What is PASS?

PASS, a Physically Active School System, is a program through which school districts can utilize opportunities for school-based physical activity that contribute to overall fitness and enhanced cognition and which can be broken down into four integral parts. First, there needs to be an understanding of the important connection between mind and body. Making this connection is crucial to the success of the program and on a bigger scale, to have an impact on childhood obesity. The positive effects of connecting physical activity to learning have been around for many years (Berg & Sady, 1983; McKenzie et al., 1996; Sallis & McKenzie, 1998; Stone, McKenzie, Welk, & Booth, 1998; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS] 2000). However, it wasn't until Ratey (2008) published his book, Spark: the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain; that we have begun to take notice.

Second, cooperation among administrators (superintendents & principals), faculty (classroom teachers, physical educators, and other "special" subject areas), parents, and children needs to occur. Administrators need to be supportive of training for classroom teachers, so they are comfortable implementing informal, formal and contentrich physical activities in the classroom. They also need to recognize the importance of daily, quality physical education programs. These types of comprehensive programs not only provide health benefits for students, but can also reinforce the classroom curriculum, through such programs as the ABC's of Fitness (Katz, 2007) and Action Based Learning (Blaydes, 2000). There needs to be support of and cooperation among these groups in order for PASS to be successful.

Third, collaboration among legislators, institutions of higher education, community leaders, school administrators and parents needs to occur. Legislators need to provide opportunities for grants and service learning projects throughout their districts. Colleges and universities need to prepare their pre-service teachers to not only understand the benefits of physically active classrooms, but to be able to effectively implement a physically active program in their student teaching placement and eventually in their full-time employment. Partner with organizations (i.e. parks and recreation departments, youth development organizations, local governments, health service providers, faith-based organizations, and parents) to build communities around good nutrition, and positive and inclusive physical activity. Legislators need to provide policy change, incentives, enabling resources, guidance and support to this end.

Finally, it takes a village to raise one healthy child, and in that vein, a mass communication effort needs to take place to craft the message and image of physical activity and physically active learning as an expectation and a right! Advertise the good news regarding physical activity and learning, and the cooperation and collaboration that is taking place among the schools, community leaders, legislators, and parents for the success of their children and our future. Comprehensive school health and physical education programs are a good start, but as we know from past experience they are not enough on their own. Physically active classrooms, intramurals, before and after school programs, community outreach programs, and parks and recreation programs all have to work together to provide the most optimum experiences for children and adults to participate in physical activities.

In order for PASS to be successful the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders should be addressed. These individuals should have a vested interest in PASS the best approach is to include representatives from: school boards, administrators, school faculty and staff, students, parents, and community partners. Chapter Two will elaborate on who the key stakeholders are and their respective roles and responsibilities.

Having a solid understanding of the benefits of a PASS program and why it is needed will help the reader to make important connections between mind and body in order to make a lasting commitment for creating a physically active environment. Being physically active is important in combating hypokinetic diseases and certain types of cancer (United States Department of Health and Human Services USDHHS, 1996-present). We can now add to the long list of benefits of physical activity; increased cognition, focus, and overall readiness to learn. It is the intent of the authors, in this chapter, to help all educators understand and be able to feel comfortable using the powerful tool of movement to enhance students' physical, emotional, spiritual, and cognitive abilities.

Whether an administrator, faculty member, classroom teacher, or special area teacher, (Art, Music and Physical Education) everyone wants students test scores to improve and know that they contributed to it. These improved scores validate the roles and influence of educators and administrators. The purpose of this book is threefold: First to provide compelling information through a review of literature, for why movement needs to be incorporated into the school culture. Interviews with Pre K-12 educators to gather ideas and best practices for interdisciplinary teaching will be shared, along with an analysis of pre-existing data from state standardized test scores. Secondly the book will provide a framework on how to get started creating a physically active school system for administrators and educators. A variety of teaching strategies and techniques will be included in order to better understand the role physical activity plays in the classroom, which will in turn contribute significantly to improved cognition among students. Physical activity differentiates instruction, increases retention, motivation, attention and engagement in the learning process. Thirdly the book will provide a variety of activities that can be incorporated before and after school, during school, at home with the family and within the community. The primary focus of this book will emphasize the importance of using physical activity to its full potential by all educators.

Although it is important that high quality physical education programs exist within a school, it is only the beginning to solving the childhood obesity problem and how sedentary we as a nation have become. With all the research being done about the effects of physical activity on focus, cognition, readiness to learn (California State Board of Education, 2007, Ratey, 2008), and armed with the fact that aerobic activity can actually help create new neurological pathways, and the Naperville, IL model, (Ratey, 2008) we now have proof that fit kids are smarter. We cannot over emphasize the...