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259 U.S. Route 1

Scarborough, ME 04074

October 8, 2014

To Dr. Entwistle,

We are writing this letter in response to the decision to have K-2 students participate in only one 25 minute recess a day. We are a group of parents whose jobs include teachers, special educators and occupational therapist. We are completely disheartened upon reading this news.

Twenty-five minutes out of six hours is not enough time for our students to engage with their peers, to dig, jump rope, investigate nature, solve problems, make decisions, play tag, talk with friends, fall down and learn to get back up again. It is less than 7% of the school day.

We completely understand the need to accommodate for the curriculum as it becomes increasingly demanding; which is all the more reason children need physical activity to off set the rigor of the classroom. There are more developmentally appropriate ways to maximize the time. Student engagement is the key to improving student achievement. It's about quality, not quantity. We are confident that Scarborough Schools have highly skilled educators capable of providing children with the quality of education they need to meet benchmarks. Yet physical activity is a basic need. There is no equitable substitution for recess; not PE, brain breaks, or walking to the water fountain. Your students will not be fully engaged, their minds will not be recharged, and their bodies will not be settled without it.

The research is clear. There are substantial articles and studies supporting recess throughout the day. Not only do children benefit from the break, but your teachers do as well. It gives them time to follow through with students, think about what is coming next and observe their students in different arenas. Physical activity feeds the brain. Numerous studies have shown that students who are physically active throughout the day improve their academic performance, achieve higher test scores and demonstrate a better attitude toward school.

We found no research that linked decreasing recess time in order to increase instructional time that had a direct impact on student achievement. On the contrary, one article in favor of maximizing instructional time similarly states: “Schools experienced more student absenteeism during additional weeks of school they had scheduled into the academic year. Eventually, the school backed off of its commitment to a longer school year but retained the longer school day model. Still, academic results from the model with a longer school day are mixed. Another experiment in extending the school day did not increase student achievement and two-thirds of staff reported tired children, “burned out” teachers, and several other reasons why they believed the experiment should be discontinued.”

With that being said, we wholeheartedly disagree with your decision to reduce recess time to once a day. Please read some of the articles attached to this letter. We hope that you will reconsider this policy as it is in the best interest of our children.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Resources:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/researchbrief/v3n10/toc.aspx

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/recess-makes-kids-smarter

http://www.letsmove.gov/active-schools

http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200909/On%20Our%20Minds%20909.pdf

Below are some relevant and poignant excerpts from the above links:

“Changes in instructional time do not generally increase or decrease student achievement, unless such changes go beyond unusually low, or high, amounts of time. Curriculum and instructional quality appear to have a much greater effect on achievement than do total hours of instructional time.”

“Indeed, no research supports the notion that test scores go up by keeping children in the classroom longer, but there is plenty of evidence that recess benefits children in cognitive, social-emotional, and physical ways. Research shows that when children have recess, they gain the following benefits:

Are less fidgety and more on task

Have improved memory and more focused attention

Develop more brain connections

Learn negotiation skills

Exercise leadership, teach games, take turns, and learn to resolve conflicts

Are more physically active before and after school”

“Regular physical activity helps students succeed in school – and in life!

In addition to keeping kids healthy and strong, being active for 60 minutes each day has been shown to:

Increase concentration and focus

Improve classroom attendance and behavior

Boost academic performance”

“We believe that recess is a right, not a privilege. Article 31 of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (www.unicef.org/crc) recognizes The right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”

cc: Kelly Mullen Martin and Anne Cass