ECISD gets a boost in CATCH, Bowie teacher to receive award

In mid-September, members of the Ector County Independent School District received a refresher course in Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH), a nationally recognized physical education and nutrition program.

CATCH is designed to promote physical activity and healthy food choices and prevent tobacco use in elementary and middle school-aged children.

CATCH booster workshops provide participants with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to support the CATCH program in school, after school and recreational settings.

Several years ago ECISD implemented CATCH in their elementary schools. They now plan to launch the program in grades 6-8 following state mandates. Attending the training were physical education and health teachers, school administrators, food service staff and counselors.

Susan Nix, ECISD coordinator of science, health and physical education, remarked, "I am excited that we are expanding our school health programs in the upper grades.

It is so inspiring to see a school-wide push for health and wellness. "Susan is especially pleased that one of their Bowie Junior High Physical Education teachers, Laqueetia Mathis, will receive a CATCH award at the annual convention for the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance this month. Says Nix, "Laqueetia has done an outstanding job with CATCH, motivating her campus and implementing a strong health and wellness program."

CATCH is an evidence based, K-5 coordinated school and after school health program that focuses on classroom curricula, child nutrition services, physical education and family involvement.

In addition to educational materials on nutrition and physical activity, the publisher and distributor of the CATCH Program resource materials, FlagHouse Inc., offers training, resources, physical education equipment and grant-writing guidance.

The CATCH program began as a research study funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in 1991 to help elementary schools, children and their families adopt healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

Research teams from the University of Texas-Houston, Tulane University, University of Minnesota, and the University of California, participated in what is still the largest and most rigorous school-based health promotion trial ever conducted.

Today, more than 7,000 schools across the United States implement the CATCH program.

Kathy Chichester, National CATCH Coordinator stated, "We're thrilled to know that CATCH is thriving in elementary schools within ECISD, and that students in grades 6-8 will have the opportunity to participate in the program as well. We're confident that they will achieve the same positive results and wish the district continued success in the months to come."

For more information on CATCH trainings, email training@catchinfo.org or visit http://www.CATCHInfo.org.