5035PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, UNDIRECTED PLAY AND STUDENT DISCIPLINE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, UNDIRECTED PLAY AND STUDENT DISCIPLINE
It is the policy of the Meriden Board of Education (the Board) to promote the health and well-being of district students by encouraging healthy lifestyles including promoting physical exercise and activity as part of the school day.
Prohibition on Deprivation of Physical Exercise Period or Undirected Play Period as a Form of Discipline:
For elementary school students, the Board includes a time of not less than twenty (20) minutes in total, during the regular school day, to be devoted to physical exercise, except that a planning and placement team (“PPT”) may develop a different schedule for students requiring special education and related services.
The administration may include additional time, beyond the twenty minutes required for physical exercise, devoted to undirected play during the regular school day for elementary school students.
In an effort to promote physical exercise and undirected play, the Board prohibits school employees from disciplining elementary school students by preventing them from participating in the full 20 minutes of time devoted to physical exercise or additional time devoted to undirected play during the regular school day, except in instances where the student’s behavior poses a health and/or safety concern or as determined by a student’s Section 504 or planning and placement team.
Prohibition on Compulsion of Physical Activity as a Form of Discipline:
For all students, the Board prohibits school employees from disciplining students by requiring students to engage in physical activity as a form of discipline during the regular school day.
Definition:
For the purposes of this policy, a “school employee” is defined as (1) a teacher, substitute teacher, school administrator, school superintendent, guidance counselor, school counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physician, school paraprofessional or coach employed by the Board or working in the district schools, or (2) any other individual who, in the performance of his or her duties, has regular contact with students and who provides services to or on behalf of students enrolled in the district schools pursuant to a contract with the Board.
Disciplinary Action for Failure to Follow Policy:
Any employee who fails to comply with the requirements of this policy may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. Any contracted individual who provides services to or on behalf of students enrolled in the district and who fails to comply with the requirements of this policy may be subject to having his/her contract for services suspended by the district.
Legal References:
Connecticut General Statutes:
Public Act 19-173. An Act Concerning the Inclusion of Additional Time Devoted to Undirected Play to the Regular School Day.
- 10-221o Lunch periods. Recess. Boards to adopt policies addressing the limitations of physical exercise
- 10-221u Boards to adopt policies addressing the use of physical activity as discipline
ADOPTED: 11/19/2019
Approved 11/19/2019
Previous Policy Number:
