Recess in the heat (Scottsdale: school district, live, gym)

[natman]

So a family moves down here from one of the northern states in June/July. School then soon starts. Do the schools have outdoor recess in the extreme heat? What about an endurance test, like running the mile? Is there an indoor alternative during those months?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by natman

So a family moves down here from one of the northern states in June/July. School then soon starts. Do the schools have outdoor recess in the extreme heat? What about an endurance test, like running the mile? Is there an indoor alternative during those months?

They definitely have recess. They also run the mile from time to time, but I don't know if that is in August. By mid-Sep morning temps are cool. They stay inside if there is any hint of rain. It's different here. Kids all carry water bottles to school (they won't drink "sink water" unless they have to). The heat is not that big a deal for kids.

[AZJoeD]

When my son was in high school he was on the football team and I can say that they routinely practiced in 100+ degree weather. You just need to stay hydrated and watch your body temps.

I also play tennis all summer long and have played many times in 100+ days, same story.

A short recess will not harm your children.

Oh, and I should say that I am from Chicago, so it took me a while to adjust, but the heat doesn't get to you as much as the sun does. The sun is brutal, use lots of SPF 50, a hat and find shade.

[twiggy]

The only time my kids stayed in during the heat was when it was above 110. That was the marker for excessive heat, no outdoor recess. Otherwise they went out and P.E. went on as usual.

[hart4july]

Yes I was amazed that the kids were out for recess unless it was over 112 every day. We moved from the Midwest last year and it gets that hot in August and September. This is grade school level. they are asked to bring frozen water bottles and there is shade provided. Little kids were not asked to run etc. Not sure about high school sports etc,
They did fine,but I admit that I worried.

[ibarrio]

I play golf in the heat. No big deal, one water for every beer

[khuntrevor]

Originally Posted by natman

So a family moves down here from one of the northern states in June/July. School then soon starts. Do the schools have outdoor recess in the extreme heat? What about an endurance test, like running the mile? Is there an indoor alternative during those months?

I can't remember the last time a student died from outdoor recess. They did lose a student in the swimming pool, recently. Not only, should parents prepare there children for academics, they also need to prep them for physical activity. Running shoes are not good for PE, cross training shoes are. Madison School District allowed simple hats during PE, and children need to learn very early about staying hydrated.

[Mortiechan]

Originally Posted by natman

So a family moves down here from one of the northern states in June/July. School then soon starts. Do the schools have outdoor recess in the extreme heat? What about an endurance test, like running the mile? Is there an indoor alternative during those months?

Do the schools have outdoor recess in the EXTREME heat? Yes. I went from kindergarten until 10th grade at the Scottsdale Unified School district, and it is hell. Absolute hell. I would become sick by the middle of the day from heat, very nauseas, red in the face and would always ask for water fountain (which is actually generally pretty warm disgusting water) or to go to the nurse- they won't allow it. I was always SICK from the heat. The grass is just as dry as the rocks, even in those nice schools (I went to Hopi, Ingleside). The bars to play on are hot. You always run in the heat, hopefully you have an early gym class. Even on smog days where they warn people not to go get the bad air quality we still did the run.

Please, don't be fooled, some schools build "indoor" facilities, but they never used them. Ever. Never. Even when we did indoor stretches we still ran outside. In the heat. In the dry grass. In the ants.


Seem like you have never lived here either, it is only really cool during like 2 months of the year, and some days during those months are still hot. There is no shade anywhere so you have the hot air + the fire sun on you. I would NEVER NEVER in a million years raise children here. It is too hot. They cannot run around as a kids after school or breaks either- too hot or just not allowed. A lot of old people live here who do not like kids. Some malls do not allow kids, but the parks are hot, or have bums and crack heads, this is not like Portland or something where the bums don't hurt the kids most of the time. People here do not go to parks to hangout. They go to malls. Everything is indoor. You need money to hangout at a mall. IDK growing up here was ****, and your awesome to at least recognize/question what the hell goes on here Mid March to late November.

[Mortiechan]

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

I can't remember the last time a student died from outdoor recess. They did lose a student in the swimming pool, recently. Not only, should parents prepare there children for academics, they also need to prep them for physical activity. Running shoes are not good for PE, cross training shoes are. Madison School District allowed simple hats during PE, and children need to learn very early about staying hydrated.

Yeah, hydrated and sun lotion. The school water sucks, and a water bottle only lasts a little while. I hate using bottled water from a company- such a waste. A refillable container is the best bet if the school water wasn't horrible. I would love to see tests on school water.

I would always wonder if the janitor was poisoning us, because it would be so easy for them to do, just sayin.

Also, I do not think shoes should be the worry- not everyone can afford multiple shoes for stuff (especially when kids outgrow stuff very fast), and if your worried about your child's education I do not see why you would put them in public schools out here, just sayin.

AZ should reverse the breaks and have good indoor facilities for sure, all over the U.S. schools provide safety and comfort from the weather, but I guess making indoor gyms/schools would kind of be like confessing the dirty secret that is it actually WAY too hot and I do not think Arizonians are ready for that step.

[Phxguy]

I run 2-7 miles everyday during my high school's cross-country season between July and November. RAIN OR SHINE. We'll shorten our run if it's above 115 degrees (hasn't happened), or if there's lightning (has happened 4 times).
But for recess in elementary school at Las Sendas, we played outside everyday except on rainy days. The heat has never been a problem to me, except P.E while sitting down on the scadling hot basketbll courts.