In 2018, Virginia’s Board of Education doubled the amount of required recess time in all elementary schools from a minimum of one 15-20 minute period, to a minimum of two 15-20 minute periods of unstructured play time. This is fantastic news! Play-based learning is a well-researched, highly effective way of ensuring students construct their own knowledge and understandings of curriculum and the world. 

With support from our PTA, Cunningham Park is "upping our game". Using funds raised by the PTA, new play spaces will be created based upon student proposals.    

In order for students to create their proposals, students participated in Project Based Learning (PBL). They answered the following question:  How can we renovate the play spaces at Cunningham Park Elementary School to make recess more fun, keep it safe, and help ensure continued learning?

Jeff Lonnett, Educational Specialist with Fairfax County Public Schools, who focuses on PBLs, came to Cunningham Park to support teachers in planning the PBL. Teachers and students began the Recess PBL process in October. Students came up with ideas, researched their ideas, planned their play spaces and designed their presentations. Each grade level presented their ideas their ideas to teachers, other students and community members. Representatives from each grade level were chosen to present their proposals to parents, and the mayor of Vienna, Laurie DiRocco at the December PTA meeting. Cunningham Park looks forward to seeing some of our proposals become implemented in 2019!