth to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime.

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Contact:
Amanda Schwartz
naspeintern1@aahperd.org
703-476-3410

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

The vision of AAHPERD is "Healthy People – Physically Educated and Physically Active!" Headquartered in Reston, VA, 25 miles west of Washington, DC, AAHPERD is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, physical activity, dance, school health and sport--all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. Its mission is to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance and sport by providing its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. For more information, visit www.aahperd.org.