This fall as part of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant, Somerville Public Schools introduced the Playworks recess program into five of the district’s K-8 schools. Playworks is designed to help schools develop and introduce a recess environment that provides a safer and more inclusive experience for all students. The West Somerville Neighborhood School (WSNS) has had great success in implementing the Playworks “Team Up” model, a new consultation model of the Playworks program.

Playworks national office representatives, who assess Playworks program quality around the country, recently paid a visit to the WSNS and concluded that the WSNS recess was one of the best recess programs they had ever seen! Among the recess features that caught their attention was observing that Junior Coaches, 4th and 5th grade students at the school, were each leading games, and every student in the yard was engaged and playing cooperatively with one another.

WSNS administrators attribute the success of their first year of the Playworks recess Team Up model to the dedication and support of Coach Dick Johnstin, a Utility Aide at the school, and Junior Coaches including Julian Delmonico. Coach Johnstin was recognized as the March Playworks Teacher of Month, and Julian was recognized as the New Balance Junior Coach of the Month. Hard work, dedication to teamwork, and strong collaboration with Playworks staff members have created a healthy community at the West Somerville Neighborhood School, which starts out at recess and extends into the classroom and beyond.