With September already behind them, this new school year is off to an active start for the staff and students at Rochester Memorial School. Recently, the RMS school community took the pledge to increase physical activity during the school day by actively participating in The JAM World Record 2012. The Rochester elementary school team joined nearly 1.3 million people across the nation in one minute of collective physical activity!
JAM stands for “Just a Minute” and is a national physical activity movement that has partnered with the Let’s Move in School initiative of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). The JAM World Record 2012 event provided a fun campaign to rally everyone to pause and take just a minute for a fitness break. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of making physical activity a daily habit, ensuring that children learn about the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and that every school provides opportunities for quality physical education and physical activity.
“Schools are powerful places for cultivating physically active, friendly environments which will help in affecting academic performance and overall positive results,” said Kevin Woodward, RMS Physical Educator. “Rochester Memorial School is committed to increasing physical activity through staff, family and community involvement. We want to provide a setting that encourages children to get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Many classroom teachers have seamlessly incorporated JAM physical activity into their daily teaching routines. Our educators understand that children need a break from traditional classroom routines; these extra opportunities to be physically active have been shown to increase a child’s academic achievements. Evidence supports the positive impact of high quality, school-based physical education and physical activity on academic performance. Lucky for us, it’s a win-win-win … good for the mind, good for the body and our students love it!”
