16. Playground Rules

Playground Rules

Students should walk out from the building to the playground area and stay away from the grassy area nearest the school and the fencing that surrounds the playground.

Students must remain on the playground during their scheduled time unless they have permission from a supervising adult to go into the building (i.e. to use the bathroom or visit the nurse). They must check in with that adult upon returning to the playground.

Permanent Equipment (Swings, Slides, Monkey Bars, etc)

Each piece of equipment should be used properly to avoid injury.

The following is not proper use of equipment and is not allowed:

• wrapping swings up to make them higher or standing in front of a swing in use

• climbing up the poles that support the swings

• jumping off platforms from any piece of equipment

• playing tag or ballgames on any piece of equipment

• climbing up slides or sliding down backwards

• standing or sitting atop monkey bars

Portable Equipment

Wells Elementary School, with the support of our PTSA, will provide Nerf/sponge footballs as well as soccer balls, basketballs, and kickballs for student use. Under the supervision of the staff on duty, all equipment should be returned to the classrooms at the end of each recess block.

Equipment from home including hard footballs, bats, baseballs, skip-its, and frisbees are not allowed.

Physical and Emotional Safety

The Wells Elementary School playground is a safe and enjoyable place for children to play and interact with friends. In order to maintain this positive environment, the following is not allowed:

• tackle football, pushing, fighting, rough games of tag, inappropriate language, name calling, spitting, throwing rocks, sticks, or wood chips.

Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior

1^st Offence – Verbal Warning

2^nd Offense – Shadow Teacher (Supervising staff member has student walk with him/her for (5) minutes to process issue/concern.

3^rd Offense – Child must sit on playground bench for the remainder of recess and a “:Time Out” slip will be completed and given to the child’s teacher which is located in the recess box.

Please Note: If a student does something that is unsafe for self or others, the supervising staff member may skip the three steps and send the student to the principal’s/assistant principal’s office. In the case of severe safety violations to self or others, a child may be required by the principal or assistant principal to serve an in-school or out-of-school suspension.

Snow & Sledding

Students are expected to dress properly for safe outdoor play in the cold. Each child will go outside unless administration calls for an indoor recess based on child care's weather watch. (http://www.decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/Weatherwatchchart.pdf)

During the winter months when there is enough snow on the hill adjacent the Wells Elementary School playground, students in grades 1-4 are permitted to go sledding with supervision provided by recess duty personnel. Safety is first and foremost at all times. If the conditions are too icy, sledding is not permitted. School staff monitor the conditions closely and report any unsafe circumstances to school administrators. Sleds are provided for students. Sleds are not permitted to be brought from home during regular school hours. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately so he/she may participate in this activity.

Fire/Evacuation Drill During Recess

Children are grouped by classroom and lined up in predetermined areas.

Library Procedures/Expectations

The Wells Elementary School is equipped with many books, DVD’s, videos and other resources for our students to access and enjoy. It is a beautiful setting dedicated to the enrichment of each student and his/her love of reading.

All classes visit the library on a regularly scheduled rotation to check out and exchange books. Additional library visits are coordinated between the librarian and the classroom teacher to promote research and a love of reading. Reminders of overdue materials are generated periodically and sent home with the students. The library does not collect fines on overdue items; however, should an item be lost or damaged a bill is sent home. If a lost item is found and returned, any previous payment will be happily refunded.