Recess and Classroom Behavior Study Released

Researchers reported on Monday that a growing trend of curbing free time at school may lead to unruly classrooms and rob youngsters of needed exercise and an important chance to socialize. The study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics said, "The available research suggests that recess may play an important role in the learning, social development, and health of children in elementary school."

School officials have acknowledged that since No Child Left Behind legislation was initiated in 2001 physical education and recess have suffered severe cutbacks in many places while schools focus on academic achievement. The research also found that the children who experience little or no recess and PE were likely to be poor, or black and from large urban cities.

The study results indicated that, among 8- to 9-year-old children, having 1 daily recess period of 15 minutes in length or longer was associated with better teacher's rating of class behavior scores. This study suggests that schoolchildren in this age group should be provided with daily recess.

Read more on School Recess and Classroom Behavior.

Eat Right Montana Resources

Eat Right Montana is a coalition that promotes healthy eating and an active lifestyle. According to their website, " You may use this information for any educational, noncommercial purposes - with credit given to Eat Right Montana".

Check out their monthly newsletters for download at: http://www.eatrightmontana.org/eatrighthealthyfamilies.htm

Great content in a "easy-to-use" format.

Is PE Necessary: The Army Thinks So

Is physical education a necessity? These's one agency that has a strong opinion on the matter. The military. With the nation at war the nation's fitness effects national security. The current situation is dire.

The Associated Press last week reported concerns over the number of overweight military applicants. The Defense Department told the AP over 47,000 recruits flunked induction physicals during the last four years.

How bad is the problem?

“I’d say that out of every 10 applicants that come in, probably three we couldn’t take -- they are obese” said Sgt. Darryl Bogan, a recruiter in Columbia, S.C. He estimated an additional 20 to 30 percent are slightly overweight but can still pass the physical. So dire is the situation that the Army is proposing a special camp for obese recruits.

Much of the blame lies with the neglect of physical education programs across the country. The erosion of physical education has many causes.

Article link on Is PE Necessary.

Losing has benefits!

The schools held food tastings, planted edible gardens, amped up physical education classes and moved recess to before lunch. The result? "It's working," said Sutin, deputy secretary for programs at the Department of Health. She was speaking about the community effort to reduce childhood obesity in Las Cruces, NM and specifically Coplee Elementary.

Their big pet project was the Healthy Kids program. Their slogan: "Building a fit future — one city at a time."


The Losing Game.

Health Games Research Grant

Health Games Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, encourages applicants to submit groundbreaking research ideas that will test behavioral health theories of game design, learning, attitude change, and skill development when applied to digital interactive games intended to improve players' physical activity and/or self-care. Proposals are due on April 8, 2009. Visit http://www.healthgamesresearch.org/ for the full Call for Proposals or call 888-635-7433 to request a paper copy.

Healthy Eating Research

Deadline: Feb 24, 2009

Program Area: Childhood Obesity

Purpose:
Healthy Eating Research is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The program supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Findings will advance RWJF's efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.

Round 4 funding focuses on studies of policy and environmental strategies in four areas:

1.food pricing and economic approaches;

2.food and beverage marketing;

3.improving access to healthy foods in low-income communities; and

4.evaluations of promising food-related policy and environmental strategies in settings where children and their families make food choices.

Call for Proposals and more information.

Peaceful Playgrounds PEP Grant Resources

Are you writing a PEP Grant? Check out our writing resources that are available for download and listed below. Also consider attending one of the Peaceful Playgrounds PEP Grant Writing Webinars.

1. Physical Education for Progress Grant - PEP Grant Info

2. PEP Narrative for Peaceful Playgrounds Program -

3. Peaceful Playgrounds Program Flyer pepflyer2009.pdf

4. PEP Narrative for including Peaceful Playgrounds, Fundamental Movement and We Count Pedometer Program in your PEP Grant -pepnarrativefunwecount2008.pdf

5. PEP Scoring Rubric for 2009 Grants -
Contact us for the latest information.

6. PEP Grant Application - pepapplication2009.pdf

7. PEP Frequently Asked Questions - pepfaq2009.pdf

8. PEP Budget for Peaceful Playgrounds, Fundamental Movement and We Count Pedometer Wellness
Programs - pepbudget2009.pdf

9. PEP 2009 Announcement in Federal Registry - pepannounce2009.pdf

Information on PEP Grants 2009

Type: Federal
Source: U.S Dept. of Education
Program:Carol M. White Physical Education Program
CFDA Number:84.215F
Eligibility:(a) LEAs, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law, and CBOs, including faith-based organizations provided that they meet the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
(b) The Secretary limits eligibility under this discretionary grant competition to LEAs or CBOs that do not currently have an active grant under the PEP program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or
funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.

Purpose:The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and
community-based organizations (CBOs) to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting State standards.

Name: N/A
Deadline: March 06, 2009
Maximum Award: $100,000-$500,000
Number Of Awards: 95
Period: Up to 36 months.

More Information: Carlette Huntley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 10071, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 202-245-7871 or by e-mail: Carlette.Huntley@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

URL: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-956.htm

Peaceful Playgrounds: Here we grow again!

Peaceful Playgrounds

Marana Elementary School implemented Peaceful Playgrounds last week. "Teachers and monitors immediately saw the whole tenor of the playground change from one of chaos to calm, with almost a total student involvement in the games," according to the story on the front page of the Marana News.

"The purpose is to get the kids out to play and have fun while learning rules like playing fair, and you can't say you can't play-to include everyone, to cut down on bullying, to help kids make safe healthy choices," said Shari Attebery, a counselor at the school.

The first Peaceful Playground was implemented in Murrieta, CA in 1998 and promptly won the California State Golden Bell Award for injury reduction at Curren Elementary School. The installation at Marana puts Peaceful Playgrounds in approximately 8000 schools across the nation serving 4 million students annually.

Peaceful Playgrounds Featured Articles

Have you missed any of our recently posted Peaceful Playgrounds featured articles. Topics include bullying, physical activity, nutrition, discipline, recess before lunch to name a few. Click on the links below for the complete articles.

Bullying Prevention: Life Lessons on Good and Evil


School Recess before Lunch

Countdown to Good Health: 5-4-3-2-1 Go

Playground Liability: Accident or Injury

Schoolwide Discipline: What Works?

Recess is on the Upswing

Low-Cost High-Activity Playgrounds

Why Bullying Programs Succeed or Fail

Job Announcement: Grant Writer

Peaceful Playgrounds is hiring a grant writer. Prior experience in writing Federal Grants is preferred. Experience with the PEP grant process a plus.

Applicants should send a current resume and a listing of successful grant applications. Apply to Melinda@peacefulplaygrounds.com Please do not call prior to sending resume. Open until filled.

Rethinking Playgrounds in Tucson

Learning to play "differently" was the goal of the new playground in Tucson last week. Manana Elementary School installed a new Peaceful Playground complete with 13 new game markings designed to reduce injuries, get students physically active and reduce bullying.

Colorful lines, letters, numbers and shapes blanket the courts — all used in a variety of games, including bowling, dodge ball and a multi-use circle.

Research shows that the Peaceful Playground program can reduce conflicts, increase motor skills, dramatically reduce injuries and maximize playground efficiency.

Rethinking Playgrounds complete article.......

Two Healthy Eating Grant Opportunities

Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. The program has issued two new calls for proposals.

Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Application Deadline: Feb. 24, 2009

The Healthy Eating Research Round 4 Call for Proposals focuses on studies of policy and environmental strategies in four areas: food pricing and economic approaches; food and beverage marketing; improving access to healthy foods in low-income communities; and evaluations of promising food-related policy and environmental strategies in settings where children and their families make food choices.

Healthy Eating Research New Connections 2009
Application Deadline: Feb. 24, 2009

This funding opportunity is for New Connections grants awarded through the Healthy Eating Research program. New Connections grants are for early career investigators from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities who bring special experience and expertise regarding the racial/ethnic and low-income populations and communities targeted by the Healthy Eating Research program.

This round of funding also focuses on studies of policy and environmental strategies in four areas: food pricing and economic approaches; food and beverage marketing; improving access to healthy foods in low-income communities; and evaluations of promising food-related policy and environmental strategies in settings where children and their families make food choices.

Schools struggle to meet PE Mandated Minutes Requirements

One-third of the children in West Virginia elementary schools did not receive the amount of physical education required by law last year, according to the state Board of Education. WV law requires 90 minutes of physical education a week for elementary school students. It is estimated that 30% of students and schools did not meet that requirement according to a report submitted to the State School Board.

Administrators at some schools that have not complied with the law claim that they do not have enough staff or adequate facilities to provide the required physical education. However one observer pointed out that if schools have staffing they have enough staff to comply with the mandate.

Monitoring requirements and sanctions fall with the state Office of Education Performance Audits. It is unlikely that things will change until State Board Members and the State Office of Education require physical education part of its criteria in determining whether public schools are doing an adequate job. "They should require - not request - that the physical education rules be met," was a solution pointed out by a local education reporter.

Peaceful Playgrounds: Prevents fighting and reduces playground injuries

There's something that's supposed to keep children from fighting on the playground, reduce playground injuries, and a lot more.

What is this miracle?

Marana's Twin Peaks Elementary School is trying it, a program called Peaceful Playgrounds according to the news coverage from KOLD Channel 9 Tucson, Az.

What began with some paint, ropes, hoops and balls ended with students problem solving, gaining new skills and learning a thing or two. All in the name of FUN.

KOLD – CBS News - Marana School Playing with a Change Peaceful Playgrounds Video

Bullying Prevention: Life lessons on good and evil

Playgrounds are the perfect laboratory for life lessons. As educators, we are called to insert “life lessons” into schooling. It struck me that we have an opportunity each day to teach the lesson of good action vs. evil action in school bullying situations. Bullying in schools is one of the most prevalent problems facing schools today. Yet bullying intervention programs have largely failed and it is fair to say, miserably.

Yet the opportunity to “practice” skills needed to take a stand against bullying is perhaps unequaled as bullying persists within the entire schooling experience from elementary to high school.

One of the most dramatic findings in bullying research is the focus on the bystander as an effective intervention strategy to reduce bullying. On those rare occasions when a witness does object to bullying, there is a good chance that the bullying will stop. In fact, researchers have reported that bystander objections effectively discourage bullying at least half the time.

If this sounds interesting read the January 09 Peaceful Playgrounds Featured Article called: Bullying Prevention: Life lessons on good and evil.

Physical Education for Progress Grants

Some of the most sought after grants available to physical educators are the Department of Education Federal PEP Grants. This program provides grants to initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs for K-12 students in order to help them make progress toward meeting state standards for physical education. PEP grants have a maximum $500,000 per year funding ceiling or a 1.5M cap for three years.

Peaceful Playgrounds has successfully assisted many school districts in securing grant funding for the past 5 years. Should you wish Peaceful Playground's grant writing team's assistance for your district PEP grant application, please call Andrea or Gwyn at 877-444-9888.

It is anticipated that the PEP grant applications will be released Jan. 15, 2009 and will be due March 6, 2009 according to the Federal Grant Registry. We will send out an announcement when applications are ready for download.

Remember to check out the Peaceful Playgrounds Grants webpage on our website for samples of winning PEP grants and application materials.

Peaceful Playgrounds Indoor Recess Solution

Why not teach children playground games and rules by showing the new Peaceful Playgrounds DVD games during inclement recess when kids are trapped indoors? Take the opportunity to make good use of time which will result in both teachers and students learning how to play many of the exciting and constructive playground games in the DVD set.

Navigate easy-to-use menus to select instruction for game demonstration of over 25 games actually filmed being played by real students. There are games for Pre-school and Kindergarten, Primary Grades 1-3 and Upper Elementary Grades 4-6.

These are all the games students will love, like Frog in the Sea, Scramble, Freezeout, Number & Alphabet Grids, Four Square, and many more!


Click here to watch our demonstration video!

Announcing January 09 Peaceful Playgrounds Webinars

Recess Before Lunch: 5 Steps to Success-
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 -10:00 AM PST-Free registration

How You Can Have a Peaceful Playground-
Friday, January 9, 2009 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 12:00 PM PST - Free registration

Grant Writing for Beginners
Friday, January 23, 2009 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration

Writing a Successful PEP Grant
Thursday, January 22, 2009-11:00 AM PST- Free registration
Thursday, January 29, 2009-10:00 AM PST- Free registration

Sign up today to reserve your spot.

PEP Grant Applications to be released Jan. 15, 2009

Physical Education for Progress (PEP Grant) Requests for Proposals are set to be released by the Department of Education on Jan. 15, 2009. Peaceful Playgrounds will post the application and related information on this blog and on our website grants page as soon as it is available. As usual it will be a short timeline for writing the grant as they are due on March 6, 2009.

Don't forget to visit our Grants webpage for resources and information to include in your grant proposal.

As has been the case in the past we will quickly create and make available a grant scoring rubic for scoring our PEP grant as soon as the PEP application is released. Check back on the blog and website for this information sometime after Jan. 20.

Be one of the first participants to sign up for our
PEP Grant Writing Free Webinars.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration for this date!
Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration for this date!