Schools Resources
4 Steps to Using the Utah Recess Guidance
We encourage schools to use the Recess Guidance and DEQ website to determine recess. Ultimately, the final decision when to hold indoor recess is made by the schools.
Many of you are already familiar with the Utah Recess Guidance and implement it actively in your schools. Take a moment to familiarize yourselves with the 2016 updates. We encourage you to reserve time during a staff meeting in late fall to review the following materials and get organized:
- Talk with parents to understand which students are sensitive high risk students. Parents, with the advice of their doctor, should determine whether their child is considered sensitive and high risk. Use this sample letter for parents to determine which students are sensitive.
- Keep a list of sensitive high risk students in your classroom.
- Have a plan for indoor recess for sensitive high risk students and those with respiratory symptoms. When the PM2.5 levels are in the orange (35.5 - 55.4), make sure these students have a designated location in the school to spend indoor recess.
- Check the current and forecasted air quality levels for your county at air.utah.gov.
- You can also check current conditions at health.utah.gov/utahair, as well as find information about health effects, air quality trends, sources of air pollution, and ways to reduce exposure.
- Download the free UtahAir app and check air quality levels from the convenience of your phone or tablet device.
- Sign up for email alerts for air quality levels from DEQ.
- The Utah Asthma Program also provides regular air quality alert emails. Email asthma@utah.gov to receive alert emails.
There are a number of easy and effective indoor recess resources and activities that your students can do on their own and with little physical space. Before winter inversions arrive, put together a plan for indoor recess activities using the following resources.
