Howard County students will be movers and shakers in the classroom ? literally.
Public school officials are launching a pilot program to boost physical activity during the school day at five elementary schools beginning this year.
Teachers will receive tool kits from a program called “Take A Minute To Move,” Jackie French, the school system?s instructional facilitator for physical education and dance, told School Board members on Thursday.
“From the discussion through the wellness policy ? teachers will receive tool kits on how to include movements in the classroom,” she said.
French said the kits will include books and CDs that describe ways to incorporate physical activity into students? schedules such as stretching, squatting and running in place.
In the spring, the board passed a wellness policy that banned junk food during the school day and called for more physical activity to be incorporated into the school day.
Community health officials also have pushed for the board to better address the national childhood obesity epidemic.
Robert Glascock, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the school system, said school officials are falling in line with current brain research that shows people learn better when they exercise.
“Just moving and stretching,” will make a difference, he said.
Glascock said the program is not designed to take up a lot of instructional time.
