When it is a teacher’s turn to monitor recess or lunch, he or she needs to be prompt. Teachers monitoring the recess/lunch spaces need to be standing and facing the students. All the students under the teacher’s care should be within sight. This requires that teachers move around. Teachers may not use this time to hold in-depth conversations with one another. Teachers must stay at their assigned duty.
Children are not to leave the playground without permission. Those Grammar School students needing to use the restroom must go with a partner to and from the restroom.
Teachers not on recess duty also need to be prompt in picking-up their classes so that the teacher on duty can take his or her class.
Playground and Field Guidelines
Grammar School students have recess two to three times each day depending upon grade level. Recess is necessary to allow students to enjoy fresh air and have a little “down time” between lessons. Research and experience support the belief that students who have regular breaks as well as physical activity throughout the day do better with such important skills as attention, concentration and use of time.
For all students, recess or down time is by definition not as structured as the classroom. It is often during such times that conflicts arise between students. For this reason, guidelines for recess are important and are conveyed to students repeatedly throughout the year. The guidelines for the playground are as follows:
- Love and respect others as God commands.
- Keep all mulch in the bordered play areas. Do not pick-up, throw or discard mulch.
- Start at one end of the obstacle course structure and keep moving in one direction. No stopping or sitting on the structure or jumping off.
- No more than four students on the Loopy Whoop at a time. Do not push the structure to make it go around. The purpose of this piece of equipment is to learn to use momentum. Take one turn on the Loopy Whoop then give another group an opportunity.
- Seesaw: Two students at a time on each seesaw. No bouncing. Both students should get off at the same time. (Students in line should stay outside the boundaries while waiting to use the seesaws.)
- Do not participate in any fighting-type activities, verbally or physically.
- Swings: Swing forward or backward while sitting. Do not grab on to the poles, stand on the swings, or crash the swings into each other.
- Display good sportsmanship at all times while playing any organized sport such as basketball, football, kickball, etc.
- When on the field (behind the MPB) stay on the grass: No playing in the street, parking lot, or against the fence. No climbing trees. Play in the parking lot only when the street is barricaded and an adult is present.
- When recess is over, walk quietly and line up immediately following teacher instruction.
Supervision
Recess and lunchtime are supervised by employees and volunteers. Volunteers are needed to allow teachers to have some time to eat, plan and fellowship with one another. Volunteers and teachers on duty must attend to the safety and needs of the students during this time. Therefore, they are asked to walk around and monitor student activity while refraining from conversations (either on cell phones or with other parent supervisors or teachers) that may distract them from attending to the students’ needs.