UNDERSTANDINGS AND STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL ACTIVITY SUPERVISION
Overall Definition of School Playground and Activity Supervision
Supervision on school playgrounds and of school activities is the function of “overseeing” and “supervising” the play and activities of children or youth playing on the playground or involved in the activities for which the school district or agency is responsible for the care and safety of the students...children and youth.
Overseeing and Supervising
Overseeing and supervising implies and requires watching and looking over the activities so as to provide direction, control and help when needed and as needed by the students involved.
Safe Playground or Activity Supervision
Safe school playground and activity supervision requires overseeing or looking over/watching those being supervised and knowing what to look for regarding “safe” play or activities and that supervisors provide appropriate direction, control and help when and as needed by the students for their safe play and care.
Employment, Training and Assignment of Playground or Activity Supervisors
The employment and assigning of the responsibility and stewardship for children and youth involved in school playground or other school activity supervision requires that the individuals so selected and assigned: (1) are physically and mentally competent to carry out these assignments; (2) are given directions and training to know what to look for and to do regarding the safety of the children or youth on the playground or involved in the activities; (3) are given defined responsibilities to oversee an area or the activity to which they are assigned; (4) are assigned to, as best possible, control, direct, assist and provide help as needed to those being supervised for their safety, and (5) are trained in how to handle and report an injury.
Necessary Training
It is essential that school playground and activity leaders know their specific responsibilities regarding their stewardship and care for the children or youth under their supervision and that they be trained to recognize activities and situations that could lead to injury to a child or youth under their supervision as related to the specific assignment as well as what to do if there is an accident or injury. This is because while many injuries may be prevented, most accidents leading to injuries are spontaneous or instantaneous and occur in areas being supervised.
Therefore, playground and activity supervisors should also be trained in first-aid and the proper handling and reporting of various injuries and emergencies that could occur on the playground or may occur during particular activities. From my experience, trainings and readings, where the school is responsible for supervision of the playground or activity, it is prudent to have at least one safety certified or certificated teacher or supervisor on duty. This person should be well trained in safety, supervision of students in the various activities and the handling of injuries as they may relate to the activities being supervised. She or he should be sufficiently free of other responsibilities to see that any other playground or activity supervisors are at their assigned duty stations, doing their jobs and should provide them with direction and assistance as needed.
Unsafe Activities
Specific (but not exclusive) examples of unsafe activities include: pushing, shoving, fighting, the throwing or wielding of unsafe objects, horseplay, tackling, the unsafe use of playground equipment, unsafe activities in or near play equipment areas (i.e., the throwing, kicking or hitting of balls into a play equipment area that could smash a child’s head or body into play equipment), climbing on tall improvements with unsafe landing surfaces, more children than is safe on a piece of play equipment, unsafe running in areas where many other children are playing with significant trip hazards or on hard surface areas, particularly where running is not relevant to an activity and there are unsafe landing surfaces or objects onto which child might be knocked or fall, running through or playing “tag” in play equipment areas, older children playing in areas or on equipment designated for younger children...and vice versa, the misuse of play equipment or loose objects (i.e., the tying of a rope around a child’s neck or other body part...particularly if the activity is on an elevated piece of equipment), throwing a ball at someone’s head, the unsafe swinging of bats, hockey sticks, etc., unsafe objects or clothing worn or used on play equipment, or playing on unsafe play equipment or areas as outlined by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC-325) or American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM F1487, F1292).
It must be noted that children may spontaneously do the activities noted above and that most accidents and injuries are instantaneous and may happen despite good supervision; however, it is imperative that playgrounds and activities be properly supervised to curtail unsafe activities, hopefully, before accidents and injuries happen and to properly handle them if they do occur.
What Areas, Facilities and Equipment Need Supervision
All school areas and facilities need to be supervised, particularly playgrounds and play equipment areas, where and when children play or take part in school activities, during the school day, shortly before or after school, on trips or at/on school activities, where injuries may occur. In these situations the school or agency is acting “en loco parentis,” and is obligated to provide the care a good parent would give or expects to have provided for the safety of her or his child.
For school playground and play or P.E. activities, the areas needing supervision are as follows:
- Hard, paved surface play or game areas
- Court areas where children or youth play, including tetherball courts
- Playfields (turfgrass, soil or a mix of these surfaces)
- Play equipment areas
- Other play or P.E. areas and facilities where children or youth play and may be injured
- On activity buses, P. E. or play equipment, and in education, physical education or recreation areas and facilities
- Where children are arriving from or waiting for school bus transportation or parent delivery or pick-up.
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