Recess returns to BAMS and BAHS

Recess+is+making+a+comeback+for+middle+and+high+school+students.

Zach Miller

Recess is making a comeback for middle and high school students.

Jack Luensmann, News Reporter

It was a tough transition from elementary school to middle school for students with losing recess. If you were to walk through the halls of 5th grade, you would see the stains of tears of past and present Bellwood students who lost this beloved period of fun. But cry no longer, because recess is BACK. The Bellwood-Antis school board ruled that recess will return in order to boost morale during the COVID-19 era. School board member Kevin Luensmann stated at the meeting,

“Can I go to the bathroom?”

Rumor says that Luensmann voted in favor of the suggestion after being bribed by a chocolate chip cookie.

In order for recess to take place, three minutes will be deducted from each of the eight periods throughout the school day and one minute will be deducted from the four-minute period between periods, allowing for a 32-minute period of recess. This period will be taken school-wide at the same time, after eighth period, to maximize productivity. Here are the old and revised schedules:

As for middle school students, SSR (silent sustained reading) for seventh and eighth grade is to be replaced with recess. Fifth and sixth graders will have their activity period replaced with recess.

Students are elated to play with their buddies, such as senior Joe Dorminy. He exclaims, “I LOVE RECESS. I LOVE RECESS.” He later had to do the dreaded “stand against the wall” after being so loud. The staff has decided he will stand for an entire 15 minutes. 

Indoor recess will also be taking place on non-weather-permitting days in spite of our COVID situation. The school board outlined that all items used will have to be sanitized and social distancing requirements must be met. 

Senior Jake Bollinger doesn’t care. He states, “This will be the perfect opportunity to play with my legos and complete my lego city!”

Others, such as senior Zach Mallon, are exasperated by the recent ruling. Mallon angrily quotes, “No, no, NO! This is enraging! I cannot be losing my valuable class time! I must exceed my peers!” 

Mallon was given an apple juice box to calm down.