Supervision at recess in elementary school question

[Anonymous]

Is there a minimum adult to child ratio that MCPS schools must maintain during recess periods? I’ve begun volunteering at my child’s school at recess because I keep hearing from the kids about problems at recess. I am shocked at how few staff there are supervising and how many kids are fighting with each other. Is there some minimum threshold they have to have to maintain a safe environment?

[Anonymous]

We had 2, occasionally 3, adults for an entire grade (7 classes, so roughly 175 kids). Pre-pandemic, the school encouraged parents to volunteer to help monitor the playground at recess for the lower grades.

[Anonymous]

There is not a threshold, only staffing numbers. The numbers are not enough. Most MCPS ESs have recess problems. The lucky ones have principals who are willing to allow volunteers and a steady stream of parents or grandparents helping out.

[Anonymous]

Our school also asks for parent volunteers for recess. I guess it's better than nothing but doesn't seem like a long-term solution to me.

[Anonymous]

At our school, it was 1 para for every 50 kids at recess. It was like Lord of the Flies without a LOT of parent volunteers.

[Anonymous]

We appreciate when parents are willing to volunteer their time and it’s the only long term solution. We are short staffed bc we are allocated so few hours for para support and secondly, paras are not applying for these positions since they can now make a higher hourly rate working at fast food chains and not have to deal with rude and unruly children. Parents HAVE to step in and support or this will not be sustainable. I think it’s reasonable for parents to give up one hour of their work day a few days a year to be our partner in all of this. I’d be willing to give up my limited pto if my child’s school requested volunteers.

However, it would also be great if parents supported schools by modeling and teaching their kids how to behave at school. Teachers remind the kids every day, but are often ignored. Parents can help by taking their kids to a park over the weekend and see how they interact with others (be present with your child and off your phone). If they misbehave, intervene, make them apologize, and hold them accountable for their actions with having consequences at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We appreciate when parents are willing to volunteer their time and it’s the only long term solution. We are short staffed bc we are allocated so few hours for para support and secondly, paras are not applying for these positions since they can now make a higher hourly rate working at fast food chains and not have to deal with rude and unruly children. Parents HAVE to step in and support or this will not be sustainable. I think it’s reasonable for parents to give up one hour of their work day a few days a year to be our partner in all of this. I’d be willing to give up my limited pto if my child’s school requested volunteers.

However, it would also be great if parents supported schools by modeling and teaching their kids how to behave at school. Teachers remind the kids every day, but are often ignored. Parents can help by taking their kids to a park over the weekend and see how they interact with others (be present with your child and off your phone). If they misbehave, intervene, make them apologize, and hold them accountable for their actions with having consequences at home.

When I looked at mcps para pay it was $17 an hour, this was before Covid. Not sure where I could get that at a fast food restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We appreciate when parents are willing to volunteer their time and it’s the only long term solution. We are short staffed bc we are allocated so few hours for para support and secondly, paras are not applying for these positions since they can now make a higher hourly rate working at fast food chains and not have to deal with rude and unruly children. Parents HAVE to step in and support or this will not be sustainable. I think it’s reasonable for parents to give up one hour of their work day a few days a year to be our partner in all of this. I’d be willing to give up my limited pto if my child’s school requested volunteers.

However, it would also be great if parents supported schools by modeling and teaching their kids how to behave at school. Teachers remind the kids every day, but are often ignored. Parents can help by taking their kids to a park over the weekend and see how they interact with others (be present with your child and off your phone). If they misbehave, intervene, make them apologize, and hold them accountable for their actions with having consequences at home.

When I looked at mcps para pay it was $17 an hour, this was before Covid. Not sure where I could get that at a fast food restaurant?

Lots of fast food jobs at $17 an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a minimum adult to child ratio that MCPS schools must maintain during recess periods? I’ve begun volunteering at my child’s school at recess because I keep hearing from the kids about problems at recess. I am shocked at how few staff there are supervising and how many kids are fighting with each other. Is there some minimum threshold they have to have to maintain a safe environment?

Nope. It’s Lord of the Flies out there every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a minimum adult to child ratio that MCPS schools must maintain during recess periods? I’ve begun volunteering at my child’s school at recess because I keep hearing from the kids about problems at recess. I am shocked at how few staff there are supervising and how many kids are fighting with each other. Is there some minimum threshold they have to have to maintain a safe environment?

Nope. It’s Lord of the Flies out there every day.

That's two posters on this thread who have called it Lord of the Flies, an apt description of recess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We appreciate when parents are willing to volunteer their time and it’s the only long term solution. We are short staffed bc we are allocated so few hours for para support and secondly, paras are not applying for these positions since they can now make a higher hourly rate working at fast food chains and not have to deal with rude and unruly children. Parents HAVE to step in and support or this will not be sustainable. I think it’s reasonable for parents to give up one hour of their work day a few days a year to be our partner in all of this. I’d be willing to give up my limited pto if my child’s school requested volunteers.

However, it would also be great if parents supported schools by modeling and teaching their kids how to behave at school. Teachers remind the kids every day, but are often ignored. Parents can help by taking their kids to a park over the weekend and see how they interact with others (be present with your child and off your phone). If they misbehave, intervene, make them apologize, and hold them accountable for their actions with having consequences at home.

When I looked at mcps para pay it was $17 an hour, this was before Covid. Not sure where I could get that at a fast food restaurant?

Lots of fast food jobs at $17 an hour.

Montgomery County minimum wage currently is $15.65/hour, and as you may have heard, there's a shortage of people who are willing to work in that industry for that pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a minimum adult to child ratio that MCPS schools must maintain during recess periods? I’ve begun volunteering at my child’s school at recess because I keep hearing from the kids about problems at recess. I am shocked at how few staff there are supervising and how many kids are fighting with each other. Is there some minimum threshold they have to have to maintain a safe environment?

Nope. It’s Lord of the Flies out there every day.

That's two posters on this thread who have called it Lord of the Flies, an apt description of recess.

I call it thunder dome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a minimum adult to child ratio that MCPS schools must maintain during recess periods? I’ve begun volunteering at my child’s school at recess because I keep hearing from the kids about problems at recess. I am shocked at how few staff there are supervising and how many kids are fighting with each other. Is there some minimum threshold they have to have to maintain a safe environment?

Nope. It’s Lord of the Flies out there every day.

Yes, pretty much. It’s pretty bad. We had kids fighting at our elementary school, even pre-Covid.

Our previous principal welcomed parent volunteers, but now we have a new one who is adamant about keeping parents out of the school building.

Recess is a mess.

[Anonymous]

Our MoCo school is 50:1 ratio at recess and the paraeducators are very grateful for occasional parent volunteers to come help keep an eye on things

[Anonymous]

OP here. Maybe this is an ignorant question as we see new to the area, but why on earth is this the case? It seems to be a huge liability. I mean, I can see a situation where a child could easily wander off or be abducted and literally no one would know. And I don’t understand why they don’t pay paraeducators more, if that is the reason they can’t hire. Where are all the taxpayer dollars going, as well as the massive infusion of funds MCPS received from COVID relief? It makes no sense to me.