Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is aiming to expand its Recess Rocks in RI initiative to 80 Rhode Island public schools next year for the company’s 80th anniversary.
The program is a partnership between Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Playworks New England and the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition. It provides a free training program for school and recess staff, designed by Playworks and funded by Blue Cross, to ensure recess is a safe, meaningful and healthy experience for every child.
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Carolyn Belisle, managing director of community relations at BCBSRI, has shepherded the program since 2015. She spoke recently with Providence Business News about the program, what it’s designed to accomplish and how.
PBN: How and when did this initiative start? What was it about recess that earned the attention of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island?
BELISLE: In late 2013 as we were preparing to enter our 75th year as Rhode Island’s largest health plan, we made plans to boldly champion a signature philanthropic platform, A Healthy Weight for the Next Generation. We believe that all children should have the opportunity to grow up healthy, happy and safe. Kids who develop healthy habits grow into adults with healthy habits. But obesity rates have more than tripled among children since the 1980s.
Today, 35 percent of 2-17-year-olds in the state are experiencing overweight or obesity. Obesity is linked to not only physical issues but also behavioral health challenges, including social isolation and depression. The case was clear for us: Childhood obesity is projected to cost children five years of their lives, and if we don’t change the current trends, this generation will be the first to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.
Armed with this data, a sense of urgency and a deep understanding of the impact of social factors on health, BCBSRI set out to invest in a school-based initiative for maximum impact in increasing access to physical activity. Working from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that “even minor movement during recess counterbalances sedentary time at school and at home, and helps the child achieve the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day,” in 2014 BCBSRI joined a small advocacy group called Recess for RI and determined that the dedicated time of recess during the school day offered a prime opportunity for increasing daily physical activity.
Eighty-five percent of Rhode Island school principals surveyed agreed that “recess is necessary for children’s optimum learning and development” and not all Rhode Island kids had equal access to physical activity during recess. The efforts of the Recess for RI advocacy group, along with another coalition of local advocates pushing for high-quality recess, resulted in legislation enacted for academic school year 2016-17, which mandated 20 minutes of free-play recess for all Rhode Island elementary students and included those minutes as part of the instructional day.
To create a formal intervention to change the culture of recess in Rhode Island, Recess Rocks in RI was officially launched in 2015. BCBSRI was introduced to Playworks New England in 2015 through our partnership and investment in the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition.
Playworks New England is the local affiliate of the only national nonprofit organization with the mission of improving the overall health and well-being of children by leveraging recess as an opportunity for physical activity and safe, meaningful play in schools. Their expertise lies in the realm of empowering educators through professional development, coaching and consultation to redesign the systems at schools to engage every child and adult in the power of play.
PBN: What results has the program shown thus far? How is that measured?
BELISLE: With three cohorts through the initiative since inception, Recess Rocks in RI has reached several milestones:
- More than 21,000 students in 55 elementary schools in 21 districts trained by Recess Rocks in RI.
- Woonsocket, Barrington and Coventry school districts are fully trained by Recess Rocks in RI.
- Training and consultation of more than 350 Rhode Island educators.
- Development of the Great Recess Framework and other evaluation measurements to effectively capture the scope and impact of Recess Rocks in RI.
Through Recess Rocks in RI, we are building a culture of play that enables kids to feel a real sense of belonging. Partnering with teachers, principals and parents, the initiative ensures that kids have the opportunity to contribute on the playground, in the classroom and in the community.
And it works. The Playworks curriculum and training is an evidenced-based intervention. A randomized control trial conducted by Playworks nationally found that compared to students at similar schools, Playworks students were more physically active and teachers reported that students had greater feelings of school safety and less bullying behavior. Locally, our evaluation efforts include pre-/post-observations that have yielded the following results:
Physical activity increases:
- One hundred percent report there are more opportunities for inclusion of diverse groups of students
- Ninety-eight percent report an increase in the number of students who are physically active
- Ninety-two percent report an increase in the level of cooperation among students at recess
School climate improves:
- One hundred percent agree Playworks teaches cooperation and helps students make meaningful connections at school
- Ninety-eight percent agree Playworks creates a safe and supportive learning environment
- Ninety-six percent agree Playworks improves the overall school climate
Learning time increases:
- One hundred percent report an increase in students’ level of participation in academic activities
- Ninety-five percent report less class time spent resolving conflicts
- Ninety-three percent report an increase in students’ ability to focus on class activities
PBN: Many remember and regard recess as the students’ break from the school day routine – does the program take this into account?
BELISLE: One of the most important activities to boost a child’s physical, mental and social well-being is also one of the simplest: play. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should spend at least an hour each day in vigorous play – running, climbing, jumping. During play, kids hone social skills, burn off extra energy and improve their cardiovascular health, the Academy says.
Studies show regular recess is correlated with fewer behavioral problems and better standardized test scores. Yet, ironically, the rise in standardized testing in public schools has often led to recess being cut short or even eliminated. Add to that the fact that for many students, recess is anything but playful due to bullying, exclusion, a perceived lack of ability and conflict.
A frequent question the initiative receives is, “Why do children need to be taught how to play?” Today many children spend so much time in organized activities or in front of screens, they sometimes don’t know what to do with their free time. The strategies taught through the training help schools understand how to implement safe and well-supervised options to promote student choices, [such as] providing a “yak track” where students can walk and talk instead of sitting on the grass. These and many other lessons are implemented as a result of the training offered through Recess Rocks in RI. Topics include:
- Introduction to a Healthy Recess – Learn the importance of recess and begin to define an ideal recess and the steps needed to get there.
- Playground Games – Learn popular recess games that teach conflict resolution, cooperation and other critical social and emotional skills.
- Group Management – Explore key group management strategies, which set students up for successful group behavior.
- Recess Systems – Gain invaluable information about playground planning and design, developing and maintaining a recess plan, and systems to maintain a healthy recess environment.
Additionally, this initiative provides participating schools with the tools, recess equipment, and supplies to be successful along with a myriad of extended learning opportunities for special challenges [such as] indoor recess and how to navigate the unique issues that arise during recess.
PBN: Why is the program expanding now? How much does it cost to run and what is the investment for the expansion?
BELISLE: We have a vision to bring Recess Rocks to every Rhode Island elementary school and that takes a long-term approach and significant investment. Our annual expansion efforts are intentional as we march closer to reaching all schools. #RecessRocksinRI is BCBSRI’s most significant philanthropic recipient with nearly $500,000 invested in the past three years.
By doubling down on this partnership, we are expanding our reach to empower even more schools to develop fulfilling recess experiences for students, helping to create healthier school cultures and ultimately healthier, more active children.
Additionally, BCBSRI and RIHSC are fueling Playworks New England with their continued Rhode Island expansion. Playworks’ goal is to serve 200,000 children in 400 elementary schools across New England by 2020. We intend to mark the occasion of our 80th anniversary in 2019 by enlisting more schools to join us so we reach 80 schools in Rhode Island for our 80th year. We’re accepting applications now through Dec. 7.
PBN: Please share your favorite story about your work with Recess Rocks in RI.
BELISLE: At a ceremony at the Leo A. Savoie Elementary School in Woonsocket, Gov. Gina [M.] Raimondo proclaimed Oct. 3, 2018, Rhode Island’s first-ever Recess Day, celebrating progress we’ve made as a state toward bringing high-quality recess to our schools. BCBSRI was well-represented at the ceremony, with President and CEO Kim Keck joining the governor in the speaking program, celebrating the movement for safe, inclusive, active and equitable play for all kids – a movement for movement!
Playworks New England Executive Director Jon Gay recognized BCBSRI and thanked us for investing in the future of Rhode Island by investing in the health of the state’s children. School Principal Donna Coderre shared her views about the impact of #RecessRocksinRI “playshops” on the teachers at Leo Savoie and how their unique approaches and techniques reinforced their understanding of recess as part of a holistic approach to education.
Kim pointed out that our support of #RecessRocksinRI brings together our social mission, our business objectives and our strong Rhode Island roots in a really powerful way. It’s clear that #RecessRocksinRI fills a critical need in our state.
Our partnership with Playworks and RIHSC is just one step we are taking to proactively address the social determinants of health. In the meantime, celebrating Rhode Island Recess Day 2018 was a great acknowledgment of how far we’ve come in three short years!
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
