Month: October 2017

The new school year resulted in more than just new books and teachers for some students at Heathcote Elementary School. A new playground had been opened! Slides, swings, bridges, the playground had everything. But the most popular thing was by far, the spinner.

Early on the spinner had been very crowded. Everyone loved it! Lines to get on stretched across the playground. But the problem started when too many people went on at once.

Heaps of people started to jump onto the spinner at once, sometimes in mid-flight! The spinner could only comfortably fit 6 students, maybe 8 if you shared all the seats. But sometimes 20 children were found on at a time.

Injuries were simultaneously being reported. Those who waited in line were ceaselessly getting trampled by those who just wanted to jump on. People toppled onto the spinner, one on top of the other and showed no signs of changing their preposterous behavior. Teachers continuously repeated,“Only 8 children on at a time,” but no one heeded the slightest attention unless an aid was stationed by the spinner to enforce that rule at all times. But even then students were squishing on the spinner. At the start of recess, everyone flew to the spinner before aids could arrive, flung themselves onto it, and refused to get off. When these reports reached the principal, seeing no other choice, shut it down.

Students were dismayed when they heard it. “It was a really sad moment for all of us.” Naomi Fischer said. Many students agreed. They loved their spinner and didn’t realize how immature their behavior had been! Yet they had lost their spinner and now nothing could be done about it. But some students thought differently. Maya Sanders had gotten hurt many times on the spinner. “Good riddance.” Was all she replied to the one who told her the news.

The spinner has only recently been reopened. An aid is now permanently stationed there during recess though. Yet still the privilege is continuously being abused. On the morning of October 17, more than 15 students from the 5th grade were found jumping on and off the spinner even though they knew it was wrong. “Things will have to change quickly,” reports student Jordan Knispel. “It is now solely up to the students to see if they can keep the spinner, or lose it.”

 

Children had another reason to be groaning at the start of the Heathcote Elementary school year. School officials had made a choice to withdraw the basketball court from the play area to make room for a new lunchroom. In addition, much of the field wasn’t as elongated as it used to be.

Some teachers have also been affected by this change. Due to construction, teachers have had to move into other teachers room’s. The spanish teacher, Senor Johnson, was even stripped of his room, for another teacher had to move into it.

“I don’t think it was very smart of them to do it over the school year.” Reports Noah Zoland, a student at Heathcote school. “It created a ton of problems that complicated everything.” Countless amounts of students agree with him on this topic.

Yet some students were fine with the change, because a new playground had been built to replace the basketball court. They seemed okay with it all, especially those who didn’t play basketball. It seemed like a fair compromise. And others were happy for the school because, even though they had not gotten a lunchroom, everyone later could enjoy it. It seemed like a small sacrifice for the greater good.

“I understand we had to give up a couple of things,” says Carly Kauffman, another student at Heathcote school, “But just think of all those others after us who’ll be able to enjoy the new lunchroom.”