Did your mcps elementary school extend lunch and recess too?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why lunch and recess were both extended by ten minutes...that's 20 mins less instructional time.

After seeing my kid's schedule, it appears that four days a week he starts the day with specials. Then he will have 90 minutes until lunch--which means that will be the reading or math block. Then lunch and recess (which is 20 mins longer than last year). Then another 90 minute block for reading or math before the day ends. What am I missing here?

[Anonymous]

The school day is longer this year.

[Anonymous]

Is it? School starts 20 mins later and ends 20 mins later. Is it actually longer? And if so, why add the time to lunch and recess? Did you see my kid's schedule?

[Anonymous]

No, school starts 10 minutes later and ends 20 minutes later. The extra 10 minutes is to be used for lunch/recess only.

The schedule sounds odd to me. My child has far more instructional time. We have:

70 min block
special
70 minute block
lunch/recess (70 minutes)
2 hour block
dismissal

[Anonymous]

My child has 1 hour for recess and lunch combined so I don't think they added any time to that part of the day. Not sure where it was added.

[Anonymous]

Ours is 30min lunch, 40min recess.

[Anonymous]

The additional 10 minutes is being added to lunch/recess in all elementary schools. No school is adding 10 more minutes of instructional time.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?page=showrelease&id=3702

[Anonymous]

I'll ask a silly question, do you ever get up from your desk to take a break at work? If so, I'd be less critical of the 20 minutes. I'd be more concerned about a lack of breaks.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why lunch and recess were both extended by ten minutes...that's 20 mins less instructional time.

After seeing my kid's schedule, it appears that four days a week he starts the day with specials. Then he will have 90 minutes until lunch--which means that will be the reading or math block. Then lunch and recess (which is 20 mins longer than last year). Then another 90 minute block for reading or math before the day ends. What am I missing here?

[Anonymous]

I heard only lunch is being extended. Probably something about recess aid costs so recess couldn't be extended?

[Anonymous]

Recess is frequently shorter than the 30 or 40
minutes alloted anyway since it takes at least 10 minutes for the kids to get absolutely quiet and stand in a perfect line (a "requirement" at many schools) before and after lunch and recess (depending on the order in the particular school). So
lets say these are just those 10 minutes and call it even?

[Anonymous]

I thought it had to be lunch or recess was extended by 10 minutes due to teacher contracts (e.g. couldn't add more instructional time). At DS' school it is recess. I don't know about DD's.

[Anonymous]

Our school still shows an hour block for lunch/recess.

[Anonymous]

They needed more time for recess. Really hoping that is where the time went.

[Anonymous]

I'm actually annoyed because our school only added 5 minutes for extra recess/lunch. We also have this weird time before school starts where they are to sit in their classroom instead of playing outside like they used to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ours is 30min lunch, 40min recess.

This is what changed at our school. Last year both were 30 min. I'm thrilled the extra time went to recess. Kids need it.