Policy panel recommends revising wellness policy to encourage middle‑school movement breaks

The Prince George's County Policy & Governance Committee voted on May 12, 2026 to recommend revisions to Policy 0116 (wellness, nutrition and physical activity) after hearing research and practical recommendations from Prince George’s County Public Schools staff and middle‑school principals.

Amy Wiley, instructional supervisor for physical education, told the committee that the evidence links physical activity to brain function and social‑emotional wellness. "There's a neural connection — physical activity triggers that miracle growth for neurons," Wiley said, and she cited studies showing schools using active lessons experienced an approximately 6% gain in standardized test scores and some studies reporting a 7–8% reduction in adolescent anxiety and depression. Wiley recommended short, low‑barrier activities — sometimes 1–5 minutes — embedded in lessons or scheduled schoolwide as practical ways to scale movement without large schedule shifts.

Principals offered school‑level examples. Marcellus Clement, principal of Greenbelt Middle School, described a model he observed in student teaching where students had 15–20 minutes for eating followed by a ten‑minute supervised activity period for those who chose to participate. "When students get a chance to have that physical activity, it does calm some of our students down," Clement said, adding that logistics (staffing and access points to outdoor or gym space) determine feasibility. Kenneth Nance, principal of Buck Lodge Middle School, recommended whole‑school junctures such as a two‑minute stretch after lunch and leveraging advisory blocks for structured movement.

Committee members pressed on implementation details and equity. Board member Briggs asked about alternatives during inclement weather and accommodations for neurodivergent students; Wiley and the principals suggested virtual announcements, classroom‑embedded movement, hallway or auditorium walks, and professional development modeling for teachers. Mrs Welsh, the policy sponsor in the meeting, and Dr. Tammy Frasier, wellness program coordinator, noted that wellness champions and school‑based wellness teams can lead local implementation; Frasier said about 23% of schools currently have wellness teams and that targeted training and partnerships (including a $20,000 Kaiser grant referenced by staff) helped increase participation.

After questions and discussion about staff buy‑in, communications strategies (including tracking "movement minutes" and using apps or contests to encourage participation), Vice Chair Amy Olivo put the question to a roll call vote. Miss Johnson recorded three affirmative votes (Olivo, Briggs, Brown). "Policy 0116, wellness, nutrition, and physical activity will be recommended to the policy sponsor for revision approval," Olivo announced.

Next steps: The committee recommended the policy be revised and returned to the sponsor for drafting of administrative procedures and implementation guidance; the meeting record indicates staff will work with principals and wellness teams on professional development and communication plans to support pilot and scale efforts.

Vote: Committee recommended Policy 0116 to the policy sponsor for revision approval; roll call recorded three affirmative votes (Olivo, Briggs, Brown).