The children rushed across the roof to grab their favorite recess toys this week — hula hoops, blocks and balls.
From the Saint Clair Area School District's rooftop playground, the kindergarteners can see church steeples and tree tops beginning to change their hue.
The spot for recess in Schuylkill County is unique — but the 30 minutes of daily play will soon be experienced statewide.
The 2026-27 state budget established a requirement that all Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through fifth grade receive at least 30 minutes of recess each full school day beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Gov. Josh Shapiro held a ceremonial signing of the bill last month in Montgomery County.
“It’s hard to focus when you haven’t had a chance to move around,” he said in a news release. “Recess gives kids time to exercise, get some fresh air, interact with their classmates, work through conflicts and come back to the classroom ready to learn.”
Researchers say students see benefits in and out of the classroom. Recess can increase their level of physical activity; improve their memory, attention and concentration; help them stay on-task and be less disruptive; and improve their social and emotional development, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New state law
The new requirement means that some schools must adjust schedules by next fall. That could mean lengthening the time for recess or expanding the grades that have recess daily. Half-day kindergarten students must receive 15 minutes of recess.
The Saint Clair Area School District has about 520 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The district doesn’t go beyond eighth grade, so most students go to nearby Pottsville Area for high school.
Traditional recess stops at fourth grade, but the new law requires the district to also schedule 30 minutes of play for fifth graders.
“It'll be a little schedule change for us, but we've already talked with our fifth grade teachers, and we know where we're going to put it in the schedule,” Superintendent Thomas McLaughlin said. “But I think the kids will enjoy it as well.”
Many districts will have to make adjustments. Several years ago, the Scranton School District moved fifth grade from neighborhood elementary schools to the city’s three intermediate schools. The new law means changes to schedules.
“We are working in a committee format to meet the requirements of the passed legislation,” Superintendent Erin Keating said.
Rooftop playground
When Saint Clair expanded its building more than a decade ago, the ground-level playground had to go. With the school and its new addition taking up an entire block in the borough, the only place to go was up.
High fences prevent balls from dropping to the street. Padded tiles provide cushion for falls.
On one end of the roof, the 5-year-olds chase each other and play basketball. At the other end, children play with blocks and create an obstacle course.
Kindergartner Camille Corroto pauses for a moment, taking a break from talking with her friends.
“We get to stay up here and play with blocks,” she said, quickly running to rejoin classmates.
Teacher Martina Kull sees the difference recess makes in her kindergarten classroom, especially with social skills. The kids learn how to share and play with each other.
“This is their time to unwind before we go back and do more instruction,” she said. “It's time for them to socialize.”
McLaughlin greets students on the roof. They race around him, laughing, before it’s time to return to math, reading and sitting quietly.
“I think it's great for our younger students who have that energy, and it kind of breaks up their day a little bit,” he said.
