Valley Point Elementary is one of nine Georgia schools to earn a Georgia SHAPE Initiative planning grant.
SHAPE is an acronym for the Georgia Student Health and Physical Education Act passed in 2009.
Twelve schools received up to $5,000 each to implement or improve physical activity and nutrition plans. Those plans are determined by health-related school assessments that prioritize the schools’ needs. The money will also be used for training and technical assistance. Nine schools received up to $3000 each to develop physical activity and nutrition plans.
Officials said, "Research has shown that children are much more physically active if they attend schools that schedule, promote and supervise opportunities such as structured recess, short classroom-based activity breaks and before and after-school activities. Georgia currently ranks third in the nation for overweight and obese children."
“These grants will go a long way toward improving childhood fitness and nutrition,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner, Georgia Department of Public Health. “We must teach our children the importance of physical activity and the lifelong benefits of healthy eating, lessons they hopefully will carry with them throughout their lives.”