Welcome Back

Welcome back to a new school year.  I hope that everyone had a relaxing yet exciting summer. 

This was a great summer for the Wellness Committee and the Healthy Active Schools program.  Here are a few of the summer events:

• Over the summer, Centennial had a visit from the Center for Disease Control, the Healthy Active Schools grant funders.  They came all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to visit Centennial and David Douglas SD.  They were very impressed with the passage of the Wellness Policy and AR in Centennial.  We visited the CMS track and Centennial Learning Center’s garden and school kitchen. 
• CMS Track:  As suggested by the Wellness Committee, we resurfaced the CMS track!  We meet with Atlas, the company the district contracts with for the track, early in the summer about what it would take to fix the track.  They gave us an estimate that was very reasonable and something that was feasible using both grant funds and district funds.  It was a great opportunity to promote physical activity for CMS students, Lynch Meadow students, staff and the larger Centennial community. Come by and see it. 
• Playworks:  Four schools; Lynch Wood, Oliver, Parklane, and Pleasant Valley, had an opportunity to participate in a Playworks training.  This training gave playground staff the skills to run a structured recess program.  Playworks focuses on getting children more involved in a safe, inclusive recess environment.  They focus on teaching students how to play but also how to solve playground conflicts using Rock, Paper, Scissors.  The goal is to reduce referral and other negative behavior that happens on the playground and to encourage healthy physical activity for all students. 
• Drinking Fountains:  New water fountains are being installed in four schools: Lynch View, CMS, Pleasant Valley and Lynch Wood.  The fountain at Lynch View has been complete and is located outside the cafeteria.  The fountain at CMS should be finished in the next few days.  
• New Superintendant:  I have met with Teresa Baldwin, Centennial’s new superintendent, to discuss the grant and the Wellness Committee.  Teresa is a big advocate of health and wellness and is very supportive of the work we are doing.  She and I are also looking at ways to continue this work when the grant is over on March 16^th.

It has been a great summer and I am ready for a great school year.  PLease let me know if the Wellness Committe can support your projects and ideas.