Did you know that playing games will make you smarter! Well, Ms. Krista Parker’s class sure does! Haywood County Schools is participating in an online physical activity program that increases attending skills, focusing, and retention of classwork. The program is called GoNoodle and it features really FUN “brain breaks,” which are 3- to 4-minute physical activities to be done beside their desks. GoNoodle was introduced last year to HCS teachers by Coordinated School Health.

BCBST is sponsoring this program statewide to schools for the purpose for making students healthier and increasing academic performance. One-hundred-eleven teachers in our schools currently use GoNoodle “brain breaks,” and Ms. Cindy Smith will be working on increasing that next year. Of those schools, 100 percent of Anderson teachers use GoNoodle in their classrooms!

And of that 100 percent, Mrs. Krista Parker’s class has logged over 612 brain breaks for a total of 27,202 minutes … and her students have earned 16 “champs”! Champs are whimsical figures that you can print and post in your classroom to celebrate various numbers of brain breaks played. Mrs. Parkers’ class was treated to a smoothie party by Coordinated School Health for having the most brain breaks/usage at Anderson and Haywood County Schools … and probably the State of Tennessee!!! Way to go, Mrs. Krista!  WAY TO GO, HCS TEACHERS!