AMSA’s administration has brought back the short, outdoor break that Lower School students received during lunch in years past but that was paused during construction of the Main Building.
Students are given the opportunity to have a small break outside, weather permitting, under a few conditions: they are well behaved, their table is cleaned, and they’re done eating.
“I think it’s good in that it actually really incentivizes them cleaning up the cafeteria,” Lower School Dean of Students Anthony Montesion said. “It’s something that they really look forward to quite a lot.”
The reward of a physical break outside encourages students to clean their messes, teaching them responsibility as well as lessening the work the staff in the cafeteria is forced to do.
It should not be the job of staff members to clean the messes of students, and this reward makes sure they don’t have to.
“Students clean up more often when they have the break as a reward,” wellness teacher Brendan McDonough said. “I think it’s beneficial for young minds to have a break.”
According to a report by the Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment, students who are given breaks where they can be physically active perform better in school and are able to let off excess energy.
“I would say that they come into their next class a little bit more focused, a little bit easier to initiate engagement as compared to when they’re just bottled up in there,” Principal Mike Nawrocki said. “I think that release of energy kind of helps them because then they come back in, calm down, and then they get to class.”
Despite the benefits seen from introducing an unstructured play time for the Lower School, it is not something that will be added to the Upper School.
“There’s really not an ideal space,” Mr. Nawrocki said. “I feel like if we had a little mini field type of deal, it would be so much easier to allow the high schoolers to go out.”
So long as there continues to be snow on the ground and cold temperatures, students will be unable to enjoy the option of playing outside, but when the weather warms up the option will re-open for students.
