
Hardin Park School kicked off its four-week Walking Wednesday program on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 as students and staff are headed for an increase in physical activity and taking a step to improve air quality on campus. Hardin Park School is encouraging students to walk more often to school during this four-week program as they are offering this safe, buddy system-oriented walking program for students of all grades to walk together with a group to school in the mornings to school.
The CDC and Active Living Research suggest that students who are physically active have better grades, better school attendance, and better classroom behavior. The remote drop off program encourages positive social and physical environments to promote good health and healthy behaviors for students. “This is one way students can get some physical activity minutes first thing in the morning to get their brain ready to learn when they arrive the classroom,” says Taylor Hartley, Adapted PE teacher of Hardin Park School, and one of the teachers heading up the program.
Programs such as Walking Wednesdays offer students a chance for physical activity and social interaction which may play out positively in academic performance throughout the rest of their day. Mary Smalling, Principal of Hardin Park School states, “This is a great way to encourage students to spend time with friends in a healthy way. We hope to see some parents come out and walk with us too!”
These events are part of a larger partnership between Hardin Park School, the Appalachian District Health Department, and Active Routes to School, a Safe Routes to School project in North Carolina, which is being implemented through the local health department. The goal of this partnership is to increase student health, as well as instilling pedestrian and biker safety for children in K-8 grades.
To learn more about how your school can partner and participate with Active Routes to School, contact Beth Fornadley Johnson at (828) 964-8119 or by email bethf@apphealth.com To learn more about Safe Routes to School in North Carolina, please visit http://saferoutespartnership.org/state/srts-in-your-state/northcarolina
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