McAuliffe School Integrates Active Living

“Okay boys and girls, let’s get ready for TAKE10!” These are the words of Mrs. Ortiz, 1st grade teacher at McAuliffe Elementary as she gears up to lead her students through 10 minutes of exercise at their desks. The students get excited, it is one of the few moments in the school day when they can be physically active. 20 years ago, Chicago Public Schools removed recess from the school day. For a generation, outside from 40 minutes of gym a week, children have been sitting for 5 ¾ hours a day.

After the installation of a landscaped playground in the summer of 2006, the McAuliffe administration took the leadership within the limited school day, to schedule a daily 10 minute recess for the K through 2nd grade. A small but very bold move towards providing holistic education.

To encourage more students and their parents to walk we have adopted an international program called the Walking School Bus. Parents commit to picking up children on their route to and from school everyday, assuring that they are getting to and from school physically and emotionally safe. The program will continue this year at McAuliffe, as well as at Funston and Mozart.

Marisa Galarza, AmeriCorps Member and community resident, coordinated the program last year and served as its cheerleader, leading TAKE 10! alongside the classroom teacher.

In partnership with the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation the school now has bike racks and a bike lock library. In June of 2007, the school hosted a very successful “Bike Day” teaching children bike safety, lead by Kelvyn Park High School students who completed the 16 week Jr. Bike Ambassadors Program. 100 members of the McAuliffe community have signed up for “Go Healthy” a pilot program designed to assist participants with replacing some car trips with alternative transportation: walking, cycling and/or public transportation.

For two years the Active Living Logan Square partnership, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Program coordinated by LSNA,

began working with the McAuliffe community to explore ways to promote and integrate physical activity. New this year will be the development of a Wellness Council and the introduction of a research based program called CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health), supported by the Illinois Department of Public Health.