Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Active and Healthy School Assessment

PPE: 310: Health Literacy
Elizabeth Ashe
Arizona State University
Fall 2015

Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Percy L Julian School is currently a failing school. The only two areas on the assessment that
were not zeros (see Figure 1) were because there is an afterschool program and the students get
15 minutes of recess every day. But failing doesnt mean giving up. The administration knows
that things need to change and they are trying new things to find a solution. From extra
professional development hours to time with instructional coaches to coaches at recess for the
students. While the school may not be successful yet, no one can say that they arent trying. Two
of the things that set this school apart this year came from grants that were given to help
students.
The first of these grants went to a program called Playworks. The Playworsk program begin in
1996 as a way to transform recess and the school day with safe and healthy play (Playworks,
2015). Julian has brought in a full time Playworks coach in an effort to decrease disciplinary
issues arising during recess as well as facilitate positive interactions among students and expedite
the transition to the cafeteria. This coach, Coach Sergio, works with the students at recess,
providing equipment, supervision and games. He also works with every class on campus twice a
month to teach students and teachers new games as well as conflict resolution. The Playworks
model is designed to be inclusive and promote physical activity. The presence of this program is
a positive step towards increasing community on the Julian on campus.
A second grant awarded to Julian School is for a program called 21st Century Community
Learning Centers. This grant is a federally funded initiative to provide high-poverty, lowperforming schools with afterschool programs. These programs provide academic enrichment,
such as tutoring and literacy development, as well as other services such as art and music. At
Julian, students stay after school Monday through Thursday and are allowed to choose which of
the enrichment activities they wish to participate in on any given day. Activities rotate based on
the day of the week. Students also receive a meal and a bus ride home. This program has the
potential to promote a positive change in the success level of students attending Julian School.
While the staff and administration of this school are all seeking changes, there are some
persisting weaknesses which may delay the growth of the students.
One of the areas where this school can improve is providing students with more time for physical
education. While the Playworks coach is present to promote activity during recess, students only
get fifteen minutes a day. In addition, Julian school only offers physical education classes once a
week. Students get forty-five minutes of time with a physical education teacher, much of which
is used transitioning in and out of the classroom and taking water breaks. That means that unless
students are getting forty-five minutes of physical activity at home every day, then they only
meet the CDC recommended sixty minutes of physical activity once a week (Centers For Disease
Control, 2015).
Many schools cut their physical education programs in response to the increased pressure on test
scores after the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2006 (Lee, Burgeson, Fulton, Spain, 2007)
Those in charge of making these decisions have claimed that more time in the classroom will
increase test scores. However, recent studies have shown that increasing the amount of daily
physical activity, not only has positive health effects, but it does not negatively affect academic
performance (Rasberry, Lee, Robin, Laris, Russell, Coyle, Nihiser, 2011).
100% of students in the Roosevelt Elementary School District receive free breakfast and lunch
daily. This is a significant responsibility. This determines the majority of what these 800 students

Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

will eat for the nine years that they attend this school. The district meets recommended
nutritional standards by providing fruit cups and whole wheat muffins for breakfast and access to
a salad bar at lunch. By feeding students packaged, sugary foods, the district is creating lifelong
habits of relying on sugar for energy and turning to processed foods instead of whole foods for
nourishment. Adding more whole fruits and vegetables to the daily menu would be a healthy
alternative which would provide students with sustainable energy as well as demonstrating the
value of healthy eating and show them what that looks like.
Adding more time for physical activity as well as adding more nutrient-dense food to the menu
are two ways to improve the healthy environment at Julian School.
More time for physical activity doesnt mean that the entire schedule needs to be redone to add
more Physical education, but encouraging classroom teachers to provide activity breaks and
starting a dialogue with students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle will go a long way in
creating a healthy school. By adding 5 minute activity breaks before, during or after lessons in
the classroom is an easy way to add more daily movement for students. Breaks can be as simple
as using a video such as GoNoodle, or playing a game from Playworks. Incorporating 3 of these
in a day would add 15 more minutes of physical activity to each students daily total and get
them closer to the recommended 60 minutes (Centers for Disease Control, 2015). Teachers that
discuss the importance of physical activity with students will have a class that is more informed
and therefore more likely to continue habits outside of the classroom.
Currently, the school has the power to control what every student eats for breakfast and lunch
five days a week. In order to demonstrate the importance of healthy eating, the school can
provide whole fruits and vegetables to students. Instead of using breakfast bars full of sugar,
students given a nutrient rich breakfast with protein and fiber will have energy and satiety for the
day ahead. This would require some major changes in the way that breakfast is served, but in the
long run it would be beneficial to everyone involved. Instead of bringing a cold breakfast to
every classroom before school, if students were provided a hot breakfast in the cafeteria on the
way to the classroom, cafeteria workers would only have to pick up the trash (which is already
part of their duties).
One way increase participation is through a friendly competition. Encouraging students and staff
to eat healthful foods and participate in exercise by tracking class or individual progress would
not only show students that these things are important but making a game or competition out of it
would make it exciting.
In order to get stakeholders to see the direness of the situation is by using the results of the
Healthy and Active Schools assessment (Fig. 1). Administrators may not see the need to change
the food in the cafeteria, they would need to see evidence of what is missing and what can be
done to improve.
The results of this assessment show that Percy L Julian School has a lot of room for
improvement. A signature assignment for this class could easily be focused on any one of these
areas.
Percy L. Julian School is a public school located in the Roosevelt Elementary District in urban
Phoenix, Arizona. The school has approximately 800 students, 69% of the student population is
Hispanic, 29% African American, 1% Hawaiian and 1% two or more races. Data on the
percentage of ELL students is not available at this time. Every student in the district receives free

Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

breakfast and lunch. Currently, Julian School has a student to teacher ratio of 24:1 and is rated as
an F school, with Title 1 status.
Figure 1.

Assessment Results
Overall Grade: F
During School: 0%
Let's get to work. The school day is the critical time for implementing the Active & Healthy Schools Program, which
can benefit students, teachers and staff. Let's look at some steps for improving your Active & Healthy score during the
school day.

Curriculum: 0%
Let's get to work. The Active & Healthy Schools Program is committed to creating programs that schools can
successfully implement and maintain. Let's look at some possibilities for your PE program.

Recess / Lunch: 25%

Let's get to work. A few simple changes can encourage students to choose healthy foods over sugary snacks, which
will increase your Active & Healthy score and help students get more out of school.

After School: 20%

Let's get to work. Take a look at a few simple changes your school can make to help create an Active & Healthy
environment, both at school and at home.

Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

References
Afterschool alliance. (2015). Retrieved
from http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policy21stcclc.cfm
Centers for disease control and prevention. (2015). Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/physicalactivity/basics/children/
Lee, S. M., Burgeson, C. R., Fulton, J. E., & Spain, C. G. (2007). Physical education and
physical activity: Results from the school health policies and programs study 2006. Journal
of School Health, 77(8), 435-463. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2007.00229.x
Playworks. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.playworks.org/about/our-story
Public school review. (2015). Retrieved
from http://www.publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/3190
Rasberry, C. N., Lee, S. M., Robin, L., Laris, B. A., Russell, L. A., Coyle, K. K., & Nihiser, A. J.
(2011). The association between school-based physical activity, including physical
education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literature. Preventive
Medicine, 52, Supplement, S10-S20.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.01.027
Criteria
Assessmen
t

Exemplary: Points (5)

SCORE:

A minimum of 2 strengths and 2

weaknesses were described
Assessment was completed online and
posted to your EPortfolio
Suggestions to improve school policies
were clearly stated

Proficient: Points (3)

A minimum of 1 strength and 1

weakness was described
Suggestions to improve school policies
were stated but lacked sufficient detail
At least 1 suggestion to engage
stakeholders was provided

A
or
St
po
Su
w

Running head: ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

At least 2 suggestions to engage

stakeholders were provided

Assessment was completed online and

not in your EPortfolio

N
w

School
Context

School context contained detailed

information on
grade levels
% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
All of the following are listed in the file
document name submitted
Lastname.firstname.assignment#.course
#
This rubric was added to the last page
of the document submitted

School context contained some detailed

information on
grade levels
% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
Most of the following are listed in the
file document name submitted
Lastname.firstname.assignment#.course
#
This rubric was added but not at the
end of the document submitted

Sc
in
gr
%
en
pr
av
ur
et
sta
AY
Fe
fil
La
#
Th
do

SCORE:

PPE 310 Healthy and Active Schools, Assessment and School

Context