January 6, 2014 Happy New Year!

Alabama Physical Fitness Assessment

 Due to inclement weather in nearly every county of the state today and the next several days, the deadline to post fall fitness scores into INow Health has been extended to January 15, 2014 to allow for teachers whose school systems are closed.

March 1 is the date to begin spring testing.  All spring fitness data must be entered into INow by June 1, 2014.

SCALE BACK ALABAMA SCHOOLS       

It's almost time for Scale Back Alabama 2014.  Are you ready?  Please consider participating again as a Scale Back School!  Be sure to mark your calendars.  The competition kicks off on January 16, 2014 and the weigh-in week is January 18-24, 2014.  

This year is different because there is not a separate registration for schools and there is not a requirement to have 5 or more teams.  This year any K-12 school, public or private, is eligible to be an official Scale Back School regardless of how many teams they have.  

Sign up just like any other organization on the Scale Back Alabama website at http://www.scalebackalabama.com/schools.html and be sure to indicate that your organization is a school.  Scale Back Alabama Schools are entered into a separate drawing at the end of the competition for school prizes that promote good health in students.

Questions?  Contact: 
Molly B. Killman

Director, Nutrition and Physical Activity Division
AL Department of Public Health
Molly.Killman@adph.state.al.us or 334-206-5646

Adventure to Fitness

As winter weather continues to blast many parts of our state with freezing temperatures, windy conditions, ice and rain, it’s important to make sure that physical education and classroom teachers are equipped with the resources you need that can keep students active and learning while stuck inside. Although not just a “bad weather” resource, Adventure to Fitness is relied more heavily upon during inclement weather seasons to help keep students active and healthy in a fun and educational way when they can’t go outside for recess or physical education. 

This resource is absolutely FREE and easy to sign up to start increasing physical activity among your students today.  www.adventuretofitness.com

 Let’s Move Active Schools

Come on Alabama we need all schools to sign up for Let’s Move Active Schools. www.letsmoveschools.org  (Free!)

Let’s Move! Active Schools is a comprehensive program that empowers school champions – P.E. teachers, classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and parents – to create active environments that enable all students to get moving and reach their full potential.

Congratulations Shelly Grimes!

Shelly Grimes, physical education teacher at Harrand Creek Elementary School (Enterprise City Schools) submitted a Thanksgiving bulletin board idea to www.pecentral.org that was published on their Web page.  Shelly received a $50 eGift card for her published idea.  PE Central is a great resource for grades K-12 physical education and health education for lesson plans, units, assessments, bulletin board ideas, etc. The best feature is that is FREE!

Shelly also received a $1,000 ASAP grant for the 100 mile club.  How did she find out about the grant?  From my blogs and emails.  (See if pays to read my information!)

Shade Structure Grant

 Need shade on your outdoor area?  The American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Grant Program awards grants to public schools and non-profit organizations for installing permanent shade structures for outdoor locations that are not protected from the sun, such as playgrounds, pools or recreation spaces. Each Shade Structure Grant is valued up to $8,000, which includes the cost for a shade structure and installation. In addition to the grant, the Academy also provides a permanent sign near the shade structure. The AAD receives support for this program from its members and outside organizations.  Grant applications are due February 1, 2014.  For more information visit their Web page.