Middletown Schools Experiment with Recess

Students at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Middletown are shaking up their daily schedules a little bit. Instead of heading for the playground after lunch, teachers are taking their classes out for recess before lunch, and many say it makes a difference in everything from attentiveness to healthy eating.

According to the school's nurse, Shane Allison, before the switch, students weren't eating the healthy meat and vegetables from their school lunches and they were rushing through lunch so they could go play. "Every day after they would eat lunch they'd come in and separate all their food waste. The food they didn't eat would go in the food bucket and drinks they didn't drink would go into a drink bucket, and they'd throw the trash trays away," Allison told WLWT in Cincinnati.

For one week, 62 fourth graders went to recess before lunch. The results were very positive. Allison said, "The kids have a lot less malaise, fatigue, (but) they're more focused because they have more calories on board." It also allowed students to talk about what they did on the playground during lunch, instead of during classtime, which cut back on classroom disruption.

The kids were even involved in the "scientific experiment." After lunch, the student weighed the buckets of food to see if they were eating more of their healthy lunches or less. The findings were that when going to recess before lunch, they ate about 32 percent more. School lunches are designed to meet one third to one half of a student's daily dietary needs. This is especially important for students on free or reduced lunch and who many not receive proper nutrition at home.

Next year, all Middletown schools will begin scheduling recess before lunch, due to the success of the experiment. Even students think it's a great idea. "If we run around, we get more hungrier and we come back in and can eat all our food," fourth grader Nathaniel Jones told WLWT.

For more information and to watch the WLWT newscast about the experiment, visit their website here: Playing Before Lunch Makes Kids Hungrier, More Attentive

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ProgressBook Debuts in Middletown Schools

A new software product that allows educators to record, retrieve and use student information for progress-based education is making its debut in three Middletown schools. ProgressBook will be available in Middletown High School, Vail Middle School, and Verity Middle School.

The program also allows parents and students to review grades, homework assignments, attendance, report card information, student progress, teacher comments and more, opening the door for more communication amongst students, teachers, and parents.

"Communication is the key. Better communication, between home and school, equals a better educational process," said Debbie Houser, the Middletown Schools' Curriculum Coordinator.

Funding for the program came through a federal stimulus grant. According to the Senior Director of Learning, Betsy Carter, the school system was only given enough funding for three schools but hopefully there will be enough for more in the future. "When the grant runs out in two years, the district will have to fund the program through the General Fund. Better communication with our parents is a vital part of our strategic plan, so perhaps in the future we can add the program to the entire district," she said.

Parents at the two middle schools have already been made aware of the program and were sent letters with their username and password information. Middletown High School plans to do the same the week students return from winter vacation.

A training demonstration for parents and students is scheduled for January 12 at 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 PM in the Manchester Building Banquet Room at 4420 Manchester Road. No reservation is required to attend.

Middletown Teachers Know Their History

Just because school was out for the summer, doesn't mean the learning stopped. But this summer, the teachers were the ones being taught. In July, several Middletown teachers visited New York City to learn about and experience several notable locations such as the Statue of Liberty, the Tenement Museum, and Ellis Island. Much of the trip was focused on the historical aspect of immigration to this country and learning what many of our relatives went through to get to the United States.

The teachers were able to take part in this trip through Teach American History (TAH), a program set up by the federal government to help improve teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for American history, in order to help student achievement. The program provides grants to various school systems in hopes that they will improve quality and promote the teaching of United States history as a separate academic subject. The grant also provides school districts with the money to purchase books, DVDs, online subscriptions to educational website and student materials.

Future trips, paid for by the grant, are planned to Boston, Massachusetts and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where teachers will learn about the Civil War and America's early settlers. In addition to the federal program, Middletown Schools have partnered with the Ohio Historical Society's Ohio Social Studies Resource Center to provide classroom materials and resources focused on Ohio's state history.

This year, several Middletown teachers are involved with TAH. They are: David Hiteshew, Christina Pierett, Rachel Robinson, Megan Mihal, Barb Florence, Anna Bowman, Tiffany Aponte, Troy Rees, Michele Cochran, Lisa Slone, Cindy Centers, Jenny Clark, Joe Howard, Tara Kueker, and Michelle Puckett, Chad Bowers, Angie Bogenschutz, Matt Butler, Scott Colliflower, Greta Popp, Tara Kueker, Joe Howard, Ray Banks, Chris Brandt, Ray Banks, Anna Bowman, Michelle Puckett, Jenny Clark, Barb Florence, Richard Packert, Christina Pierett, Mary Lou Mooney, David Hiteshew, Joyce Leifheit, Cindy Centers, Jennifer Moon, Josh Shaffer, Rachel Robinson, Michelle Cochran, Cathy Hodson, Terry Shores, Tammy Roberts