Sumner Schools to Overhaul Physical Education Programs

Kids attending Sumner schools will get a leg up on health and fitness, thanks to a federal grant.

The district is one of six in the state that snagged a Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. In all, the district will receive $1.6 million over three years, with $496,754 coming in during the grant’s first year.

The grant affords the district the ability to develop a district-wide physical education curriculum. Currently, PE programs vary from school to school, said Erin LaVerdiere, executive director of teaching and learning.

Schools also will gain new PE and fitness-related equipment like pedometers – and all schools will get an equal share. What schools have now varies depending on the amount school principals allocate in building budgets and contributions from groups like parent-teacher organizations, said LaVerdiere. With the grant, all elementary schools might get heart rate monitors instead of just a few, for example.

The lack of a cohesive physical education curriculum to date comes down to budgeting priorities, said LaVerdiere.

“This district would not be able to put money into PE without the grant because it’s not a core subject—we couldn’t afford it,” she said.

Other grant highlights include a software system that will be used to track health data for students in the district. Such assessment tools help educators track student progress and aid students in understanding, improving or maintaining their physical well-being, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant also provides funding to strengthen fitness-related community partnerships, including after-school programs.

There are strings attached. The district must put in matching funds that equal a quarter of the federal grant funds. The three year total will be $363,000. In the first year, the district must allocate $121,000.

Though district matching funds and grant money don’t go toward core curriculum subjects like math, teacher Loren Willson predicts the programs the PEP grant funds will pay off when it comes to classroom performance.

“Tons of data shows that healthier kids are better learners. This curriculum will help move kids and the community to a higher-profile understanding of health,” said Willson, a teacher on special assignment for secondary curriculum and special development.

“It pays off all the way around,” agrees LaVerdiere, noting the funds come at a time when concern about childhood health is at an all-time high. 

“We’re saturated with media reports about obesity and early onset diabetes,” said Willson. A required aspect of the PEP grant is teaching kids about healthy lifestyle and diet choices that can help prevent such ailments.

The district was up against hefty competition such as the Seattle School District, also one of six districts in the state to gain a PEP grant. Other schools receiving grants are the Tumwater, Toutle River Ranch, Wahluke and Sachem Central school districts.

 “We’re just slightly below what Seattle got,” said school board member Jeff DeMarre, noting that since Sumner is a smaller district the dollars will go farther.

Nationwide, 76 grants were awarded.

 “This was a long shot and we got it,” said Willson. “It was like that 3-point field goal right at the buzzer.”