MCPS - Indoor recess for cold weather - what's your school's policy?

[Anonymous]

Our kids were kept inside for recess yesterday (Nov. 29), because it was too cold. I'm taking a little issue with the principal's temperature readings, but putting that aside, after receiving several complaints she sent an email to all parents saying that MCPS does not have a specific policy and she wants kids to be outside as much as possible, but that "as a general rule, when the temperature is below 32 degrees we will remain inside depending on the other conditions outside."

Meantime, a quick Google search of "MCPS indoor recess" pulls up this document from Woodlin ES, which is not far from us, which says "When the air and wind chill is in the low 20’s or 10’s in temperature, students are kept inside for indoor recess." https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/woodlines/news/Indoor%20recess.pdf

That seems much more reasonable to me, and many other parents, who are also upset about the kids having so much time inside. What makes it worse is that when they are kept indoors, there is no gym space or other general space available for games or running, so they either end up watching a movie or playing board games.

I'm trying to get some more data points on this, to see what is the norm in MCPS. One thing that would be helpful is to know if your school had indoor or outdoor recess yesterday, November 29th. It would also be helpful to know what your school's stated policy is, if any?

I'm also wondering if the BOE has ever discussed this issue, or if people think we would benefit from a district-wide policy?

Obviously the benefits of physical activity during the school day are immense, and I think that taking away their one opportunity to get exercise during the day should be considered very carefully. We are offering to hold a cold weather clothing drive, if the issue is kids aren't dressed properly because they can't afford the right clothes. Several teachers have also told me that indoor recess requires more staffing, and from their perspective outdoor is always best whenever possible.

Certainly the northern states in the U.S. have figured this out!

Thanks for any feedback.

[Anonymous]

You’re never going to have a district policy for this when students in high FARMS schools struggle with warm clothing shortages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re never going to have a district policy for this when students in high FARMS schools struggle with warm clothing shortages.

+1. If you want to address this in your particular school you need to understand why the school is keeping the kids in (and trust me it’s not because the admin prefers to keep them indoors.). Some PTAs organize coat drives or have closets where kids can borrow items if they don’t have them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re never going to have a district policy for this when students in high FARMS schools struggle with warm clothing shortages.

You're never going to have a district policy when there are 133 elementary schools.

My impression, at my kids' elementary schools, was that the recess supervisors don't like being out in the cold.

[Anonymous]

Our school has the same policy, indoor recess at temperatures below 32, and the same problem with reading the thermometer.

I view it as a natural consequence. If teachers don't want to stand outside in cold weather supervising recess, then they get to deal with the kids.

[Anonymous]

Our school had indoor recess on 11/28 due to high winds and low wind chill temperatures, but outdoor recess 11/29. Maybe your principal got feedback that 11/28 was too cold and then held indoor 11/29 whereas our principal had kids indoor 11/28 so needed to send them out 11/29.

Appropriate clothing is always an issue, for adults and children in this region. There are not enough really really cold days to make it worthwhile to buy all the gear people own in regions that get much colder weather.

Is anyone at schools where the teachers actually go out for recess? Our recess aides are not classroom teachers, so it's not the same people complaining about going outside in the cold as have to deal with the rambunctious kids who didn't go out. Maybe start a lending closet at your school for kids and adults to borrow warm clothes!

[Anonymous]

Our school had indoor on Wednesday for the wind chill factor, but outdoor yesterday.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, this is OP. Actually our school was also inside on 11/28. That one I don't take as much issue with, because it was indeed quite windy, though I assumed the real reason was our temporary recess location (on some tennis courts while our playground is being renovated) and there are many trees overhead and I thought falling branches was the concern - but I was told that no, it was just the cold.

I have also since found out that the recess announcement was made yesterday morning during morning announcements at 9:30am, and the principal has said that it's too much trouble to change the policy throughout the day (for the grades with later recess), so basically that means that the temp at 9:30am is dictating recess for the entire day. At this rate our kids are going to be inside watching movies all winter.

[Anonymous]

Oh and OP again - if you're willing to share the name of your school that would be helpful. I'm trying to gather data, and don't want to double count. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, this is OP. Actually our school was also inside on 11/28. That one I don't take as much issue with, because it was indeed quite windy, though I assumed the real reason was our temporary recess location (on some tennis courts while our playground is being renovated) and there are many trees overhead and I thought falling branches was the concern - but I was told that no, it was just the cold.

I have also since found out that the recess announcement was made yesterday morning during morning announcements at 9:30am, and the principal has said that it's too much trouble to change the policy throughout the day (for the grades with later recess), so basically that means that the temp at 9:30am is dictating recess for the entire day. At this rate our kids are going to be inside watching movies all winter.

At our school, indoor/outdoor recess is decided class by class. It may be raining only part of the day, or some teachers better withstand cold temperatures.

[Anonymous]

are we saying the high farm schools have different policies then others?

[Anonymous]

I didn't ask about yesterday but they had indoor recess on the windy day.

Our school's PTA (Greenwood) is trying to implement alternatives for indoor recess. Some ideas they suggested were hall walking clubs, dance rooms, using the gym if available, basically things that will let them be active on indoor days. There would also be lego rooms and craft rooms. I am not involved but I really liked the ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, this is OP. Actually our school was also inside on 11/28. That one I don't take as much issue with, because it was indeed quite windy, though I assumed the real reason was our temporary recess location (on some tennis courts while our playground is being renovated) and there are many trees overhead and I thought falling branches was the concern - but I was told that no, it was just the cold.

I have also since found out that the recess announcement was made yesterday morning during morning announcements at 9:30am, and the principal has said that it's too much trouble to change the policy throughout the day (for the grades with later recess), so basically that means that the temp at 9:30am is dictating recess for the entire day. At this rate our kids are going to be inside watching movies all winter.

That's kind of a cop-out. If they don't announce indoor recess at 9:30 am, and then later it rains, do they go outside anyway, because they didn't announce indoor recess at 9:30?

At my kids' school, if it rained for an earlier recess and then stopped raining, the later recesses went outside. So it's possible to do it that way. Maybe that would be something to discuss with the principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, this is OP. Actually our school was also inside on 11/28. That one I don't take as much issue with, because it was indeed quite windy, though I assumed the real reason was our temporary recess location (on some tennis courts while our playground is being renovated) and there are many trees overhead and I thought falling branches was the concern - but I was told that no, it was just the cold.

I have also since found out that the recess announcement was made yesterday morning during morning announcements at 9:30am, and the principal has said that it's too much trouble to change the policy throughout the day (for the grades with later recess), so basically that means that the temp at 9:30am is dictating recess for the entire day. At this rate our kids are going to be inside watching movies all winter.

I think that is being a lazy principal At our school they just keep an eye on the weather. That means that sometimes earlier recess times get go outdoors but later times stay in because of rain.

Also, may I ask (not to hijack) how many adult supervisors your school has for recess/lunch?

[Anonymous]

This is OP. I try to go in once a month for lunch/recess and there are usually 2 adults monitoring (for a grade of let's say 120 kids). They are not teachers, but para educators. The teachers use the time for planning. When recess is indoors my understand is that it gets complicated and classrooms have to be combined, etc because the teachers still get their planning period so are not in the room.