The Express-Times has an article on Monady's School Board Meeting which highlighted the dedicated recess time issue and petition to require it (read the article here).
The petition was presented with 600 signatures.
Dr. Lesky noted the petition was not valid because it indicated NASD had eliminated recess, when it had not (first report was that it was at the teachers' discretion to have it, then it was revised to say the discretion was when to have it - read past posts here).
In a strong show of support for recess, Lesky added that given the day being extended by one hour for the 4th-6th grade students, teachers may want to have two recesses.
According to the article he also noted that he wanted to be informed if students were not getting recess once the new building opens.
At the end of the day, however, there was no motion to require recess at the new school, nor was there support for purchase of equipment or a play area for students at the new building.
7 comments:
I was under the impression that the extra hour was to allow for transportation time. Aren't the kids being bussed to their elementary school and then to the intermediate school. Is there an allowance for that as well as an extra hour of instruction time? That is going to make for a very long day for children who are used to having one of the shortest school days in the state.
No, the school day (bell to bell) has been extended by one hour because as is often noted our current elementary day is the shortest in the state.
I also understood that students would be bused from home to nearest elementary, transferred to a shuttle and shipped to the new building. I'd guess there will be more than a few students with an hour commute (30-40 on bus if they are an early pick up, transfer time at the school 5 or so, then 5-10 to the school, not to mention up front waiting for bus and getting to the bus stop).
I also wonder if crossing guards will be available for borough walkers. Yes the building is in Upper Nazareth and there is no safe way to walk to it, but the borough students do not get busing.
Since they are grades 4-6, elementary grades, I'd hope they either have busing or provide crossing guards. My children have to cross tatamy road and that will be some chore in the morning without one.
The other factor is dismissal. I believe it is after HS, 3:30 if I remember correctly. This will make it very difficult to get to after-school activities, particularly in the fall for football and soccer unless the fields have lights.
Dr. Vic should be on the next edition of Last Comic Standing, as I think that he will have the largest laugh on this one.
First, on the petition, nice that he can just invalidate it with a wave of his magic wand, regardless of its intent, which is that parents want their kids to have a guaranteed recess during the school day. I would be willing to go back out and sign a new petition if it were amended to make sure it were in agreement with the language Dr. Vic used.
Now, let's talk about his second statement where "he wants to know" if kids aren't getting recess or not.
To all of you parents in Bushkill and Shafer, this is a lot of hot air that us in LNES know will never amount to anything.
LNES eliminated recess for fifth grade years ago (to prepare our kids for MS we were told). Every year, there were complaints to both the principal and administration that kids needed recess. Guess what, they never got it except maybe once or twice a month, which was at the teacher's whim.
He wants to hear about it, but will do nothing about it based on prior experience.
On a side note, board member Linda Mcdonald was an active parent in the LNES PTA, and has heard these arguments at many of the meetings I am sure, yet doesn't seem to care about it.
The ET article should tell you exactly what is going to happen. As soon as Dr. Vic mentioned No Child Left Behind, and the rabid fanaticism parents have with test scores in this district, you can kiss regular recess goodbye.
Just for accuracy the petition had 643 at the time of its presentation to the board on Monday, I believe the reporter heard over 600 and rounded it down.
As the petitions author I took offense to the comment that it misrepresented the schools position. I wrote it the night I heard the Shafer PTA presentation and if it did misrepresent them why have over half of the parents present at that meeting signed the petition?
Since the words of the admin have changed from "when and if" the teachers give recess to "encouraging" teachers to give recess, to as of last night at LNES PTA meeting "mandatory" recess you may believe the admin is coming around to where recess will be daily but until it is seen in a schedule you cannot and should not trust that recess will exist on a daily basis for your 9 -12 year olds.
As for the area to hold recess, until we see the funds allocated and the plans presented at a board meeting and both voted on and approved I would not believe a recess area will exist for our upper elementary students.
1- The School Days for next year(as of 4/28/08)will be:
K-3 8:10 to 2:10
4-6 8:30 to 3:30
7-8 7:45 to 2:45
9-12 7:30 to 2:30
2- I have spoken to some MS students and a large number of HS students and the stated that in 4th and 5th grade all they wanted to do was walk around, talk to friends, and play with a football or basketball. So Playground equipment is not necessary.
3- This should be a dead subject. Your children will have recess every day. They will go outside or be inside and do what they really want to do, talk to their friends and have fun.
I attended and spoke up at the meeting and was very dissapointed at how Ms. McDonald conducted herself. She was really the only person to speak up on the topic and when she did it was to reiterate that the equipment at the elementary schools was provided by the PTA. This she was adamant (almost beligerent) about.
I tried to make a point (as did Kelley) and she just talked right over us and didn't let me finish. It was beyond rude and bordered on unprofessional.
Among other things, how can the district expect the PTA to contribute to playground equipment (or any equipment for that matter) at the new IS when as of RIGHT NOW, there is NO PTA FOR THE IS!
I know Ross has made this point before, but by adding the additional level of instruction, both the ES and MS PTAs will be lessened. How can they not be? Instead of pulling parents in from K-5, you'll have K-3. Those parents with kids in multiple grades may not want to devote twice as much time split between two different PTAs.. (but that's another post for another day).
Another interesting item...
Right now, because our ES days are so short, the kids "technically" cannot have recess. Basically, the PA Ed requires a minimum number of hours of instruction in a day/year. Because of our short day, the district has to call (what goes for recess at the ES) "structured physical activity" (or something like that) so that it can be counted as instructional time.
Jacob-
Right now there is NOTHING at the MS for kids (who will be 9 years old mind you) to do during "recess". There are fields and blacktop. I don't necessarily think they need slides and swings but hanging bars or a physical fitness station or SOMETHING would be nice. I see kids of 4th, 5th (and older) grades playing on monkey bars, swings etc whenever I'm at Shafer or the Bushkill Rec Fields. Just because you talked to some doesn't mean they shouldn't at least have the opportunity. I'm sure there is more than a few that would enjoy something to outside. What about those that are team sports oriented?
In addition, right now, there is no mechanism to enforce that the children will even get recess. It happens at BES and LNES already, but somehow that's not going to happen at the IS. I'll believe it when I see it.
All in all, I was pretty disgusted by the meeting...
The truth is out there somewhere.....
Like Brad, I was pretty put off as well. This is what I don't understand:
Once again, some illogical argument was made for not having a scheduled, regular time for recess - the possibility of having an "over active" class. ADHD was even mentioned at some point. Come on. Does this mean they're taking away a scheduled recess time at the elementary schools?
Previously, the reason was (don't remember which admin/board member had said it) that they didn't want a set time so child predators wouldn't be able to target the school, etc. What about the elementary schools again? Do they honestly think we don't pay attention?
In addition, the future principal and Dr. Lesky keep stressing that this I.S. will be run as an elementary school. So, schedule the recess already. What are they afraid of?
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