Chicago Public Schools CEO, Jean-Claude Brizard, announced on Chicago Public Radio WBEZ, that RECESS WILL BE MANDATORY in all elementary schools starting in the fall of 2012! “…by next fall, all schools – all elementary schools in the city – will have recess,” Brizard stated on a WBEZ call-in program on August 8, 2011. POWER-PAC parent leaders launched their push for recess 5 years ago and won support from former CEO Arne Duncan to make recess a goal, but Duncan never made it happen. Let’s make it real this time! If you live in Chicago, call CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard at (773) 553-1500 and thank him for his support.

Let him know that you believe in the reinstatement of recess to all elementary schools! The momentum is here now. POWER-PAC recently won the creation of the Illinois Recess in Schools Task Force in the Illinois legislature, and garnered recess support from the Chicago Teachers’ Union President Karen Lewis and the Raise Your Hand Coalition. Let’s make sure CPS follows through on this commitment!

Read more of the national coverage here.

Update: Recess Is Making a Comeback in Schools.