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Movin’ and Munchin’ e-news
Spooner Elementary gets everyone involved
While the popularity of Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools is growing every year, Spooner Elementary School and Sherry Perrin have seen the value of it from the beginning.
That’s why Perrin, a physical education teacher, has made the Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools program a community affair in Spooner, involving students, staff, parents, and community leaders. She credits that widespread involvement for the success of her school’s program for five consecutive years.
“The first year the kids didn’t know what to expect, but now they ask when school starts what we are going to do this year,” Perrin says. “Kids love to move, we just provide more reasons to get them away from the TV and computer.”
A valuable program
Perrin knows how important it is for kids to be active and eat well. Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools has given her an avenue to promote that message, both in her school and community.
Last year’s program at Spooner Elementary involved nearly 1,400 people, which included 375 students and 51 staff members. Spooner Elementary earned a $500 award from the Department of Public Instruction for its efforts. As an added bonus, WEA Trust matched this $500 award because the school district has health insurance coverage with WEA Trust and at least 50% of school employees also participated in the Movin’ and Munchin’ program.
“Movin’ and Munchin’ covers it all,” Perrin says. “It is a great way to educate students, parents, and the community about the importance of physical activity and healthy food choices.”
How it works
At her school, every staff member is assigned to a classroom team. Students and staff accumulate miles during school days, often with activity during recesses or with staff taking students on walks to a nearby nature center.
Students are sent home with color-coded sheets each week to help track their miles. Students are given bonus miles if parents or relatives participate, which Perrin says has been key to getting the larger community involved.
“This program has the kids talking at night with their family about moving,” Perrin says. “They ask Mom and Dad to walk with them in the evening so they can have bonus miles.”
Students and staff track their progress at school and at home, and teachers track in-school moving on a sheet attached to their chalkboard for all students to see. The school also uses large bulletin boards in the hallways to track miles by each grade level. Some teachers also incorporate the miles into their class curriculum.
Munchin’ lessons, too
In addition to the movin’, Perrin piggybacks with the school’s wellness program on the munchin’ aspect. Notable people from the community, such as the police chief, the fire chief, and a local doctor, make presentations on healthy eating. The guest presenters focus on different fruits or vegetables each month and introduce items that students may not have tried before. These foods are then featured in the cafeteria.
Celebrate their efforts
At the end of the Movin’ and Munchin’ program, Spooner Elementary celebrates with a field day, with various activities. It has become a well-known event in Spooner, with Perrin having an excess of adult volunteers who want to participate and coverage of it in the local newspaper.
Students use their miles earned during the program to participate in fun activities on field day. “We tell the kids the reward in the beginning of the program, and that gets the kids excited,” Perrin says. “Each week we say how many miles are accumulated and what the miles can be exchanged for to use in our field day.”
Spooner Elementary has shown what a program like Movin’ and Munchin’ can do for a school and a community. Students, parents, and staff not only eat healthier and exercise more, but it has brought a community together to work on a common goal.
