Move it Mondays are back! It’s more than just a fitness workout, it’s a way to wake up the brain and help our students get ready to exercise their minds. On the first Monday of each month, students in kindergarten to the 5th grade meet in the gym to start off the day with about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise.
On October 4, the students started their first round of academic assessment tests, called MAPS. Elementary Principal Gail Alford was glad the students could spend some time exercising that morning to help get their blood pumping before picking up their pencils. “Studies have shown that engaging in exercise before taking a test helps improve brain function and raises test scores,” Alford said.
In November, Move it Monday will be held on November 8 instead of November 1 and students will be able to wear their “Deeply Rooted” class t-shirts, PE shorts or sweatpants, and sneakers.
The exercise routines are led by Admissions Director Jessica Martin, a certified Personal Trainer and Zumba Instructor, who first began leading Move it Mondays in the fall of 2019. She leads line dances like the Cupid Shuffle and musical exercise routines to student favorites like Toby Mac’s “Backseat Driver” and Parry Gripp’s “It’s Raining Tacos.” With a lot of laughs and a few sore muscles, students and teachers alike head off to class in good spirits and ready to learn.
