Blue Zones can help students do better

This is my favorite time of year. As chief academic officer of Fort Worth ISD, I have the pleasure of welcoming more than 86,000 students back into classrooms across the city, and watching young minds expand and grow with every passing day. It is an enormous responsibility — and one I share with other leaders, school administrators, teachers and parents.

That’s why, in the scramble of establishing your back-to-school routine, I hope you will consider a few tips that can help your child succeed in the classroom this year.

Studies consistently link healthy behaviors with stronger academic performance. For example, CDC data show that students who make mostly A’s and B’s are more likely to get recommended amounts of physical activity than students who make lower grades. Making well-being a priority for young learners also prepares them for a lifetime of better health.

That’s why Fort Worth ISD has partnered with community well-being initiatives FitWorth and Blue Zones Project. Both efforts focus on building a stronger, healthier Fort Worth — and to achieve sustainable results, we must engage the next generation.

Blue Zones Project principles are based on lifestyles in areas of the world where people are most likely to reach age 100. Schools across our district and beyond are getting involved, and a lot of innovative things are happening —from incorporating movement into lessons throughout the day and adding more fresh produce to the lunch menu to teaching children techniques to downshift and reduce stress.

Blue Zones Project also supports the Fort Worth ISD 100x25 FWTX literacy project, which aims to get 100 percent of Fort Worth third-graders reading on grade level or above by 2025. It’s another way Blue Zones Project contributes to making sure children have the resources they need to learn and grow while setting the stage for a healthier generation.

As your child settles into school, here are some suggestions from Blue Zones Project.

• Walk or bike to campus with your child. Kids will arrive alert and ready for class.
• Make time each evening to discuss homework, school activities and any anxieties. A family walk is a great way to spend time together.
• Turn off electronic devices in the bedroom. Texting and watching TV make it harder to get a good night’s sleep.
• Set out fruit and other healthy after-school snacks so kids can fuel up for studying and practice.
• Fill the refrigerator with water. Cut back on sugary drinks.
• Plan healthy meals in advance. Eat dinner as a family as often as possible.

These tips are based on Blue Zones Project’s Power 9 principles—nine habits shared by the world’s longest living people. These principles aren’t just for students, of course; well-being is important at every age, and you can easily practice the Power 9 as a family. For example, you can Move Naturally by going for walks, parking father away from the store, or just playing outside together. Physical activity improves health and clears the mind for better thinking. And we have seen that pay off in the classroom.

To learn about the Power 9 and how leaders in our community are living these principles every day, I encourage you to visit LiveLongFortWorth.com.

On behalf of Fort Worth ISD, best wishes for an outstanding school year.

This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Blue Zones can help students do better."