Rotolo Drops Student Recess, Principal Explains Why
Several student discipline referrals were a factor in the change. Here's more info.
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So long, recess. Looks like you won't be coming back to Rotolo Middle School anytime soon.
Rotolo students lost the privilege of recess time after almost 60 discipline referrals during the first trimester of the last school year, Principal Steve Maciejewski said.
"Simply put, this was a management decision based upon discipline issues and the volume of students eating lunch at a particular time," Maciejewski said in an online message sent Friday to the Rotolo community. He wrote about the issue after receiving questions about the lunchtime change.
In the past the school had three lunch periods, one for each grade level, serving 500 students each time. Last year lunch was 30 minutes long. After eating, students were allowed to go outside for their remaining 10 minutes.
This year the school divided those lunch periods, with 250 students served in a 20-minute period.
During the first trimester last year there were 59 student disciplinary referrals, many for behaviors that resulted in some form of out-of-school suspension time.
For the trimester just completed this year, there were a total of 17 referrals. None resulted in out-of-school suspension time, Maciejewski said.
"We believe this schedule change has been positive," Maciejewski said. "We believe it adds to and has helped create a more productive environment."
Other Rotolo News: Visitor Parking Lot Construction
Work was scheduled to begin Dec. 3 on the retaining wall in the east school parking lot, also known as the visitor parking lot in front of the school's main entrance.
Maintenance workers will be doing repairs and will need to block off all of the parking spots along the retaining wall. If spaces are not available for use, please use the faculty parking lot located on the opposite side of the building.
- See more Batavia school stories
Denise Hixson
7:49 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
It's a shame that because of a few kids who cannot behave, all the kids have to be punished. Twenty minutes to stand in line, get your food and then gulp it down does not "create a more productive environment."
mary
1:03 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Why is it always that the students that cannot behave ruin it for everyone. I get so sick of hearing this from schools that they have to drop something because of these misbehaved students. My kids at middle school have never had a recess, which I'm glad so they don't have to gobble down their food as they do at the elementary level which is 15 min to eat.
Carolyn Burnham
6:46 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I agree that it is not much time to eat. However, recess consisted of standing in the back parking lot until lunch was over. My daughter hated it and tried to get a pass to the library whenever she could.
Jon Azavedo
9:24 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The "disciplinary problems" include kids who would grab someone's hat and throw it around, boys playing "smear the queer" otherwise known as tackle the guy with the ball and dodgeball. Kids acting like kids, but, oh so politically incorrect. As usual, no common sense exhibited by the teachers and staff. Adam Corrolo is correct-in 20 years we'll all be chicks.
Robin Lambesis Rix
7:43 am on Monday, December 17, 2012
There are so many children who need down time during their school day. Not only did they take away their recess time (which was usually spent extending their eating time, NOT going to recess) but they took away 20 minutes of their advisory time. Both of these have a great impact on all kids, but especially those who need a mental and/or physical break throughout the day. In theory, this may lead to MORE behavioral issues in the long term. Bad decision in my opinion.