McAllen Independent School District Becomes 1st In the US To Implement 'Let's Move, Active Schools' Districtwide

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McAllen Independent School District (McAllenISD), a predominantly Latino district, recently became the first nationwide to have all of its 32 schools join the Let’s Move, Active Movement!

District Coordinator for K-12 Health & Physical Education After School Enrichment Programs, Mario Reyna, is credited with having worked to promote a plan of action which would provide school leaders with activation strategies and support to implement healthier practices in schools.

Prior to becoming a Let’s Move! Active Schools district, Reyna attended multiple conferences where he learned various strategies to get students moving for at least 60 minutes a day. Soon afterward, Reyna started working to get buy-in from key leaders like the district’s Superintendent Dr. James Ponce, the McAllen ISD Board of Trustees, and teachers. By November 2013, there was enough support from the community that a “Let’s Move!” Proclamation, was made at one of the school board’s meetings.

Prior to the proclamation only two elementary schools instituted recess before lunch. Now, after only one year of implementation all 20 elementary schools have recess after lunch. Additionally, school principals and the greater the community have set out to make physical activity throughout the school day a priority.

“As a health and wellness advocate and an educator, I strive to help increase physical activity and physical education opportunities for kids, not just in McAllen, but across the entire state of Texas,” said Reyna in a Let’s Move blog post. Ultimately, I want to impact as many kids as possible.”

Watch the video to the right to see how Mc Allen ISD is working to implement Let’s Move, Active schools.

Read the Let’s Move blog to learn more about healthy changes in McAllen and how McAllen ISD became the first district to earn 100% Let’s Move recognition.

Read the 2013 Let’s Move McAllen proclamation statement.

Visit Salud America!‘s resources for more information on Active Play & Latino kids by clicking here.