General Information

The Support Healthy Active Kids in Education (SHAKE) program has become an integral part of the Petaluma City Schools District (PCS). Parent volunteers are working closely with the district administration and our educational staff to provide positive promotion of student health and fitness through physical activity and proper nutrition. SHAKE has three primary objectives:

" P.E. Specialists at each of our six elementary schools,

" Nutritional education through our garden program,

" Healthy food choices incorporated into our school policies and cafeteria menus.

SHAKE has been successful due to the significant financial support provided by our Grand Champion Partners including; the Petaluma Health Care District, Kaiser Permanente and St. Joseph Health Systems; as well as our school PTAs and local business owners and community service organizations. SHAKE provides the opportunity for physical education classes to over 2300 students from grades Kindergarten through 6th. Our PE specialists work alongside our staff members to create an enriched physical education/activity program, utilizing curriculum established from a partnership with Sonoma State University and the Petaluma Physical Education Program: Promoting Active Lifestyles in Students (PPEP PALS).

SHAKE has also retained a district wide garden coordinator. This individual will expand upon existing garden programs, establish garden leadership teams at each school site, and promote long term sustainability of each school site garden. Our hope for the future is not only to share the harvest of each school garden with our individual cafeterias, but also the local communities. Expansion and exploration of school gardens will also provide academic enrichment for our students; as it can be incorporated into school science programs to fulfill state mandated science standards.

PCS parents and staff, and many parents across the country, are concerned with the ongoing threat of childhood obesity, the climbing occurrence of Type II Diabetes in children, and the lack of physical activity in general because of too much television and video games. SHAKE is a way to address these issues head on, to make a fundamental change in our children's lives.

Through SHAKE we are working together to make a difference, to inspire long term healthy lifestyle choices for our children, and support our local educational programs. We are taking action now for a healthier future for our children.

Program Contacts:

Debbie Prusinovski: Volunteer Program Coordinator, 795-8701, dap3@comcast.net

Eileen Rohan: PCS Director Educational Services,778-4619, erohan@pet.k12.ca.us

Vanessa Passarelli: District Garden Coordinator, 322-0939, vep9@hotmail.com

Sue Oaks: District Physical Education Coordinator, 765-1567, ppepoaks@iscweb.com