Guest Blogger: Amanda Cahill
If you live in Great Falls, Bozeman, or Frenchtown Montana, there’s a chance that your child is seeing a much-needed increase in physical education (PE) time. That’s because three Montana schools; Sunnyside Elementary (Great Falls), Hawthorne Elementary (Bozeman) and Frenchtown Elementary, have chosen to pilot a program where they offer 150 minutes of PE to students every week. 150 minutes is the amount of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization, the American Heart Association, and The Centers for Disease Control, among others. The reasons are both simple and impactful:
- When students get more time for PE they do better physically, mentally and emotionally which is good for kids and good for schools.
- PE classes teach lifelong healthy habits that will help children grow up into healthier adults with less risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
- We have a responsibility to provide our kids with a truly well-rounded education. And that includes effective PE with trained and certified teachers who incorporate moderate to vigorous physical activity.
- Active kids learn better. When kids are active, they focus more, think more clearly, react to stress more calmly, and perform and behave better in class. That means higher test scores across the board.
More than 28% of Montana children are overweight or obese. Those who are overweight as children are much more likely to be overweight as adults and to suffer from diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. We applaud these three schools for taking steps to build a healthier generation of kids.
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