Find Out More About Watertown's Big Federal Grant for Wellness

The Watertown Public Schools got a big boost from a federal grant that will mean nearly $400,000 this year to pay for a new wellness program, and more may be on the way.

The money will start the new program, and also help other groups in town. 

Watertown's Director of Wellness and Extended Services Donna Ruseckas explained what the grant will mean for Watertown:

1) How did Watertown get the grant and who is giving out the grant.

The name is Carol White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant, awarded by the Deptartment of Education, Washington D.C.  It is a Federal Grant- projected to be a 3 year project.  The first year award to Watertown is $391,269 and it is for all schools Pre kindergarten to grade 12. We are 1 of 3 MA awards and 60 were awarded across the country.  It is difficult to win a second time.  We were awarded in 2009 as well. 

2) What will this mean for Watertown? 

We are able to expand on our previous grant project called Fit, Fun, for Life. This new award project's name is Wellness the Watertown Way.  The emphasis is to continue promoting fitness; physical activity and nutrition through physical education and health education; create school wide initiatives that promote healthy eating and fitness; provide professional development to staff; and provide before/after school nutrition based and activity based programs for students.

Additionally, the grant will fund collaborative programs that increase activity levels; fitness and nutrition at the Boys and Girls Club; We will utilize a nutrition expert to consult with food service staff; teachers; and parents.  School based nurses and physician will also be involved with increasing education on Body Mass Index (BMI) to parents and children.  

Teens will also have an increased opportunity to be active via recreation through after school programs in the form of intramural and other types of activity based activities in collaboration with Watertown Recreation Dept. and the Boys and Girls Cub.

3) The Superintendent said that it will be shared with the Boys and Girls Club and the Recreation Department. How will that work?  

This collaboration will include supplies to the Club and to create scheduled programs using both facilities.  We will also involve staff in professional development for certain activity based programs. 

The Department of Health of Watertown also will be collaborating with us in improving Wellness.  They have represented their presence on our Wellness Committee and have always been a great resource.

4) What was your reaction when you heard that Watertown would get the money? 

I was so excited to learn we won the grant because we just completed our other grant project with only one year between this one. Other than feeling like it would be difficult to win, our staff did provide feedback as to how another grant would improve the program even more. Physical education alone cannot combat unhealthy eating habits and childhood obesity, therefore increasing opportunity to education families and add more the the Physical Education/Health curriculum will only help in this endeavor to improve the wellness of our students and families of Watertown.  

5) When will you be able to use the money?  

Funding will be release shortly, maybe in a few days; and the process will begin. We are very excited as in these difficult times of low budgets (in Education) across the County, we are very very fortunate to have won the PEP Grant!