Fouke Elementary School Principal Ken Endris supervising children’s workout.

Fouke Elementary School in Southwest Arkansas has been getting national attention for being able to reduce the obesity rates of its children by nine percent at a time when childhood obesity rates are increasing in most of the nation. And guess what? As weight has gone down, attendance and test scores have gone up. It turns out that healthier children with better self esteem also learn better. In 2011 the National Center for Educational Achievement named Fouke Elementary as one of 83 High Performing Schools in the State.

“Want to improve kids’ grades?” asks Fouke Elementary School Principal Ken

Endris. “Get them moving.”

The school has a multifaceted approach to the problem. Children are encouraged to be physically active. It starts when the kids get off the bus in the morning. Instead of just standing around, they head to the gym after breakfast to

work out with Endris, physical education teacher Philip McFerrin, and two instructional assistants, Robyn Eaves and Sissy Crabtree. They play ball games, do relays, tumble, etc.                                          

These activities are also available for children who stay for the after school programs such as the Principal’s Running Club.

In 2008 the school received a SNAP-Ed grant for a nutrition instructor to provide each of the 550 elementary students 40 minutes of nutrition instruction per week. The nutrition instructor, Melisa Plunk, plans with other teachers to integrate nutrition education into the other disciplines like science and math. The nutrition classes are very hands on where every student has the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of healthy food choices. Students not only learn the benefits of these healthy food choices, but they are given the opportunity to taste the healthy snacks with each lesson.

“By having a nutrition teacher on campus, Fouke Elementary was able to create into its master schedule seven weekly professional learning communities                                 for teachers and staff to collaborate with each other while improving student achievement,” Endris said. “These professional learning communities, along with the Healthy School Model, have allowed all stakeholders (students, parents, staff, community patrons) to have a better understanding on how sustainability of a successful program can continue to produce positive outcomes.”

Nutrition teaching focuses on the importance of drinking more water instead of sugary soft drinks. There are no vending machines for soft drinks at the school now, except for water.

“Water is so huge,” Endris said. “If you want to look at one piece that is significant when it comes to reducing obesity, it is water. Just make that change from sugary drinks. Sugary drinks, in excess, are one of the biggest culprits in obesity.”

The children are also taught to eat less fried foods, practice moderation by paying attention to portion sizes, eat more fruits and vegetables, and fewer starches. And what the kids are learning they are carrying home as good eating habits. Parents surveyed are reporting they, too, are adopting healthier eating lifestyles.

Endris has been invited to present information about their program at regional educational meetings, and educational officials have visited Fouke Elementary to see what the school is doing to reduce the obesity rates. One prominent national educator told Fouke, “We need to clone your school in every school in America.”

“We have turned a lot of heads across the nation,” Endris said. “It is amazing. We have been able to change our whole culture. We have changed behavior in a way that will be long lasting. It is not any kind of magical program it is just a matter of deciding that if it is that important than we need to make it happen.

“I keep observing all these advertisements on television that we have to do something about obesity and diabetes. Right here in Southwest Arkansas, we are doing it. We have shared what we have accomplished with many other schools.

We have the model for a healthy school.”

Endris has been a good role model himself. The 61-year-old administrator has reduced his weight from 214 pounds three years ago to 181 today. He has taken back up the activity of running, and has actually won first place in four fun runs since October 8, 2011.

“It has changed my whole life as an older American,” Endris said. “I was able to reduce the need for three medications I was taking daily prior to this weight loss.”

The school has also reached out to the community, and had an early morning

exercise instructor come in three days a week whose salary was funded by the Joint Use Agreement Grant. About 60 people including staff and members of the community participated with this instructor. Even as the grant funds zeroed out, adults are still coming to exercise now that they have gotten into the habit of exercising three times a week.

“Some things can be very inexpensive to improve one’s health,” Endris said. “If we all do our part, collectively we can start making an impact for a healthier nation.”

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