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Active Schools: Let's Move Kansas! (ASLMK) is an initiative that provides training for Kansas physical education teachers to become Physical Activity Leaders (PALs) for their schools. In addition, ASLMK offers school-wide in-services and regional Team Workshops. The overarching goal is to ensure that every school delivers a comprehensive school physical activity program with quality physical education as the foundation so that youth develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. 

Overview of Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas!

• This initiative, funded by the Kansas Health Foundation, has trained over 400 physical educators across Kansas schools to become Physical Activity Leaders. College and University faculty who prepare pre-service teachers have also received ASLMK training. In addition, ASLMK offers school-wide in-services and regional Team Workshops.
• ASLMK is a collaborative effort between KSDE, the Kansas Health Foundation, and KAHPERD. This collaboration received a Presidential Citation at the SHAPE America National Convention in Spring 2015 at Seattle, WA for "Outstanding support and contributions to SHAPE America.". 
• ASLMK enlists a group of Kansas physical educators who are national-level trained to provide the various PAL trainings, In-Services, and Team Workshops. All these are focused on improving schools through increasing student physical activity without loss of instructional time and creating a school culture that emphasizes movement.
• ASLMK trainers and grant staff have been active nationally, to promote the tremendous strides Kansas is taking to create healthier, more active school environments, with quality physical education at the core.
• ASLMK-trained university faculty are exploring feasible and realistic ways to incorporate the concepts of CSPAP into physical education teacher preparation programs. 

Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas! PAL Trainings
PAL (Physical Activity Leader) trainings are held each summer and consist of the following:

• Full-day regional trainings of physical educators, complete with travel reimbursement.
• Educational resources and equipment to assist them with incorporating physical activity into the school day - value of $300+.
• An Active Schools banner, an ASLMK shirt, a one-year membership to KAHPERD, and registration for the annual KAHPERD Convention.
• Year-long mentoring assistance from ASLMK training cadre.

Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas! In-Services

• ASLMK In-Services are designed to expose all school staff to ASLMK elements with a focus on increasing student physical activity.
• Two ASLMK trainers provide the in-service and focus on incorporating brain breaks, making recess active, and increasing family and community involvement.
• Schools receive approximately $200 worth of resources and equipment to encourage student physical activity.
• There is no cost to the school for the ASLMK In-Service.

Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas! Team Workshops

• ASLMK Team Workshops are designed for teams of three (PE teacher, Principal, Classroom Teacher) to attend an all-day regional training focused on the development of action plans to implement in their schools to increase student physical activity.
• The Team Workshops are specifically designed to assure buy-in from building administration and other staff so there is a true "team" working in the school to increase student physical activity.
• ASLMK trainers provide the workshops and focus on incorporating brain breaks, making recess active, and increasing family and community involvement.
• Schools receive approximately $200 worth of resources and equipment to encourage student physical activity in addition to $300 to help offset costs of travel and substitute pay.
• There is no cost to the school for the ASLMK Team Workshop.

Rationale for Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas!

• All children and youth should participate in at least 60 minutes of accumulated physical activity on all or most days of the week. With societal and technological changes, many children do not reach this recommended threshold of physical activity on a regular basis.
• The school day is a golden opportunity to implement multiple periods of activity.
• In addition to health benefits, emerging research suggests physical activity can improve academic performance.

Three Key Messages:

• ASLMK can be incorporated to facilitate youth activity before, during, and after school to help children reach the 60 minutes of recommended physical activity each day. Physical activity has been demonstrated to improve health and academic performance.
• The Active Schools initiative brings together national education leaders to redefine school-based physical activity and offer new leadership opportunities for physical education teachers.
• ASLMK is equipping Kansas physical education teachers, classroom teachers and other school staff members, administrators, school boards, and parents with tools to create an active learning environment. 

How to participate in Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas!
If you are interested in any of the ASLMK offerings (PAL Trainings, In-Services, Team Workshops) please contact Mark Thompson at mathompson@ksde.org.

ASLMK Project Personnel:

• Project Director: Rhonda Holt
• Project Oversight: Mark Thompson, KSDE

For more information on or to express interest in participating in any of the ASLMK offerings, contact Mark Thompson at mathompson@ksde.org or 785-296-6823.