ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) — With a mission to improve the health and wellness of children around the Shenandoah Valley, Sentara RMH has donated items to teachers to increase ‘brain breaks’ at a school in Rockingham County.
Exercise balls, music, yoga mats, bikes, and flexible seating were all provided by Sentara RMH to Lacey Spring Elementary.
Through a grant from the Virginia Foundation For Healthy Youth, RMH has provided classrooms at Lacey Spring Elementary with exercise balls, yoga mats, and flexible seating to keep kids moving.
“RMH has provided things for classroom teachers such as bouncy balls and other fitness-related things, sensory items,” Principal Tammy May said. ” These are things that kids can manipulate, things that will get children to move their bodies and get the blood flowing.”
Principal May and her teachers have implemented more ‘brain breaks’ throughout the day and routines throughout the week, such as Walk the School Wednesday where students walk the perimeter of the school with their classmates.
They also have “Fitness Fridays,” where staff are encouraged to wear fitness clothes to school and the P.E teacher will come by a classroom and get students moving through exercises.
“I do different exercises all the time,”Chase Reid, a third grader, said. “So I do jogging sometimes and sometimes I like to do ninja moves.”
In addition to fitness activities, Lacey Spring Elementary also sponsors food tastings to get kids to try healthier options.
Teachers at the school said over the past two years of wellness initiatives at the school, they’ve seen students improve in the classroom and better retain information.