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Putting Fun Into The Picture

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By LIZ BLEAU, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2007

VALRICO - It used to be an eagerly anticipated part of the school day, a time for students to get out on the playground and vent all the energy pent up while they were anchored to desks in the classroom. A way to solidify friendships, stretch growing muscles, burn off calories and just have fun.

But in many elementary schools, a dedicated time for recess each day has gone by the wayside, a victim of curriculum requirements and increased demands on the classroom schedule.

At Cimino Elementary School, though, recess remains a dedicated free time for children to play outside, a tradition that continues with help from the school's PTA. The association pays two school aides to organize and monitor daily recess for children who want to participate.

Some schools carve recess out of classroom time. At Cimino, recess is part of a lunch period and lasts 15 minutes. Children can opt to play ball, tag or other games or just enjoy time outdoors.

'As parents, we think it is so important for our children to have some time each day that allows them to have unstructured play, thus making them better able to concentrate during the long school day,' PTA President Stacy Muia said.

To pay the aides and fund other school projects, the PTA is sponsoring a yearlong fundraiser by selling tiles that children and parents can paint. The tiles will then be fired and glued to the wall in the school stairway, becoming a permanent display.

The school's cafeteria was filled with about 200 parents and children who came to paint the first batch of tiles and eat pizza one recent evening. Each of the 75 tiles was sold for a minimum donation of $50. Many of the parents bought tiles to make sure recess remains part of their children's school day.

'The children need time to expend their energy. It's play time. There's equipment they can use if they want. It's play like we used to have when we were kids,' said Stephanie Hannett, who was painting tiles with her children, Ryan, 5, and Sarah, 8. Hannett also is a first-grade teacher at Cimino and finds recess helpful.

'Once the kids are back in the classroom after recess, it's easier for them to settle down,' she said. 'Sitting for long periods of time is difficult for little children.'

Loretta Gasdon was painting a tile with her daughter, Raven, 8, a third-grader at Cimino.

'It's nice to know that this tile will be here forever. When Raven has her kids, maybe she can bring them here and look at it,' she said.

'I was surprised to find out that kids today don't always have recess,' Gasdon said. 'I like the idea of recess and the opportunity for them to go outside and to be with other kids, and to get some physical activity.'

Last year, the PTA just asked parents for donations, Gasdon said. But she likes the idea of purchasing and painting a tile that will become part of a permanent display.

Muia, who has two children at Cimino - Nicholas, 10, and Maria, 8 - said recess is so popular with the kids that the aides have to make sure children spend at least 15 minutes eating lunch. 'Some of the kids would eat really fast or hardly at all so they could get outside sooner,' she said. 'Now, we require them to spend the time at lunch before they can go to recess.'

Michelle Pignataro was decorating a tile with her daughter, Tessa, 6, a first-grader at Cimino. Her older daughter, Leah, who graduated from the school last year, and her toddler, Johnny, also attended the event.

'The children love recess,' she said. 'It's a time for them to just go out and play like we did when we went to school. With FCAT and everything else, it's hard to fit recess into the program, and not every school does it. Maybe if more schools learn what we are doing here, they will do the same.'

Boy Scout Troop 610 and Eagle Scout candidate Chris Lemons improved the outdoor play area used for recess at Cimino during summer. The boys cleared the grounds in a shaded area and prepared it for play.

The Cimino PTA has planned other events throughout the school year in hopes of meeting its $25,000 goal. Muia estimates $7,000 to $8,000 of the PTA budget each year pays the recess aides, who are hired by the school.

For information about the PTA and its programs, e-mail Muia at stacylm@tampa bay.rr.com.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 865-1557 or lbleau@tampatrib.com.

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