The following guidelines will be implemented to promote the good health and safety of the students at Olive B. Loss Elementary School.

Recess is defined as "a break period, typically outdoors, for children." (Pellegrini & Smith, 1993, p. 51). According to the National Program for Playground Safety, the playground is "an outdoor classroom, offering great opportunities for problem solving, social interactions, and other essential developmental skills"(Thompson, Hudson, & Mack, 1998, p. 60). Six multi-dimensional areas of recess have been identified by Clements and Jarrett (2000):

• a break in the school day which is essential for satisfaction and alertness
• recess involves a choice of play
• outdoor time is important for good health
• activity enhances tremendous physical growth between ages 4 and 12
• the opportunity to practice social skills and interaction with others
• staff can observe, assess, and intervene in regards to social behavior

COLD/INCLEMENT WEATHER

Small children are more likely to get hypothermia (defined as "a drop in the body temperature 4 degrees Fahrenheit below normal") due to quick depletion of energy reserves and difficulty maintaining an even body temperature in cold surroundings (Schmitt, 2001). Hypothermia occurs gradually and presents initially with cold feet, hands, and face as well as shivering. Over 50 % of a child's body heat is lost from the head and hands (Schmitt, 2001). Therefore, the following guidelines will be adopted:

1. Recess will be held indoors in the event of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.)
2. Outdoor recess will be held without restriction if the temperature exceeds 32 degrees Fahrenheit (including wind chill factor).
3. Outdoor recess will be held with the following restrictions if the temperature is between 25 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (including wind chill factor):
   
   
   • coats must be zipped; hats and gloves or mittens must be worn at all times
   • children must be closely observed by the staff for signs of hypothermia
   • the teacher on duty may shorten the length of outdoor recess time if deemed
     necessary
   • indoor recess activities will be provided by the teacher if proper attire (hats,
     gloves or mittens) are not provided by the family
   
   
4. Recess will be held indoors if the temperature is below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Notification regarding daily recess status will be provided by a color flag system.
   GREEN – Outdoor recess without restriction
   YELLOW – Outdoor recess with restriction
   RED – Indoor recess

SUPERVISION

Children must be supervised while on the playground. It is estimated that over 40% of playground injuries may be related to inadequate supervision (Thompson et al., 1998). Therefore, the following guidelines are to be implemented with regard to proper supervision:

1. children need to be in view of the supervisors at all times
2. rules of playground behavior will be posted
3. supervisory guidelines will be reviewed by the recess committee, staff and students as needed
4. student to teacher ratio will be no less than one teacher per two classes
   

The nurse can exclude a student from outdoor recess due to health reasons.
The administration reserves the right to cancel or shorten recess as deemed necessary.

Clements, R., & Jarrett, O. (2000). Elementary school recess: then and now. Streamlined Seminar, 18(4), 1-4.

Pellegrini, A.D., & Smith, P.K. (1993). School recess: Implications for education and development. Review of Educational Research, 63(1), 51-67.

Schmitt, B.D. (2001). Hypothermia. Clinical Reference Systems, Annual 2001, p. 1067.

Thompson, D., Hudson, S.D., & Mack, Mick. (1998). Keep school playgrounds safe. The Education Digest, 64(2), 60-64.