The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE) will recognize Mississippi’s top school-community partnerships during the Governor’s Awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 23 at the Jackson Marriott Downtown. The luncheon is part of activities planned for the 26th annual State Conference on March 22 and 23, which will be co-hosted for the first time this year by MAPE and the Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS), Inc.
Two of the Governor’s Award winners to be honored at the luncheon are programs through the College of Education at Delta State University that partnered with schools in the Cleveland School District.
During fall 2010 and continuing into this spring semester, Delta State’s Healthy Campus/Community Initiative has worked with Bell Academy in Boyle to engage the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in a nutrition and fitness awareness program called Fit-Tastic Friday. The purpose of the program was to improve diet and fitness habits and education, and it involved a registered dietitian, fitness coordinator and DSU physical education and nutrition majors to provide professional oversight and instruction. Activities included hands-on nutritional and fitness activities and parental involvement.
Fit-Tastic Fridays encouraged positive behavioral changes and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Assessments showed a 23% increase in knowledge of healthy nutrition and 18% increase in the number of students enjoying physically active games at recess.
For the past three years, the Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) with the Cleveland School District has been involved in Project PEAK (Physical Education and Active Lifestyle for Kids). The partnership created Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant to provide funding for PE equipment, staff, and support. PEAK Project has provided the Cleveland School District with improved capabilities to meet Code 4012 of the Mississippi Public Schools Accountability Standards. With more than fifty volunteers, over 3,500 students have been impacted through this partnership. The results show a higher percentage of students have moved to the “healthy zone” with a decrease of students in the “at risk” category. Gains were made in optimal body fat percentage, cardiovascular fitness, abdominal muscular fitness and upper-body flexibility. A K-12 district curriculum guide was implemented to coordinate Physical Education instruction.
“Partnerships provide resources and funding for many innovative programs that simply wouldn’t exist without a community support network,” said Debbie Anglin, MAPE president and director of communications for the Pascagoula School District. “In the face of mounting budget cuts in education, partnerships continue providing the resources that schools need to offer creative, high-quality learning opportunities that benefit students, teachers, parents and communities.”
Recipients of 2011 Governor’s Awards and the MAPE Board of Directors Partnership Excellence Awards will be recognized during the conference luncheon beginning at 12 noon.
Governor’s Awards recipients are as follows:
- AMORY – Amory School District and Gilmore Foundation
- BOYLE – B.L. Bell Academy and Delta State University Healthy Campus/Community Initiative – Fit-Tastic Fridays
- CLEVELAND – Cleveland School District and Delta State University College of Education, Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation – Project PEAK (Physical Education and Active Lifestyle for Kids)
- HATTIESBURG – N.R. Burger Middle School Parent Student Teacher Association, Target and Dollar General – Reading Through the Arts
- JACKSON – Brown Elementary and Millsaps College – 100% Adopt-A-Class Program
The Governor’s Award selection committee, comprising representatives from business, industry, nonprofits and education, judged each entry using a uniform set of criteria to measure overall effectiveness of partnership activities.
For information about the State Conference and Governor’s Awards, visit www.mapie.org or www.preps.msstate.edu. Details about each partnership are posted on the website.
