PlayFair
PlayFair is a recess program that provides opportunities for all students in grades 1-4 to participate in non/low-competitive, organized, and supervised games during recess. The highly-participated activities promote healthy interaction, social skills development, peaceful conflict resolution, and positive community values. The program also addresses challenging issues of aggression, injury, loneliness, boredom, and non-athleticism. Fourth grade Peacemakers are student leaders, trained to assist in conflict resolution, peer modeling and game safety. The physical education teacher, along with high school volunteers, is responsible for teaching, leading and facilitating the games. The PlayFair philosophy is: 1) we play to have fun, and 2) people are the most important part of the game. Arguments are to be taken out of the game, and injured players are to be cared for by participants. These beliefs are posted throughout the school and are further integrated into Janssen’s culture via scheduled games and activities in the classroom, classroom community meetings, cross-age buddy classes, and life-skills classes taught by the school counselor. PlayFair has contributed to a decrease in bullying and behavioral incident reports, increased student participation in self-regulated organized play, and increased compassion toward peers.