Board pledges to address concerns about recess
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL - In response to parents who have asked it to consider enacting a district-wide policy for recess, the Board of Education has decided to name a recess committee that will draft guidelines on how to implement unstructured play time within the school day.

The topic of recess was discussed by parents, teachers and administrators during a special board meeting held Aug. 22 at Howell Middle School North.

Superintendent of Schools Enid Golden said she met with building administrators to assess the issue. She was advised of inconsistencies regarding recess procedures and policies within the district's schools. Golden said she recognizes the importance of recess, however, because of significant curriculum mandates imposed by the state, administrators are faced with the dilemma of fitting every requirement into the school day.

"My concern is that we have so many mandates. We are mandated to death in terms of what we have to do. My concern is the length of the school day and all the things that the state is requiring us to do," Golden said. "I believe that when teachers are not taking the class to recess it is because of the pressure of having to cover all of those requirements.

"I do think that we need to recommit to recess and what I would recommend is not to mandate, but to allow us very quickly to put together a recess committee made up of parents, teachers and administrators to come up with guidelines based on the research and to give them out to the schools," Golden said. "I have a problem locking in the chunk of time. I think that if we lock it in, it's going to be another mandate that could cause us a problem."

Resident Kristin Burke noted how other school districts have managed to implement recess into their day. She suggested the board follow suit.

"School districts such as Holmdel, Little Silver, Old Bridge, Point Pleasant, Bordentown and Brielle all split their lunches, giving the children 20 minutes of recess and 20 minutes of lunch. Half of the classes go out to recess and the other half are eating lunch," Burke said.

Resident Carol O'Brien said she has spent a little more than two years researching recess policies throughout the country.

"Study after study has shown that recess actually helps children learn. It develops body awareness, problem solving skills, and a lot of the skills that they learn in the classroom can be carried out in recess, and the activities that children participate in during recess can influence what they learn in the classroom. Recess has also shown that oxygen levels have increased, which helps with concentration," O'Brien said.

Parent John Mazza, shared that sentiment and said, "Studies have shown that recess helps our children learn better, retain more knowledge and report better on their tests when given the opportunity to be children during the day."

Principal Laurie Zickler of the Ramtown School and Principal Diana Rochon of the Taunton School expressed their concerns and suggestions, and stated their interest in serving on the recess committee.

"At Ramtown we do have 20 minutes (for recess). It is an expectation that I have and for the teachers it is their expectation that they will take the children out if the weather permits. If it's cold they will have recess inside," Zickler said. "We also have something called the walking club where after lunch the students go out and walk. It is important for the children to blow off steam, have exploratory play, and social skills. This is something we are very cognizant of and I would love to be on the committee."

Rochon also expressed interest in serving on the committee, saying, "it is important

to me." She spoke about what

occurs at the Taunton School,

especially in light of the fact

that there were many

parents of Taunton

School pupils in attendance at the Aug. 22 meeting.

"What we have right

now at Taunton is discretionary. The teachers decide. The encouragement is you should go outside if the weather is nice. Yes, that does create inconsistency," Rochon said. "In terms of mandating a particular scheduled time, I would only ask that some credence be given to still letting the teachers know that they have to get out there, whatever that time limit is going to be. But let them do it at the time that is going to fit their schedule for them."

Burke disagreed with Rochon's suggestion to let recess remain discretionary. She said this responsibility would add to the teacher's workload and allow teachers to use the withholding of recess as a form of punishment.

School board President Mary Cerretani assured residents the matter will be looked into.

"The board is very much in favor of having this looked at much closer so that a decision can be made and the administration can instruct the teachers on exactly what will be occurring in each one of the buildings," she said. "The administrators also believe recess is very important. We are with you and we will be addressing it."