Middle School Outside Time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in 5th grade at a local private school (K-5) so will be returning to APS next fall at DHMS.

We were talking to a neighbor whose kids were in DHMS before the pandemic, and mentioned how there was very little outside time during the day. There is no recess, and basically the only chance to get outside was if you ate your lunch fast and then went outside as part of your 20 minute lunch break. On gym days, which is not every day, they would sometimes go outside but other times just stay in the gym?

Can anyone report on what it is like now that the school is more established as well as the benefits of outside time in line with the pandemic?

His current school has TWO recesses, and he is an active energetic boy, so having time to get some fresh air and move around really helps his academic focus -- and I wanted to know what we should plan for at DHMS next year.

Even if your child stayed in private school there wouldn't be as much recess/outdoor time in middle school. The kids do move from class to class, which gives movement breaks through the day. My son walks to school which helps provide extra activity and outdoor time too. It's one of those things that I was concerned about, but it is totally fine.

Our DD has a private which has 20 minutes outside time everyday as well as outdoor PE 3x week. This isn’t common?

My daughter’s private school is the same. She’s in middle school.

Of course the private schools with small student populations, large and lovely campuses can let the inmates out. A public school has just too many kids in each grade and too small a campus to get them in and out in reasonable time. Same reason they have lunch starting so early.
Have your kid walk to school, OP, that exercise and outside time.

[Anonymous]

You can always homeschool if you don't like it.

[Anonymous]

My son is in 7th at Saint Stephen’s and Saint Agnes. He has an hour for lunch and recess and then athletics 4x a week from 2:15-3:30. (In 6th grade they have PE.)

The schedule (he’s very active and loves sports) is one of the reasons he’s there. (The teachers are also wonderful.)

[Anonymous]

6th graders are only 11. I find it sad that they don’t get more time for fresh air and movement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6th graders are only 11. I find it sad that they don’t get more time for fresh air and movement.

When I grew up our elementary was k-6. I liked that better, 6 grade still feels young to me to be in MS.

[Anonymous]

6th graders in APS get 220 minutes of PE a week. 3 days a week. Most of it outside. They also have outside lunch. They get out of school at 2:15. Spare me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6th graders in APS get 220 minutes of PE a week. 3 days a week. Most of it outside. They also have outside lunch. They get out of school at 2:15. Spare me.

Outside lunch is now a thing? It wasn’t at DHMS pre pandemic.

Sure they get out in the afternoon, but school starts at 7am. That’s 6 hours. My point was my kids do better in school when they get some sunlight and fresh air, it’s not much use for helping their time at school when it’s AFTER it.

I’m skeptical of your PE claim, I heard there was a lot of gym time but probably that has shifted for COVID. But if they allow lunch outside everyday that is probably the best we can hope for.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to COVID my APS middle schooler has lunch, PE, and often band outside. Prior to COVID, I think there was no outdoor time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swanson let's the kids eat and play outside the entire lunch period. My DS said its a bit chaotic on the field but loves it.

+1. This is middle school, there isn’t recess.

There should be though. I don't know who thought these kids didn't need or want it

[Anonymous]

I was in middle school several decades ago. We didn’t have recess then either. This isn’t a new thing. Privates do all sorts of things that public doesn’t.