DES earns Active Schools National Award

Posted on: Sep 15, 2017

It’s no secret that physical activity helps improve focus in the classroom, and Delano Elementary was recognized as a leader in that area with a national award earlier this month.

DES was among just four schools in Minnesota to receive a Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award for 2017, an honor reserved for schools that demonstrate a commitment to at least 60 minutes of physical activity before, during or after each school day.

“We commend Delano Elementary School’s model work around enhancing physical education and physical activity opportunities and inspiring students to perform their best both in the classroom and in life,” said Charlene R. Burgeson, Active Schools Executive Director. “Delano Elementary School is leading the way in this generation-changing movement that is transforming our nation’s schools into active and healthy hubs.”

The award, announced on Sept. 5, is a culmination of about two years of work begun by physical education teacher Tim Lyngen and Principal Darren Schuler, who began looking at ways to update the curriculum and setting goals for improvement. Derek Picha joined the PE staff last year and invested himself in the effort as well.

“Those two had a 21^st century view of what PE could look like in elementary school,” said Schuler. “That involves getting away from the traditional approach and maybe making it a little more enjoyable for kids. There should be very little standing in line. Kids should always be moving.”

Lyngen said the award is not about recognition for staff, but about doing what is best for students.

“We’re trying to create a culture where movement is enjoyable and kids want to be active for life,” he said. “If kids have a miserable experience where they’re getting pegged with dodge balls or they’re getting singled out for things they don’t do well, they’re not going want to move when they get out of school. We want healthy lifestyles.”

Picha said a number of basic changes helped improve the overall experience. When two classes of similar age used the gym at the same time the dividing curtain was raised, for example, and the teachers combined their efforts. Music was implemented to signal the start and stop of activities, and wristwatch heart rate monitors spurred students on to more enthusiastic efforts.

“The cool thing that started to happen is that the kids who weren’t typically active in or outside of PE were suddenly motivated,” said Schuler. “They got into running in place and watching that monitor, checking it to see where they were at, and challenging themselves.”

More than just gym class

Lyngen was quick to point out that the award belongs to the entire school, because meeting its requirements involved more than adjustments to PE classes.

“Sixty minutes of physical activity is the goal, so they can get that in before- or after-school programs, at recess and through movement breaks in the other classrooms,” said Lyngen.

A key element has been the start of a popular morning recess program, a 25-minute sequence of supervised games and activities that occurs twice a week and has attracted up to 70 students at a time.

“That was pretty much the last piece of the puzzle so we could apply” for the Active Schools designation, said Picha.

The early morning activity has also has led to more engaged students in the classroom. Lyngen asked teachers if they noticed a difference in the students who participated in terms of focus.

“It was a pretty resounding yes. Most of the teachers said it’s great for them,” Lyngen said. “If they had a hard time focusing before, they were doing much better the day of a morning recess program. It helps fire up their brains.”

Schuler said there is science to back up that anecdotal evidence, and that teachers at the elementary have worked to incorporate intervals of movement into their regular classroom schedules as well.

“The research shows that kids lose interest after 10 minutes of sitting on the floor. So a lot of our teachers have picked up on that and after 10 minutes they do a short activity to get that focus back,” he said.

Picha pointed out that the morning recess program has also created a significant boost in the number of students eating school breakfast.

“Now they have the nutrients they need and their brains are ready – that’s basically the ideal situation for learning,” said Lyngen.

School, community award

Schuler credited Picha and Lyngen for keeping the Active Schools initiative at the forefront of the school’s PE efforts, for implementing additional features like Jump Rope for Hearts, and for taking over the Tiger Dash to build family engagement.

“They’ve done a lot of work over the past couple of years to get that award. And it’s certainly well deserved,” he said. “But we also know we have an active community. So this is a school-wide award and a community award, for that matter. It should be fun to continue the progression that we’ve been making.”

Bring your Parents to PE Week

Delano Elementary School is hosting its first ever “Bring Your Parents to PE Week” Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 25-27. Parents are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and will be invited to participate in activities with the students if they wish.

“Parents can get a chance to see what is happening in PE today,” said Schuler. “It’s probably going to look a lot different than what they did when they were in school, but we think that’s exciting.”

Anyone with questions can contact their student’s teacher, or look for more information at https://goo.gl/RmfE7y.

A.M. Active Recess

The A.M. Active Recess program will resume on Monday, Sept. 18. Students are welcome to participate between 7:30 and 7:55 a.m.

First- and second-grade students are invited to attend every Monday, and third- and fourth-grade students are invited to attend every Thursday starting Sept. 21.