UPDATE!

 The students started enjoying the earned playground equipment.  More is on the way!  Congratulations again students on your outstanding efforts with this project!

Last spring and again this fall our students and staff participated in a challenge presented by Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield. Students and staff wishing to participate used a pedometer to count their steps everyday for six weeks.  All steps where recorded on a special website.  The competition ended in November and awards were presented Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at a special meeting in Flatwoods, WV.  A special presentation was held at the school today, April 1, 2009, to inform our students and staff of our outstanding accomplishment. 

It is my great honor and privilege to announce that Spencer Elementary School was the top winner for the competition between 10 schools involved in the Walking Works for Schools Challenge. As a result we received several awards including two trophies for winning the fall and the overall competition.  The top walkers for each classroom received a medallion for their extraordinary efforts, and two of our students received trophies for being the "Top Steppers." Our school received a check for $5,000 for winning the overall competition!  I promised the kids, should we win this money, I would purchase two storage buildings and fill it with all kinds of equipment to be used during recess each day.  One will be placed near the back playground and one at the bottom playground. My promise will not be broken.  I will begin looking for buildings and getting teacher input on what equipment we'll need to have a safe, fun, and up and moving recess time.

Mrs. Wilson, the Director of Food Service, received a check for $2,500. Our county received the monetary award for winning the "County Challenge" between Roane and Webster.   Part of the money will go to the winning team (US!) for a new Wii system to promote physical fitness.

I'm very proud of everyone's efforts. It was my great honor to represent you at the meeting and accept these awards on your behalf.  Keep up the great work, and don't forget to make exercise and movement a priority everyday! Again....WOW, you did it! 

A special thank you to Mrs. Wilson for all her efforts and help throughout this competition, Ms. Debbie Starks for her efforts in helping the school coordinators, Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield for organizing and sponsoring the challenge, and especially all of you who participated in this event.  Your efforts made a huge difference to our team! I will try to place a picture of our top steppers on this page once parent permission is received.

Thanks again, Mrs. Riley