Playworks Michigan Announces Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren's Right to Play
PR Newswire
DETROIT, April 15, 2021
DETROIT, April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Playworks Michigan, a nonprofit affiliate working to keep kids active and healthy through play and recess, announced the convening of a new coalition to raise awareness about recess in schools and support statewide advocacy for increased access to recess and opportunities for play in Michigan schools. The Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren's Right to Play will support access to safe and healthy play every day at school to positively impact children's physical, social, and emotional development.
"Following the recent online and in-person learning changes throughout the pandemic, curriculum is being reshaped for the fall," said Paul Liabenow, Executive Director of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principal's Association. "As these conversations are happening, we want educators and parents to be aware of the benefits of recess especially after a year of online learning and limited interaction."
The Coalition is made up of more than 20 members including:
There are currently no guidelines requiring Michigan schools to provide recess time nor are there any stipulations to prevent schools from removing recess. The following are the current guidelines schools must adhere to:
In the last decade, nearly half of all school districts nationwide have either completely eliminated or reduced specified time for recess and only 22 percent of school districts require daily recess for elementary school students with less than half of these requiring at least 20 minutes of recess per day, while the CDC recommends children should be active for at least 60 minutes a day. This is particularly concerning when 30.6 percent of children in Michigan are considered either overweight or obese.
The mission of the Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren's Right to Play is to ensure that every elementary student in the State of Michigan has increased access to play and recess as a part of their school day.
Through the support of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Playworks Michigan serves as the convener of this incredibly important coalition of civic, educational, and business leaders.
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SOURCE Playworks Michigan