Todd Students “Earn” Extra Recess Through Good Behavior

Kindergartners are playing with fourth graders…fifth graders are playing with second graders…at Todd elementary school, students have a chance to mingle and play with students from different grades during extra recess – a kindness initiative that has been an incentive for good behavior.

Each week Assistant Principal Anne Marie Foley selects a different group: students from a specific bus, a group of students waiting to get picked up at the carline or students who walk home. The chosen group gets extra recess at the end of the day before it is time to go home.

“For the students who ride the bus, I check in with the drivers in the afternoon. I look for students who are wearing their masks, being kind and respectful to one another, keeping iPads in their backpacks, etc.” Ms. Foley said.

Ms. Foley also checks the students who are sitting at tables, waiting to get picked up at the carline. She asks the staff that supports the carline pick up to let her know which of the students are listening, holding their belongings with them and being kind and respectful to one another.

“I also check on the students waiting to walk home,” Ms. Foley added. “Every single student in the school gets an opportunity to display good behavior and to be rewarded for it.”

The extra recess is always held outdoors at the K-2 playground. If there is snow on the playground, the students play on the black top and if it is too cold to be outdoors, Ms. Foley will reschedule the extra recess for another day.

Every week a different group wins extra recess.

“By the end of the year, we hope all of the students at the school will have had a chance for extra recess,” Ms. Foley said.

Playing with students of all ages certainly has it benefits. The older students oftentimes teach the younger students games they do not know.

“It is a great incentive and it helps build community,” Ms. Foley said. “How often do you get to play outside with kids who are on your bus? It is nice for the students to see each other in a different setting.”