Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2012

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCEOVER $1.1 MILLION COMING TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS WESTERN NY

Federal Funds For The Kenmore-Tonawanda School District, Maryvale HS, & Portville Central School District Will Be Used To Expand Physical Education Programs For Students In Grades Kindergarten Through 12th

Schumer, Gillibrand: Funding Will Help WNY Schools Teach Importance of Nutrition and Active Living

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that a total of $1,117,246 has been awarded to two school districts and one high school in Western New York under the Department of Education's Carol M. White Physical Education Program. Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District has been selected to receive funding in the amount of $233,615. Maryvale High School is set to receive $564,961. Portville Central School District has been selected to receive $318,670 in this federal funding.

"This is great news for schools across Western New York," Schumer said. "Given the uptick in childhood obesity in our country, physical education is an important, yet often overlooked, part of a well-rounded education. This funding will help our schools teach kids the importance of good nutrition and leading a healthy and active lifestyle."

"This is a smart investment for Western New York schools," Senator Gillibrand said. "For our children to succeed in the classroom, they need healthy meals in the lunchroom and opportunities to stay active. These grants will help students in Western New York on their path to achieve their full potential."

Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District – The District’s Eat Healthy-Get Active program will coordinate and maximize school, community, and family resources to help elementary students meet New York State’s Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Education and Physical Education standards, while improving health and fitness outcomes. Objectives include: 1) students will report a 20% increase in the amount of minutes they spend each week engaged in rigorous physical activity; 2) 100% of students will participate in two units of outdoor education annually; 3) 100% of students will participate in two units of dance annually; 4) the Youth, Parks and Recreation Department will report a 20% increase in student enrollment in physical activities annually; 5) 100% of students will eat a nutritious breakfast every school day; 6) 100% students will take part in a comprehensive, embedded nutrition education program annually; 7) students will report at least a 15% increase in individuals consuming the recommended number of fruits and vegetables daily.

Maryvale High School -- Cheektowaga-Maryvale Union Free School District and partners (Sports AT, Maryvale Community Education, and the district Food Service vendor) will use "The Action Plan" project to help students develop healthy habits that will enable them to be physically fit and achieve a lifetime of wellness. Objectives include: 1) Analyzing and revising the current curriculum in order to better align classroom activities to state standards; 2) Purchasing new equipment that will engage students in higher levels of more effective physical activities; and 3) Having PE teachers and Health teachers collaborate to provide increased nutrition education and to educate students about the elements of a healthy lifestyle.

Portville Central School District -- The Portville, Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central School Districts, Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES and other partners will deliver a program that help serve over 2,000 K-12 students. The goals of the project are: enabling students to meet standards of the New York State Education Department (NYSED); providing PE teachers, coaches, and nurses with evidence-based professional development programs; designing, with parents, students and school educators, individual physical fitness and wellness plans; implementing a nutrition education curriculum to enable students to acquire critical nutrition information and adopt behaviors needed to maintain healthy eating habits; and purchasing/installing equipment to advance enhanced physical education curricula and individual fitness plans.

The Department of Education's Carol M. White Physical Education Program provides funds to community organizations and educational organizations to initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs for K-12 students in order to make progress toward meeting State standards for physical education by providing funds for equipment, support, and teacher training. Recipients of Carol M. White Physical Education Program grants must design and implement a program that clearly aligns to state standards for physical education and provide for one or more of the following: fitness education and assessment to help students understand, improve, or maintain physical well-being; instruction in motor skills and physical activities designed to enhance physical, mental, social, or emotional development; development of, and instruction in, cognitive concepts about motor skills and physical fitness that support healthy lifestyles; opportunities to develop positive social and cooperative skills through physical activity participation; instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition; and opportunities for professional development for physical education teachers to stay abreast of current research, issues, and trends in physical education.

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