Modern-day recess not like the old days

Dear Sir:

Congratulations are in order. With its introduction of “instructional recess,” our school district has contributed a new oxymoron to the English language.

At the June 4, 2008 meeting of the Coast Mountains Board of Education, the acting superintendent advised the trustees that Cassie Hall Elementary would continue to offer the same unusual morning recess configuration that they provided to students this year.

Instead of receiving a 15 minute break in instruction during recess like all other elementary students in the school district, Cassie Hall students will be required to engage in instructional activities from 8:40 in the morning until 12:00 noon.

This lack of a morning break provides them with the dubious benefit of being dismissed from school 15 minutes earlier than their counterparts.

Could someone please explain why these students are being deprived of the break that is being offered to every other elementary student in this district? If this is an educationally sound decision, why isn’t it being extended to all the other schools?

And if it works so well for students, why isn’t the district introducing “working coffee breaks” for its staff? Wouldn’t that increase productivity and save the district a whack of money that could then be applied to services that directly support students?

And why aren’t the trustees concerned enough to question any of this or to assist individual parents, as well as the Cassie Hall PAC in getting their concerns regarding this recess issue addressed by the district?

Tanis Kilpatrick,

Terrace, B.C.