Little Elm ISD Brings LiiNK to Classroom
Families moving into new homes in Little Elm TX will now have an added benefit for their children: the Little Elm Independent School District has implemented the innovative LiiNK Project in six elementary schools.
LiiNK stands for “Let’s Inspire Innovation ‘N Kids,” and it’s a proven method to improve child health and behavior, which results in better academic performance and greater social cooperation. TCU found that the LiiNK program resulted in a reduction in misbehaviors from 60% to 28% and a ½% decrease in student body mass index (BMI), a measure of obesity.
Designed by Dr. Debbie Rhea of Texas Christian University, LiiNK is based on the very successful methods used in Finland, where children consistently achieve high scores in international rankings. LiiNK is a grant program of TCU.
LiiNK provides students with more physical activity through additional short recess periods comprised of four 15-minute periods throughout the day. During the recesses, children play and socialize freely in an unstructured format. For safety, LiiNK Project materials include weather guidelines to advise teachers when outdoor play is unsafe or should be limited due to excessive heat, cold, ozone issues or storms. During hot weather, children are encouraged to drink water before, during and after recess times. Teachers also ensure that children are properly dressed for cold weather.
In addition to the added exercise, children receive four 15-minute “Positive Action” character lessons each week. The lessons are packaged in kits to make it easy for teachers to implement them. No special training is needed for the teachers to use the materials. Each grade level has its own age-appropriate kit. The kits include worksheets, games, puzzles and posters. Supplemental kits are available for drug education and bullying prevention. Through the program, kids learn to be healthy, more productive, more resilient and friendlier.
Students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade are participating in the program. Little Elm ISD elementary schools benefitting from the LiiNK project are Chavez, Hackberry, Oak Point, Brent, Lakeview, and Prestwick K-1.
Landon Homes has new homes in Little Elm TX for parents who would like to take advantage of the opportunity to have their children benefit from the innovative LiiNK program at Little Elm ISD.
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