Playground
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT![]()
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
Playground equipment has been provided for students to play upon, and we are very proud of these additions to our campus. All students are expected to use common sense and to play safely while enjoying the playground structures. Students are advised to use the "One Word and Three Rules" to make good choices: The one work is "Respect!" The Three rules are "Be safe. Be kind. Think!"
In addition to these over-arching school rules, general playground rules include:
- No running or tag games in tanbark areas
- Jumping on or off any apparatus is not allowed
- Play is not allowed when equipment is wet or icy
- Equipment is to be used only in the manner it was intended (for example, the slide is for sliding down, not for climbing up)
Rules Assemblies are held at the beginning of the school year so that all students are aware of expectations.
Rules and issues are also reviewed, as needed, at Spirit Assemblies and through the Kids' Bulletin.
PLAYGROUND EXPECTATIONS
At the beginning of each year the following playground rules are presented to students:
- Students are to stay/play within "Safe Spaces" (designated playground or field areas only). Students are not to play on the hillside adjacent to the school, nor are students to play in front of the school. Students must remain in view of supervisors at all times, and may not play behind or between buildings and storage areas.
- Students are allowed to run on grass only (or within an organized game on the blacktop). Students are not allowed to run on the hillside, within the play structure, on walkways or in hallways.
- Students are not to play in or around the bathrooms.
- Students are to remain seated at the benches while eating outdoors during recesses.
- Students are allowed in Library during recesses only if they have been given a Library Pass by their teacher.
- Students are not allowed to take/give "cuts" in line.
- Students are not allowed to climb poles (tether ball, corridor, etc.)
- Students are allowed to play wall ball on wall ball walls only (not on sides of buildings).
- Students are to follow the recess supervisor's directions upon the first request.
- Students are not allowed to visit or play around "Time Out" benches.
- Use common sense when no rule seems to apply. When in doubt, do the safe thing.
- Students are to listen for "Freeze" bell, then WALK to classroom line at whistle signal.
PLAYGROUND SAFETY
The overall goal of playground activities is to give the children maximum opportunities to exercise and explore. Another important goal is to have adults present to act as a deterrent to any inappropriate or unsafe activities and to offer if immediate assistance is needed. To reach those objectives the following policies are followed:
- All adults assigned to this duty are to be prompt or even one or two minutes early when possible.
- All play equipment will be regularly monitored by custodians and maintenance crew on structural integrity and for any possible safety hazards. Appropriate reports and repairs will be made.
- All playground rules will be reviewed each year by all staff. Designated areas of play are determined. Behavior on the playground is regulated by both in-class review of the rules and by yard monitors (supervisors) on an ongoing day-to-day basis.
- During rainy days, rules and procedures are established for before school, A.M. recess and at lunchtime. These rules are governed by each teacher who established in class procedures, which are then monitored by assistants and other staff during implementation. Infractions are reported directly to the teacher.
- Playground rules and procedural violations are handled by any adults who directly observe an infraction. In the early stages of implementation (at the start of the school year, for example) a clear directive is given to the child regarding the rationale behind a rule when a first infraction is committed. Second and /or repeated infractions are handled by a written citation system (a "blue slip")All blue slips are turned into the school office and are reviewed by the principal.
- Any equipment used for games or play that is not provided by the school is subject to school office approval before it is to be used on the playground.
- In the event of an injury, the child, if it is reasonable to do so, is to be brought to the office. Once there, properly established procedures are to be followed to administer aid to the child. In the event it is not reasonable to take the child to the office, an adult will send another adult or a child to the office to ask for assistance. In the event of serious injury, the child is to be made as comfortable as possible and the Paramedic Unit is to be called and parents notified immediately.
- Parents are to be notified annually that supervision of the playground is not provided before the 15 minutes preceding the official start of school for both early and late students. Further, supervision ends at 15 minutes past the scheduled end of the school day or until the last scheduled bus leaves.
