Project SWITCH 2.0

Overview

In 2018, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) received a Get Fit grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase the number of students who are physically active, eat nutritious meals, and manage chronic health conditions.  On July 1, 2021, a $433,333.00 second supplemental grant, Project SWITCH 2.0 (Strengthening Wellness and Improving Teachers and Children’s Health), was awarded OSDE. These funds will be used by districts across the state through to establish infrastructures, provide professional development to school administrators and teachers, offer technical assistance for COVID-19 related guidance, and direct Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) technical assistance for identified priority districts.

Statewide Cadres

Project SWITCH 2.0 will support school staff members and students with safe and best practices for physical education, and monitoring chronic diseases during the 2021-2022 school year. Addressing the needs of students with chronic health conditions and special health care needs according to the provided CDC COVID-19 guidance will be completed through the development of a school nursing cadre that will offer technical assistance to schools across the state and through tele­medicine opportunities in identified target LEAs.

Resources for Painted Play Spaces

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognized Painted Play Spaces in a recent spotlight story. Click here to see the video.

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) partnered with the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) to develop recess resources and use painted play spaces to ensure social distancing during play time.

Northern Hills Elementary, in Edmond Public Schools, was selected as a pilot school for the project. Stencils were used to paint recess games on the playground and ensure students 6 feet of separation while playing. The physical education teachers taught the games in physical education class before OSDE filmed the students playing the games. With the recordings, OSDE created demonstration videos on how to safely conduct physical activity opportunities before, during, and after school. UCO collaborated with Crescent, Justice, Tonkawa, and Wetumka Public Schools to paint games (with reusable stencils) on one playground in each school district. Paint and stencils will be purchased with grant funds. UCO and OSDE created the following resources for this project:

Playbook of Recess Games 

Painted Play Spaces: Playground Assessment and Planning Toolkit 

Demonstration Videos of Recess Games

Painted Play Spaces Asynchronous Training Module on OSDE Connect

Painted Play Spaces (PPS): Stencils Checkout System

Interested in borrowing the stencils to create "Painted Play Spaces" (PPS) at your school? To check out the stencils, please complete the PPS Stencils Pre-Assessment Form, and then the PPS Stencils Pre-Assessment Form.

PPS Stencils Pre-Assessment Form

PPS Stencils Assessment Form

Participating Schools

Four partner districts – Crescent, Justice, Tonkawa, and Wetumka – will also receive additional targeted supports, including CDC COVID professional development, guidance on school-based health services, implementation of socially distanced play spaces, training on social-emotional climate, and child nutrition. 

Project Partners

The services provided through Project SWITCH 2.0 would not be possible without the following partnerships: Oklahoma State Department of Health, University of Kansas’ SWIFT Center, School Nurses Organization of Oklahoma (SNOO), University of Central Oklahoma, Wewoka Indian Clinic, OSDE’s Child Nutrition Department, Cooking for Kids, and National Association of School Nurses. Partnering with experts for each focus area will ensure that trainings and resources produced will be beneficial for Oklahoma schools. Thank you to all our project partners!