Get ready to learn about the exciting initiatives underway in our state that aim to bridge the gap between communities and schools! Join us as Rachel Fobare takes us on a journey through the implementation of Erin’s Law in our schools and shares valuable information about community resources that can support this law’s requirements. And that’s not all – we’ll also hear from Robin Cooper, who will discuss how schools and community partners can work together to improve student and community health by aligning their shared goals. This is a unique opportunity to discover how collaboration and partnerships can lead to positive outcomes for our communities, so don’t miss it!
It takes a healthy village to raise a healthy child. Therefore, it’s up to the adults at the state level, in communities, at school, and at home to support healthy habits. Find out how you can join the movement to support students’ health from head to heart. South Carolina school districts share how they worked with state and community partners to use their fitness data to provide daily opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after school.
Nestled between Oconee State Park and Lake Keowee in Oconee County, students at Tamassee-Salem Elementary School are reaping the benefits of active pathways, also known as sensory pathways, and blacktop games, and so are community members. In 2022, former Physical Education Teacher Leah Ryan made it her mission to give the students, teachers and community an outlet for brain breaks and fun physical activity. She applied for a Wholespire Healthy Eating and Active Living Mini-Grant and got it!
Sensory pathways have become a popular tool for school administrators and teachers to help students stimulate their cognitive activity with movement. They are a series of visual cues on the ground that guide students along a particular path. From jumping, leaping, and walking a line, students follow the guided paths for a fun break between classes, during indoor recess and other ways teachers choose to incorporate them into their lesson plan.
In his letter of support, Tamassee-Salem Elementary School Principal Bobby Norizan said, “What I love about this initiative is that it is sustainable, and simply put, it is something that will help make physical activity more enjoyable. We have several families use our walking track outside of school hours, but I feel like we will be providing more opportunities other than simply walking the track if we are able to add the active pathway activities.”
Principal Norizan said, “The Four Square games not only provide an opportunity for physical activity but also opportunities for students to socially interact within the rules during active play, which is vital regarding the developmental growth of their students.”
Tamassee-Salem Elementary School received funding for the purchase of reusable stencil kits and paint. They leveraged 12 hours of volunteer time to place and paint the pathways. Pathways were placed on the walking path, a paved sidewalk that circles the school. Four Square games were placed in the recess area.
Mrs. Ryan said in her application, “A couple of teachers use the path as a brain break for their students. This active pathway will encourage more teachers to take their students outside more, and students will get to benefit from the open play. I teach students how to play Four Square in my physical education class. It is an easily accessible and simple game to play. Having the courts will give students access to a physically active game they can play at recess.”
Community members in Tamassee and Salem who use the walking path for physical activity benefit from the active pathways too. The School District of Oconee County adopted an Open Community Use Policy, which allows community members to use outdoor recreational facilities on school grounds for physical activity and play. Now, children aren’t the only ones who can jump, leap and walk a line as they navigate the path. Adults can too!
Physical activity is not just a vital component of a healthy lifestyle; it also plays a crucial role in academic success and overall well-being, especially in the school environment. More and more school administrators and teachers are emphasizing the integration of physical activity into the daily lives of students. Administrators and teachers at rural Tamassee-Salem Elementary School are part of the growing innovation in creating healthier school environments.
Reinforcing student health and learning in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community – is a continuous act across a child’s life and requires an ongoing commitment as children mature into young adulthood. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the SC Department of Education recognize this commitment and are providing communities and educators with tools to help families prioritize healthy living and create thriving home environments. Find out why you should take advantage of free tools and resources so the healthy choice is the easiest choice for your students and their families.
The WSCC model is the CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools. It is a student-centered model and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. This webinar addresses one component of the WSCC model:
Family Engagement: Families and school staff work together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of students. Family engagement with schools is a shared responsibility of both school staff and families. School staff are committed to making families feel welcomed, engaging families in a variety of meaningful ways, and sustaining family engagement. Families are committed to actively supporting their child’s learning and development. This relationship between school staff and families cuts across and reinforces student health and learning in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community. Family engagement should be continuous across a child’s life and requires an ongoing commitment as children mature into young adulthood.
Join the SC Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and the SC Schools Network for the 2023-24 Connecting Communities and Schools webinar series. The series aims to enhance collaboration between schools and communities using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model as a framework to support student health.
Find out how schools and communities can work together to increase awareness of chronic disease and prevention while laying the foundation for good health and success in the future. During this webinar, you will learn how to build first aid skills for high school students through partnerships with community organizations that provide nationally certified CPR and AED training. Ronald Rouse’s Law ensures that each school district provides high school students instruction in CPR and awareness of the use of AEDs at least once during the entire four years of grades nine through twelve.
You’ll also gain valuable knowledge on how to create strong confidence in vaccines within communities using the SCDHEC Back-to-School Immunization Toolkit. Most people in the United States are vaccinated against widespread illnesses; however, some people do not trust the safety and effectiveness of vaccines because of personal experience or lack of information. When parents don’t vaccinate their children, it can lead to absenteeism and low classroom performance.
The WSCC model is the CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools. It is a student-centered model and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. This webinar addresses one component of the WSCC model:
Health Services: Health services connect school staff, students, families, community and healthcare providers to promote the health care of students and a healthy and safe school environment. School health services actively collaborate with school and community support services to increase the ability of students and families to adapt to health and social stressors, such as chronic health conditions or social and economic barriers to health, and to be able to manage these stressors and advocate for their own health and learning needs.
