Promoting Healthy & Active Lifestyle at Great Lakes
For more information about the Active Grant Program, follow this link: http://www.activeschoolsasap.org/acceleration-grants
By Ryan Haroldson, Principal, Great Lakes Elementary
Great Lakes Elementary has been fortunate enough to benefit from the Active Schools Grant. This grant has not only helped Great Lakes from a monetary standpoint, but also from the standpoint of promoting conversation and ideas focused on keeping students active throughout the day.
Great Lakes students enjoy a run around the building as part of their active recess.
The staff at Great Lakes Elementary has historically placed a value on physical activity built-in during the day, in order to help students be more prepared for enriching literacy, math, and science learning experiences in the classroom. The $1000 from the Active Schools Grant, with the possibility of $250 more upon the completion of a survey has allowed that focus to deepen this school year.
To begin with, Mrs. Wilson, Great Lakes Physical Education Teacher has been able to further promote and engage students in active recess. Mrs. Wilson went on to explain that, “active recess lasts anywhere from 1 to 8 minutes and the remainder of recess is up to the students to keep moving and socialize with peers. All of these things help to decrease the likelihood of behavior problems and increase the oxygen to the brain which leaves them ready to return to work and learn to the best of their ability.”
In addition, Great Lakes Elementary School is looking to purchase more bicycles.
Currently, Great Lakes Elementary is benefiting from the use of bicycles that are shared among the various elementary buildings of the School District. Use of the bikes is a regular part of the summer school program as well as teachers who use them when weather permits in the fall and spring.
Great Lakes students gathering with Mr. Cannon and Mrs. Y after an exhilarating run.
One example of this is when fifth graders rode to Barker’s Island this past fall to do their writing lesson there. Not only were the students getting some exercise, but students were also able to take in the natural beauty of the scenery on Barker’s Island to spur some descriptive writing in their writing notebooks.
With the arrival of spring in the Twin Ports, the fifth grade is planning to begin using the bikes with our first ride scheduled for May 5. Perhaps you’d like to donate a bicycle to our program? If so, contact me at (715) 395-8500, or email me at Ryan.Haroldson@superior.k12.wi.us.
