As mentioned in the January newsletter, the SKT School Council will be working to install a new play structure in the school yard for the Junior (Gr. 4-6) students.
Here is the presentation that was presented to council during the January meeting:
Playground Improvement Proposal
Here are some interesting facts that shows how important it is to improve the school yard with the new play structure. The facts are organized in four different areas: Health, Growth and Development, Academic Performance and Anti-bullying Strategies.
Health
1.
Only 7% of Canadian kids attain
the recommended level of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
per day.
*Source:
Colley,R.C., Garriguet,D., Janssen,I., Craig, C.L., Clarke, J., & Tremblay,
M.S. (2011). Physical activity of Canadian Children and Youth: Accelerometer
data from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. Statistics Canada,
Health Reports, 22 (1), Catalogue no. 82-003-XPE
2. The proportion of Canadian kids who play outside after school
dropped 14% over the last decade.
*Source: Active Healthy Kids Canada. (2012) Is
active play extinct?: The Active Healthy Kids Canada report card on physical
activity for children and youth 2012, Toronto, ON
3. Children are active for less than 14 minutes a day according to a
study of 277 Montreal Schools
4.
Childhood obesity in Canada has
tripled over the past three decades.
*Source: Shilds,
M. (2005). Measured Obesity: Overweight Canadian children and adolescents.
Statistics Canada, Analytic Studies and Reports. ISSN: 1716-6713.
5. 26% of Canadian children are currently obese and 59% of Canadian
adults are currently overweight or obese
6. Today’s Canadian children and youth are heavier, fatter, rounder and
weaker than they were a generation ago.
*Source: Tremblay, M. S., Shields, M. Laviolette,
M., Craig, C. L., Janssen, I., & Gorber, S. C. (2010). Fitness of Canadian
children and youth: Results from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey.
Statistics Canada, Health Reports 21(1), Catalogue no. 82-003-XPE.
Growth
and Development
7. Over half of those aged 5-17 years old are not active enough for
optimal growth and development
*Source: (Retrieved June 2012) (http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581729/k.359A/Statistics.htm
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)
8. At a young age, physical activity contributes to healthy bone and
muscle development
*Source: (Published October 2007) (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)
Academic
Performance
9. Participating in regular physical activity has been linked to
advances in academic performance in reading and mathematics, as well as noted
improvements in discipline and self-concepts
*Source: (Child and Family Canada, 2003).
10. Regular participation in aerobic activity increases blood flow to
the brain and results in better memory retention.
Anti-Bullying
Strategies
11. Students report that the school yard is the most likely place for
bullying.
*Source: (Boulton, M. J. (1999). Concurrent and longitudinal
relations between children's playground behavior and social preference,
victimization, and bullying. Child Development, 70, 944-954.
12. Bullying that occurred in the school yard was observed by adults
only l7%o of the time, and they intervened in only 23% of the observed cases
*Source: cited in Sullivan, K. (2000). The
anti-bullying handbook. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
13. When children are bored they may turn to bullying to make school
more exciting
Source: Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What
we know and what we can do. Oxford, England: Blackwell Publishers.
