A sunny outdoor photograph taken from above a busy elementary school playground. In the foreground, dozens of children, teachers, and parents run, talk, and interact in groups. An adult pushes a small boy on a tire swing to the far left. Next to them, a girl with brown hair in pink pants and a grey shirt runs towards a woman clapping. To their left, a man wearing a brown jacket walks over to a young girl in a pink shirt on the far right. In the center, a large, intricate, metal-framed climbing frame with multi-colored red and yellow plastic slides and steps is filled with other children. Groups of other people of all ages interact and move around the asphalt area, with a hopscotch court painted on it and the tire swing set to the far left. The background is composed of large grassy fields, deciduous trees, and a low, red brick school building.

An Update on Rad Recess  

Valley Elementary

September 23, 2026

Hello Valley Families,

We want to share an important update regarding Rad Recess. Over the past few years, this PTO event has given parents a special opportunity to check in at the office and join their students for lunch and recess. It has become a wonderful Valley tradition, and we appreciate the enthusiasm and support our families have brought to it!

As the program has grown, we have welcomed as many as 100 parents to campus during a single Rad Recess day. Having that many visitors on campus at one time creates additional logistical challenges with space, supervision, visitor procedures, and lunch. We also need to make sure that meal counts, payment procedures, and other child nutrition practices are handled correctly and in alignment with district requirements.

Because of these considerations and updated district expectations regarding campus visitors, volunteers, and lunch procedures, we are pausing Rad Recess for this school year while we work to realign the program with district policy and safety requirements.

Please note that this pause applies to the large-scale Rad Recess event. Parents are still welcome to follow our regular visitor procedures and join their individual students for lunch when appropriate. When parents join their students for lunch, a separate seating area will be provided for parents and their students to enjoy that time together. This will create a comfortable, designated space for families while allowing us to maintain our regular lunch routines and procedures.

The Valley PTO fully supports this decision, and we will work together to explore what Rad Recess can look like in the future. Our goal is to find a structure that allows us to continue this fun tradition while also meeting current district expectations and keeping our students and school community safe.

We know this may be disappointing for families who have enjoyed Rad Recess in the past, and we appreciate your understanding and support as we make these adjustments. We look forward to finding a way to bring Rad Recess back in a format that works well for everyone.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Valley Elementary and our PTO!

Go Bulldogs!

Crystal Deamer
Principal, Valley Elementary