Recess for Kindergartners in MoCo schools

[Anonymous]

We are contemplating a move to close in MoCo because of the schools. However, I recently heard a really troubling story from a friend in MoCo (Potomac) that their child only had one recess per day (and only 20 mins.) and only 20 mins for lunch. Anyone else have this experience and does it differ by elementary school? We are specifically interested in Somerset.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are contemplating a move to close in MoCo because of the schools. However, I recently heard a really troubling story from a friend in MoCo (Potomac) that their child only had one recess per day (and only 20 mins.) and only 20 mins for lunch. Anyone else have this experience and does it differ by elementary school? We are specifically interested in Somerset.

Thanks.

The short-recess issue is one of the top reasons (along with overcrowded schools) that we went private. Small children need more recess time!

[Anonymous]

OP here -- I share your view completely. Private is the other option we are considering.

[Anonymous]

I have heard anecdotally that Somerset is very academically focused (test-driven), and I would be very surprised if they had more recess than this. I know a couple of families that decided to go private because of Somerset's expectations for the K'ers.

[Anonymous]

My DC was in K at Somerset last year. There were two recesses/day. First recess is around 10:00. All four Ks go outside for snack and recess for 30 minutes total. Second recess is after lunch, around 12:30, for another 30 minutes. If you count the 15 minutes all kids are allowed to play outside from the time the bus drops them off at 8:30 until the bell rings at 8:45, there are three play/running around times. And, in addition, the K teachers all strived to give even additional times outside at the end of the day if the weather was especially nice or if the kids seemed to need it. It is a WONDERFUL school, with a great principal, mostly fabulous teachers, superb facilities and a low social-overhead, caring, mostly liberal community of parents. I love it.

[Anonymous]

That is a lot of recess! Our kindergartner at Oakland Terrace gets no snack (morning or afternoon) has 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for 1 recess each day. PE is once a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is a lot of recess! Our kindergartner at Oakland Terrace gets no snack (morning or afternoon) has 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for 1 recess each day. PE is once a week.

13:20 here. Yes, Oakland Terrace would have been our school if we had gone public. I just couldn't see active DC thriving with so little run-around time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is a lot of recess! Our kindergartner at Oakland Terrace gets no snack (morning or afternoon) has 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for 1 recess each day. PE is once a week.

13:20 here. Yes, Oakland Terrace would have been our school if we had gone public. I just couldn't see active DC thriving with so little run-around time.

What private did you choose? How much recess does your child have per day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC was in K at Somerset last year. There were two recesses/day. First recess is around 10:00. All four Ks go outside for snack and recess for 30 minutes total. Second recess is after lunch, around 12:30, for another 30 minutes. If you count the 15 minutes all kids are allowed to play outside from the time the bus drops them off at 8:30 until the bell rings at 8:45, there are three play/running around times. And, in addition, the K teachers all strived to give even additional times outside at the end of the day if the weather was especially nice or if the kids seemed to need it. It is a WONDERFUL school, with a great principal, mostly fabulous teachers, superb facilities and a low social-overhead, caring, mostly liberal community of parents. I love it.

OP here -- To the poster above with the DC at Somerset, thank you for the great info. Couple of questions -- did your DC have homwork in K? Also, can you tell me the class sizes? Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

Our Kindergartener gets 20 minutes for lunch and 20 minutes for recess. No morning of afternoon snacks. It's terrible. One of the many reasons we are considering private school next year.

[Anonymous]

Are there any Garrett Park parents who can respond? Does Garrett Park have decent recess time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC was in K at Somerset last year. There were two recesses/day. First recess is around 10:00. All four Ks go outside for snack and recess for 30 minutes total. Second recess is after lunch, around 12:30, for another 30 minutes. If you count the 15 minutes all kids are allowed to play outside from the time the bus drops them off at 8:30 until the bell rings at 8:45, there are three play/running around times. And, in addition, the K teachers all strived to give even additional times outside at the end of the day if the weather was especially nice or if the kids seemed to need it. It is a WONDERFUL school, with a great principal, mostly fabulous teachers, superb facilities and a low social-overhead, caring, mostly liberal community of parents. I love it.

OP here -- To the poster above with the DC at Somerset, thank you for the great info. Couple of questions -- did your DC have homwork in K? Also, can you tell me the class sizes? Thanks so much!

Homework started at some point in the year (can't remember when!). There was a sheet given on a Friday that had to be returned the following Friday. So a whole week to do the work and it was very simple stuff.

Class sizes in K were about 22/room. Also, really liked that size. It allowed children to move around from one friendship group to another unlike with the smaller class sizes of nursery school. FYI, there is differentiation in K. So if your child already reads, s/he will be placed with like students. If your child does not yet read, s/he will be placed with like students. If your child is one of the many many embassy/World Bank children that attend Somerset, s/he will be placed with like speakers/readers and also attend ESOL. My children literally have friends from countries around the world. Kids are appropriately challenged according to that child's own level. My kids have never said they were bored OR stressed.

[Anonymous]

To the PP w/ DC at Somerset. Thank you so much for all of the info. It really does sound like a fantastic/unique public school - and I like the feel of the surrounding community. I love the fact that you mentioned it has quite a few international children. Our DS has several friends from nursery school that are from World Bank or similar families and I really love that aspect. Now, if I could just find a house in the Somerset boundaries ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is a lot of recess! Our kindergartner at Oakland Terrace gets no snack (morning or afternoon) has 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for 1 recess each day. PE is once a week.

Is it correct that ALL the kindergartners take recess at the same time and eat lunch together? Aren't there something like 180 kids in K there? That just seems overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is a lot of recess! Our kindergartner at Oakland Terrace gets no snack (morning or afternoon) has 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for 1 recess each day. PE is once a week.

Is it correct that ALL the kindergartners take recess at the same time and eat lunch together? Aren't there something like 180 kids in K there? That just seems overwhelming.

I think it is 170 and the answer is yes. But they take them out to different sections of the playground. Some are taken to the nearby fields, some on the equipment, etc. So they are divided up and rotate.