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No rest from recess advocacy: Go, Christine & Arizonans for Recess, Go!

CHRISTINE DAVIS

Madison School District, Arizona

I organized Madison Parents for Recess (now Arizonans for Recess) last school year when our K-4 school went from two recesses a day to one — and made the kids sit quietly in the library during that one recess on high-heat days in August and September.
When I asked why the students couldn’t go to the gym for recess, school administrators said it was "because the kids would feel free to run around in the gym." The shock of that answer, indicating a presumption against movement/physical activity, compelled my action, as did a few calls confirming that most large/urban schools in Arizona had gone to one short daily recess, combined with a hurried lunch.
Word of the Facebook group spread quickly and I learned many parents had been wanting to gather around the recess issue. As we began advocating with school and district officials, and ultimately our school board, teachers and administrators (both active and retired) began joining the group, and we started adding stakeholders from the health, education and business sectors. 
Christine_Davis_Advocating_With_Teacher_300.jpg
Christine Davis (left) advocating at a school board 
meeting with her former fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Adams.
Ultimately, we were unsuccessful at the local level last year. Despite the multidisciplinary consensus concerning the benefits of recess, test anxiety still trumps best practices, and it is very hard to restore something once it has been lost. So now we are at the legislature, asserting that local control has been local neglect when it comes to kids and recess. We are also pressing our districts to create robust wellness policies and functioning site-level school wellness committees. It is a multi-layered effort.
My advice to other advocates would be:
  • Use social media to educate and gather parents, educators and health professionals.
  • Use the media and all available policy, administrative and legislative processes to improve school recess.
  • Share the work and be respectful, but bold. Don't stop. Our kids truly need us here.
  • Feel free to join Arizonans for Recess to share resources. 
From: http://community.shapeamerica.org/blogs/michelle-carter/2017/02/23/moms-speak-out-for-more-recess 

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