Our school is an elementary k-5 with about 360 students. Just last year, our principal implemented a new luch time recess program called Choice Time. The students can leave lunch after 20 minutes and go to the activity of their choice. They can choose between playground, games, computer room and art. Each class is divided up into managable groups, (a Group, B Group etc). Everyday, each group goes together to an activity for 20 minutes. It only requires as many aides/monitors as activities you decide on. On days with inclement weather, the children have "playground" time in the gym. So far it is a big hit with the kids. The only catch seems to be making sure the students have proper outdoor clothes. They can even go out in the snow if they dress properly. Children without proper clothes, go to an alternate choice for the day. Hope this gives you some ideas for your school. It is more like controlled chaos. Good Luck!! By the way, our four lunch aides work part time for 3 hours during lunch everyday. It saves the district $ because they don't have to pay any benefits to them.
We are a K-5 school that only has parent volunteers for lunch duty. Our children eat in thier classrooms and then, depending on the weather, the volunteers take the children out for recess. When the children are out on the playground there is always a paid employee of the school supervising the situation. This program works in many private schools and works well in our public charter school! -Bonnie
Why couldn't the PTO provide volunteers for lunch and organize a schedule (with the principal's approval). There should be no physical activity involved so I don't see why a "MOM volunteer" wouldn't be qualified to keep 20 or 30 students orderly for 35 minutes. Just a suggestion.. we have a cafeteria so this problems doesn't apply to our school.
Our school is a k-5 building with 21 classrooms. We have 3 paid playground monitors who travel through the school. A 5th grade safety is assigned to each class to monitor behavior during indoor recess. Each 5th grader has a proceedure to follow while "on duty". If there is a problem, one of the paid monitors is contacted to handle the problem. All of the teachers have rainy day acticites for the students and some classrooms watch videos.
One creative mom started a rainy day chess club for 4th and 5th grade students. On rainy days over 40 students met in the science room and played chess. They even had a tournament last year.
Our school only has 150 students pre-k thru grade 6 with 1 to 2 monitors for recess. We have arranged our schedule so only 2 classes are on recess at one time. This reduces the number of monitors needed and there is always a monitor with each class.
We recently learned that when the students have in-door recess at our school they are left unsupervised for long periods of time.
We have a 1-4 elementary school & 4 monitors that keep an eye on the students outside. However, when they are in their classrooms 4 monitors cannot watch 8 classrooms. What they do is circulate among the rooms & "check-in". Our recess time is 35 minutes.
We have discussed this with the principal & she has pretty much told us that there is nothing she can do because of the lack of monitors & there is no money for additional monitors.
Do any of you have a similar situation in your school? How do you handle it? We are hoping to form a committee to really look at this & try to come up with some solution. We realize there may be no solution, but we have to try.
I would appreciate any thoughts you may have on this subject.
