 Thousands of students returned to school this month, and when they did, they were greeted with a new approach to recess across the state. During this past legislative session, two bills impacting recess requirements in Arizona schools were passed. In April, Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1083. This new bill requires public and charter schools in Arizona to provide at least two recess periods a day for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. Starting this school year, a second recess will be implemented for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. The law goes into effect for children in 4th and 5th grade in 2019. Kids in half-day kindergarten are only required to have one recess per day. In addition to the recess bill, Senate Bill 1008 was passed. SB 1008 allows schools to include lunch and recess periods as part of the instructional minutes for the school day. This means there are more opportunities for our students to move, eat, play, and feel their best throughout the school day. More recess time is a win for Arizona! Research shows that recess not only not only promotes healthy growth and development but also helps students practice social skills and enhances cognitive performance. Pinnacle Prevention developed a Recess Toolkit to help schools across the state best implement these new laws. The toolkit includes resources, best practices, bell schedule examples, research, and much more. This can be used as a resource for teachers, administrators, and parents to better understand and carry out Arizona’s recess requirements. Click here or on the image below to access and share the toolkit! 
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