Bryker Woods PTA

The playground is monitored by parent volunteers for after-lunch recess each school day. Children are released from the lunch room beginning about 11:10 a.m., beginning with the kindergartners, and continuing until 1:10 p.m., when the 6th grade recess has concluded.

Two shifts of playground monitors provide oversight during after lunch recess:

• 1st shift: 11:10 a.m. to 12: 10 p.m.

• 2nd shift: 12:10 p.m. to 1:10 p.m.

Arrival:

Please arrive for your shift a few minutes early to sign in. Playground monitors must sign in at two locations before going out to the playground:

1. Front Office. Sign in using the folder for playground/lunch monitors.
2. Clairlea’s White Board. Write your name on the white board kept on the stage in the lunchroom. Clairlea will not release students to go out for lunch time recess unless she has two playground monitors signed in on the white board.

First Shift: Pick up the bag of kickballs and basketballs in the front office, and also the first aid kit, to take out to the playground. Wear a lanyard to identify yourself as a playground monitor; they are kept in the first aid kit. Inflate the balls, if any are flat, using the hand pump that Clairlea keeps by the white board on the stage in the lunchroom. When second shift arrives, report how many balls were taken out to the playground that day, in the hope that the same number will be retrieved and returned to the front office at the end of lunch recess. Also, pass the lanyards to the second shift. Please don’t leave until the second shift has arrived. If someone is a no-show, please tell Clairlea before you leave.

Second Shift: After signing in (both locations!), head out to the playground, receive the lanyard, and get any update from first shift on number of balls out on the playground, and any other relevant information about playground activity. After the last group has returned to class, collect and return the kickballs, basketballs and first aid kit to the front office. Take any sweaters, clothing, or other “lost” articles to lost and found.

Cancellation: If you cannot make your shift, please call the substitute list (or ask a friend), then call the Office (414-2054) to let them know who will be substituting for you. If you cannot find a substitute, call Michele Brown at 420-8991 or Melinda Marble at 709-1407.

In case of inclement weather, call the Office to see if the students will be going outside. If they aren’t going out, please consider helping in the lunchroom.

Rules:

1. Children must stay within the boundaries of the playground.
Children are not allowed to go down to the lower track/playground unless they are supervised by a teacher.

If balls go outside of the playground boundaries (i.e. over a fence or down to the lower playground), the playground monitor may allow a student to retrieve the ball if the monitor can keep the student within eyesight while he or she gets the ball. If the monitor cannot supervise retrieval, the ball must be left where it is until recess is over, when the monitor can retrieve the ball to return it to the office.

Children should stay on the playground side of the boiler room on the upper side of the playground, within eyesight of the playground monitor.

2. Children should play safely.
Generally, the playground monitor is in charge of deciding if an activity is safe, and intervening to stop unsafe play.

Activities that are not allowed:

• climbing trees (many broken arms in Bryker Woods’ history)
• throwing rocks
• running down the steps or sidewalk leading to the playground
• sitting or sliding on handrail by the sidewalks leading to the playground
• climbing on swing set or fences
• going up (instead of down) the slides on the playscape
• swinging side-to-side, or spinning, or more than one child on a swing

3. Children should be encouraged to talk through their conflicts and disagreements. The younger children often need more help with social interactions.
If a child is misbehaving, the monitor should intervene and re-direct the child. If a child is not responsive to intervention by a monitor, the monitor may have the child sit out of recess at a table or bench by the tree. Severely unruly children may be sent to the office. Monitors are encouraged to report misbehavior on the playground to the child’s teacher.

4. Children going inside need to take a buddy.
Students can go in to use the restroom, or to go to the nurse if they are hurt (beyond a skinned knee) or ill. A “buddy” should be sent along with them. Have them let you know when they return. Keep track of who goes inside, and what classroom they are in. Report their whereabouts to the teacher, if they have not returned to the playground when the teacher comes to take the class at the end of lunch recess.

Parent volunteers are in charge of monitoring all activity on the playground during lunch recess. They are fully empowered to decide whether an activity is safe or unsafe, and to provide direction to the students on the playground. Thank you!!!