Commit to Be Fit Newsletter

October 2024/Issue No. 291

Happy Halloween! C2BF participated in the Trunk or Treat event at the elementary school on October 31st. The team handed out a cereal trail mix to all students to go along with our "Cereal Killer" trunk theme! The trail mix consisted of chex, cheerios, popcorn, pretzels, dried cranberries and dark chocolate. Huge shout-out to Mrs. Katherine Todd for putting together this fun event!

This month, C2BF launched a digital detox challenge to both staff and high school students! The challenge focuses on establishing screen time metrics and reflecting on cell phone habits. Participants are to complete small, manageable challenges throughout the month in hopes to teach different tactics and be more mindful of how devices are being used. A few lucky winners will be picked to receive some awesome prices at the end of November!

On Tuesday, October 22nd, Commit to Be Fit welcomed FRESH Movement Coordinator, Taylor Welch, into our RCES Pre-K classrooms to teach active learning lessons . Research consistently supports the correlation between active learning and academic outcomes. C2BF has partnered with our sister organization, Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH) in hopes to establish a learning community between FCPS & RCPS school divisions, sharing and implementing SOL curriculum-based movement lessons while working together to identify barriers and challenges this initiative may present.

Ms. Welch will be on-site every week, leading math and language arts active learning lessons with our primary grades. This month, she worked with Pre-K students on their colors. To say these active lessons were a hit is an understatement! We look forward to this partnership and the positive impact it will have in our classrooms.

On October 10th, RCPS, with the assistance of Commit to Be Fit, participated in the Crunch Heard 'Round the Commonwealth to show our support for Virginia local farmers! Students and staff enjoyed a tasty CRUNCH into locally grown apples from F.T. Valley Farm at Mont Medi. Pictured above are just a few of MANY photos of our school family participating in the #VACrunch. Be sure to check the C2BF and RCPS Facebook page for the full albums.

Commit to Be Fit had a blast at Headwaters Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 5th. Kids and parents enjoyed the pumpkin bean bag toss and our BlazePod station (light reaction game), where some lucky winners earned fun prizes! Thank you, Headwaters Foundation, for including us in this fun day.

On October 17th, C2BF hosted a staff meal prep workshop in the RCES kitchen. Participants made a Chicken & Vegetable Teriyaki dump and go crockpot recipe to take home and enjoy. Scroll down to our featured recipe section to check it out!

We want to take a moment to express our appreciation to F.T. Valley Farms for providing our schools with fresh, crisp apples this month for the Crunch Heard 'Round the Commonwealth! They were a definite hit and many students came back asking for more. Thank you, F.T. Valley!

If you have the time one weekend, drop by their farm in Sperryville where they have a market full of fresh, local goodies and an apple orchard open for picking! To learn more about their farm and mission, check out their website HERE.

Thank you to our amazing school family for another successful POP Bucks season. Our last POP Bucks market for the 2024 season was on October 26th, however, if you have any leftover tokens, you can redeem them at the Rappahannock County Farmers Market until the last weekend on November 23rd!

Ever heard of apples being "bulk producing"? This means that they are nutrient dense, satisfying your hunger with its natural sugars that are easily digestible, providing a quick energy source. Apples are an excellent source of fiber, approximately five grams per medium apple. The fiber can aid digestion and help lower cholesterol. They also contain flavonoid quercetin, which helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells, reduces the incidence of lung cancer, and improves lung function. A medium-sized apple is free of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. All this and only 80 calories per serving. It's apple season! Make sure to pick your nutritious snacks up at your local orchards!

Got a stash of Halloween candy? Find a fun way to enjoy it guilt-free! Before diving into each piece, do a mini “candy workout”! No costumes required. Pick a small activity for every type of treat. For example, each chocolate bar could mean 10 squats, lollipops might call for a 15-second dance off, and each gummy bear earns you 10 jumping jacks. Be sure to swallow first. We don’t want to get choked! Think of it as a trick-or-treat fitness game.

Additionally, this strategy makes you savor the candy while giving your body a mini boost. And remember, hydration is key! Every few pieces, grab a sip of water to balance out that sugar high. So whether you’re munching on candy corn (gross), digging into some Hershey kisses (yummy), or being a cereal killer diving into a nice bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (even yummier), add a sprinkle of movement. Your body and taste buds will be in for a treat! Happy Halloween! Have fun, stay spooky, and keep moving!

With the crisp October and November air brings warm nights by the fire, warm sweatshirts and for some, the dreaded end of Daylight Savings Time and beginning of shorter days. This seasonal adjustment can impact not only our daily routines, but our health and wellness too. Tailoring your routine a few days before can help decrease the negative effects that might be felt from that one hour time change. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the new season adjustment:

• Gradually adjust your sleep routine by going to bed and waking up a few minutes earlier
• Set your clocks back the night before so your body has the whole next day to adapt
• Aim to get natural sunlight first thing in the morning as it helps your body reset its internal clock
• Avoid napping to reduce poor sleep quality
• Reduce screen time at night. Instead, focus on more relaxing and mindful exercises before bed

C2BF has a massive database of brain breaks and movement-based learning activities available to all RCPS teachers that cater to PreK-12th grade levels. These teacher resources can be found HERE on our website. As always, the C2BF team is more than happy to come into your classroom and lead these activities, while giving you an opportunity to a quick break. Email c2bf@rappahannockschools.us to schedule a time with the team!