New school year brings big changes to physical education in some Franklin County schools

 

The new school year has begun and with the recently awarded grant to Healthy Community Coalition and area schools there are more physical activity opportunities for students.

 

Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County was awarded a $1.8 million Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant in April titled “Franklin County Youth Bringing Home the Gold”. This grant is for three years and includes Mt. Blue RSD, MSAD #58, and Flagstaff RSU.

 

The goals of the PEP grant are to:

a)      increase daily physical activity for all students

b)      increase the number of students who consume the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables

c)      improve physical education and nutrition education curriculum

 

The PEP grant offers the schools a number of opportunities to improve the daily physical activity and nutrition education for students. Before and after school activities, equipment for physical education and classroom learning, and professional development for staff to teach best practices and lead upcoming activities are part of the grant.

 

Laurie Soucy, PEP grant director and Angela Norton, program coordinator, look forward to implementing the activities of the “Franklin County Youth Bringing Home the Gold” PEP grant and collaborating with schools and community organizations, as they work together to enhance the health and wellness of all children in Franklin County. If you have any questions regarding the grant, or any of the required data collection, please contact Laurie Soucy at lsoucy@fchn.org or (207)779-2924.

 

About Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County

Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County, founded in 1989, is one of the oldest health coalitions in the country. Its mission is to measurably improve the wellbeing of all people in Greater Franklin County and neighboring towns using a coordinated public health approach of education, promotion, and outreach. With its qualified staff of public health professionals, Healthy Community Coalition offers health screenings, health information, programs and events to support healthy lifestyles that prevent disease and improve quality of life.  Its community outreach efforts appear in every town and corner of the region. For more information, please visit www.fchn.org/hcc.