Fitting In Exercise, Between Math and English

Five years ago, Richard Reiss, the physical education teacher at Public School 197 in Far Rockaway, Queens, went to the principal with a problem: not even the most athletic among his students, most of whom are poor and black or Latino, had enough endurance to run a mile.

The once-a-week physical education classes the school offered, far from what was needed to fulfill the minimum requirement set by the state, were not cutting it. Mr. Reiss suggested starting a walking club, then found out about something better: a free program led by New York Road Runners that is now operating in 450 schools across New York City and provides prizes based on miles logged.

P.S. 197’s 550 students, from prekindergarten through fifth grade, still have regular physical education classes only once a week, but 40 fourth- and fifth-grade pupils show up daily for the optional program at 7 a.m., 80 minutes before the first bell.

"When you’re given a limited budget, you have to ask yourself, ‘What’s the priority?’ " said Christina Villavicencio, who took over as principal at P.S. 197 last month. "Should I hire another science teacher or a gym teacher?"

Fernanda Santos

Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/nyregion/at-new-york-schools-finding-time-for-exercise.html?_r=1&hpw