Harris Phys Ed:

Our goal is to provide each and every scholar with the tools necessary to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition and physical activity to last a lifetime.We want our scholars to become lifelong learners of health and wellness by participating in activities that develop behaviors which encourage healthy decision-making, appropriate social skills, and lifelong physical fitness in and outside of the educational setting.

Fitnessgram:

This is a comprehensive fitness assessment that is required for our 3rd through 5th grade scholars. It includes a variety of health-related physical fitness tests designed to assess cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. We do a diagnostic test in October and then do the final test in April. Between the months of October and April, our scholars work towards improving their scores, increasing their fitness levels and becoming healthier. 

These are the six assessments items:

• 20 Meter PACER shuttle run (measures aerobic capacity) 
• Push-ups (measures upper body muscular strength/endurance)
• Curl-ups (measures abdominal muscular strength/endurance)
• Sit and Reach (measures flexibility)
• Trunk Lift (measures trunk extensor strength and flexibility)
• Body Mass Index (measures body composition: appropriateness of weight relative to height)

Marathon Kids:

We participate in the Marathon Kids program. Marathon Kids, an Austin-based nonprofit, that has kept Austin Independent School District (AISD) students running for almost twenty years. Our scholars will work to run up to the equivalent of four marathons over the course of the school year, which equals 104.8 miles. Along the way, they will receive exclusive Marathon Kids rewards, for every 26.2 miles (the distance of a marathon) they accumulate over time.

The rewards include: a Marathon Kids-Nike T-shirt (26.2 miles), exclusive Nike shoelaces (52.4 miles),Nike shoe dubré (78.6 miles) and a Nike bracelet (104.8 miles). Our scholars work hard throughout the year to reach their Marathon goals and get excited about earning their prizes and in turn they are improving their physical fitness. On the 26th of every month, our scholars proudly wear their Marathon Kids shirt they earned.

CATCH Night:

One night a year, we have a CATCH night. CATCH stands for Coordinated Approach To Child’s Health. Our CATCH night is to promote living a healthy and active lifestyle. We want our students and families to be more aware of foods they can eat that are good for them and things they can do to stay active as a family. On CATCH Night, we invite groups, businesses, and non-profits to show our students and their families the different resources available to them in our community. Showing our scholars and their parents these different options is important because this could help them start to live a healthier life.

Field Day:

Our Field day is usually held at the end of the year, around the month of May. Field day is a fun filled day for our scholars to celebrate the end of testing and the school year ending soon. It is a full day of events, all over our campus, in which the scholars have fun competing with their fellow classmates doing physical and silly activities. 

Nutrition Club

I have partnered with Central Texas Food Bank and they help provide Nutrition classes for our students. The students learn about healthy snack choices and how to make them at home.

Some Tips and Reminders:

Healthy habits start early. Please be aware that diet and physical activity can improve your child's health and life. Some healthy diet and activity choices for your child:

• Offer healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables and foods low in sugar and salt
• Drink fewer sodas and more water, low-fat milk or low-calorie drinks. 
• Limit television and video time to no more than 2 hours a day. 
• Take family walks, bicycle, run or exercise regularly with your child to increase their aerobic capacity.