Take Action this School Year: What Can YOU Do to Ensure Your Schools Have Quality Physical Education?

A new school year brings many opportunities for parents to talk to teachers and school administrators about how their district measures up when it comes to keeping our kids physically fit. The American Heart Association passed the 2010 Healthy Kids bill which means Minnesota now has statewide standards for physical education.

Does your school make the grade when it comes to keeping kids physically fit?

Ask your school the following questions about Physical Education:

1. Does your school district offer PE daily?

2. Do they follow the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE)standards? Every Minnesota school district is required to adopt the National Standards for Physical Education, and students need to satisfactorily complete these new standards beginning in the 2012-13 school year.

3. Has/Will your school be applying for federal Physical Education Program grants to boost the funds available for PE?

4. Does your school promote "active recess"? (keeping kids physically active during recess breaks) The Minnesota Department of Education is encouraged to develop guidelines that districts can adopt to promote quality recess prctices and behaviors that engage all students, increase their activity levels, build social skills, and decrease behavioral issues.

5. What else is your school doing to not only promote physical activity, but also nutrition and other wellness policies?

Read more on the new Healthy Kids Law and what you can do to help ensure Minnesota kids get quality physical education and wellness in and out of the classroom.

*Report Back: Let us know how your schools responded! E-mail Melissa Horn at Melissa.Horn@heart.org with any responses you get. Please include your school's name and location as well.