Parent post newsletter issue three

Contents

• North Lanarkshire Council's active schools programme
• North Lanarkshire Council's active schools programme continued
• Integrated schools in North Lanarkshire
• Integrated school in North Lanarkshire continued
• Let's use the library - an information booklet for parents
• Upper school story bags
• Determined to succeed - a review of enterprise in education
• Parents' conference 2004 - 'can do, will do - the key to success!'

You can access PDF copies of the Parent Post newsletter issue three by using the download or request by post" box at the right hand side of the screen.

North Lanarkshire Council's active schools programme

Measures to tackle childhood obesity through the appointment of Active Schools Co-ordinators were the focus of a recent announcement by First Minister, Jack McConnell. North Lanarkshire Council is working closely with Sportscotland to contribute to the development and implementation of the active schools programme. It is proposed that 21 primary and 26 secondary school active schools co-ordinators will be appointed across North Lanarkshire.

Commenting on the programme Michael O'Neill, Director of Education, said "I am delighted to see these active schools co-ordinators posts introduced into our schools as they will play a key role in North Lanarkshire Council's efforts to increase the level of physical activity of our young people".

The active schools programme is building on the early successes of a pilot programme which began three years ago in Motherwell, Kilsyth and Coatbridge.

These programmes along with the Out of School Hours Learning and NOF Sports College programmes and other statutory and voluntary bodies have been integrated into a comprehensive whole school approach to physical activity. This will allow the newly titled active school co-ordinators to deliver more effectively to a wider group of children and young people.

These co-ordinators assisted by energetic professionals will adopt a co-ordinated, planned approach within all North Lanarkshire schools to:

• increase levels of activity including sports participation among school-aged children
• increase levels of activity including sports participation by girls and young women, young people from ethnic-minority communities, young people with physical and learning disabilities and young people in areas of socio-economic disadvantage.
• improve motivation and attitude amongst children and young people resulting in an increase in their achievements in all aspects of school and community life
• increase levels of activity including sports participation in formal and informal community settings
• increase numbers of young people acting as leaders/coaches in both the school and community settings.

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