Healthy Elementary School of the Future now also in Kerkrade

Elementary schools De Schatkist and Steltloper in Kerkrade will start after the Carnival vacations with the concept Healthy Elementary School of the Future. This involves paying attention to healthy food and varied exercise every school day.

At a Healthy Elementary School of the Future, children receive a daily healthy snack and a healthy and varied 30-minute lunch. There is also an hour in the lunch break for sports and exercise. As a result, a school day lasts longer than usual. The GBT is an existing and proven effective program implemented from the large-scale health and vitality project in Kerkrade Vie - Leven in beweging, from one of the main program lines; 'A healthy youth'.

Education alderman Jo Schlangen: "We are delighted that both elementary school, including the parents of the pupils, embrace the philosophy of the Healthy Primary School of the Future. Kerkrade invests wholeheartedly in healthy youth. A healthy lifestyle of the youth now bears fruit in the future. And perhaps the children motivate their parents to consciously engage in a healthy lifestyle."

The GBT schools in Kerkrade are part of Vie - Living on the Move and are financed by Vie as well as an additional contribution from the Social Economic Structure Strengthening program from the Regio Deal. One of the program lines is the realization of eight Healthy Elementary Schools of the Future in Parkstad, two of which are now starting up in the municipality of Kerkrade. The aim of the Regio Deal is to address the disadvantaged position of Parkstad and make a contribution to improving the socio-physical quality of life in Parkstad. From this objective, Vie - Living on the Move has previously been supported with Regio Deal funds.

Agreement Participation Councils

This school year, both elementary schools have worked hard to gain support for the GBT concept. For example, the Participation Councils of both elementary school have agreed to adjust the teaching hours. This is a prerequisite for starting this concept.

At Steltloper Elementary School, the road to the GBT started after the summer vacations with the introduction of exercise breaks. Pedagogical employees of Kinderopvang Parkstad are used for this. They are supported by interns from Fontys. Ninety percent of Steltloper's parents agreed to the concept of the GBT in a survey.

Director Frank van Erve of Steltloper: "We are very happy about this. The whole team as well as the parents are behind this concept. In a time where healthy food and exercise play an increasingly important role, we are delighted to be able to implement this concept with our children. Different exercise activities and a varied lunch provide a nice offer that the students can benefit from in this concept."

Big steps

Elementary School De Schatkist has recently made great strides in becoming GBT. To gauge support among parents, a survey was conducted. This showed great support; 84 percent agreed with this educational concept after the first survey. Director Birgitte van Hecke of De Schatkist: "After discussions with parents who still had questions, we are almost at full agreement. That is fantastic. We have of course also asked the children what they think of the GBT; unanimously the middle and upper school say yes to the concept. They are looking forward to eating lunch together and playing sports every day; they are eager to get started."

Also at De Schatkist, pedagogical staff from Kinderopvang Parkstad will soon take care of filling the exercise breaks. By doing sports at noon in particular, Van Hecke expects the students' concentration in the afternoon classes to increase. "During the break, the brain is reset, so to speak, so they start the afternoon program refreshed," she says. In the long run, she hopes students learn healthy behaviors. "We are laying a foundation now for healthy living in the future. We hope the kids quickly gain an understanding of what healthy eating is and why exercise is so important."