A new project that helps students become more physically active and learn physical literacy skills has arrived in our district reports an excited Laura Paiement, the SD83 Healthy Schools Co-ordinator. A goal is for students to develop competence, confidence, and motivation to be active for life,
The School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy project is a multi-component, school-based health promotion initiative for B.C. elementary schools. The project provides both in-person and online professional development opportunities to build the capacity of B.C. elementary school educators to increase their confidence and competence in delivering quality physical activity and physical literacy opportunities at school, and to support links to mental well-being. The project is being prototyped across a diverse subset of school districts and schools in British Columbia including schools in SD83 this and next school year.
The School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Project is being developed, implemented and evaluated by Sport for Life; Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC); Childhood Obesity Foundation; and Physical and Health Education Canada/British Columbia (PHE Canada/PHE BC). The project is supported by the Province of British Columbia.
A large component of this program is providing in-school support sessions to those teaching Kindergarten through grade 7. Part of these sessions is creating indoor and outdoor movement paths that provide environments that encourage movement throughout the day. North Shuswap and Sorrento were the first two schools to go through this project. “Students and teachers alike are loving these outdoor movement paths and activities,” reports Paiement.
Paiement and two student teachers, Dylan Abbott and Maddy Roll (who are finishing their teacher training this June), have been busy creating the outdoor movement pathways.
Paiement has also been helping all interested elementary schools plan their indoor movement pathways which will be laid down over the summer at some schools.
