News
PRESS RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Juliet Prillaman (703) 476-3485/jprillaman@aahperd.org
NATIONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT WEEK ENERGIZES
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO MOVE EVERY BODY, EVERY DAY, EVERY WAY
RESTON, VA, April 22, 2010 – May 1-7, National Physical Education and Sport Week, physical education teachers across the country are energizing their school communities (students, administrators, parents and staff) to answer First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to Let’s Move. In celebration of the week’s theme, Move Every Body, Every Day, Every Way, members of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) are planning school wide “flash mob” dances and daily events to educate youth about the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and to ensure that every school provides opportunities for quality physical education and activity.
NASPE supports the goals of Let's Move and - through its new Let's Move In School campaign - pledges to give teachers, parents, principals and legislators the support they need to help our kids to become more physically educated and active in school.
“We know that kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day,” said NASPE President Lynn Couturier, chair of the Physical Education Department, State University of New York at Cortland. “That is why we need to design the school day to include all of the components of a comprehensive school-based physical activity program which includes 1) quality physical education; 2) physical activity integrated into classroom learning; 3) physical activity breaks; 4) recess; 5) before-and-after school programs; 6) intramural sport; 7) interscholastic sports; 8) walk- and bike-to-school programs.”
NASPE provides lesson plans and activity ideas for schools on its Web site. May 7 will be dedicated to an all-school event: a multi-school "flash mob" dance. Schools can download the dance steps, lesson outline and upload video of their dance performance to NASPE’s YouTube channel. Students also have the chance to participate in two contests during the week with a chance to win prizes from Speed Stacks. Schools can download lesson plans, learn more about the contests and learn how to advocate for quality physical education and activity at www.aahperd.org/naspe/advocacy/events/mayWeek.
NASPE
The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 16,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, sport management professionals, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare physical activity professionals. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs through research, development of standards, and dissemination of information. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.