The State of Connecticut’s Department of Education has recognized Greenwich Public Schools as a highly performing physically active school system (PASS).
As a result, the school received the 2019 Connecticut Red Ribbon PASS Program Award. The PASS award demonstrates the district’s commitment to implementing strategies for students to be physically active for at least 60 minutes throughout each school day, and recipients demonstrate the required standards noted below:
Connect: Successfully acknowledge the connection between mind and body through the offering of 60 minutes of activity daily.
Cooperate: Successfully develop and execute community-based physical programs (developing cooperation between school and members of the community).
Collaborate: Successfully promote collaboration among the school community and external stakeholders.
Communicate: Successfully communicate physical education programming and activities.
In the PASS Award application, Greenwich Schools demonstrated its commitment to physical education using the International School at Dundee as a representative example of the physical activity offered by the District.
Examples shared in the application include physical education classes, before and after school programming, and daily recess. The District also highlighted ISD’s PTA Sponsored Skate Night and Wellness Week program, and the school’s annual 5K Color Challenge Fundraiser.
ISD hosted a banner unveiling to commemorate the award on Wednesday.
“This is an exciting recognition for our entire school district,” said GPS Superintendent, Dr. Toni Jones, in a written statement. “Our Physical Education staff is committed to creating fun, inclusive and creative ways for our students to be active throughout their school experience.”
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) identified GPS as a PASS Award recipient on the department’s “Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child” (WSCC) webpage.
Program Coordinator for Physical Education/Health/Family & Consumer Science, Jeremy Boland, and Chief Academic Officer, Irene Parisi, attended the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s (CAHPERD) General Session on Nov. 21 in Cromwell, Conn., to formally accept the award.
“While Irene and I may have accepted the award, it was truly an honor given to our entire Physical Education staff, broader administration, PTA members and Greenwich community. I’m very proud to be able to say that Greenwich was one of only two school districts in the State of Connecticut that received this particular award,” Boland said.
Stated in the notification letter, “The CSDE commends your district’s efforts to provide students with opportunities to be physically active throughout the school day and shares your commitment to including physical activity as an essential component of student success.”
