Thanks to the generous support of the Wildhorse Foundation Trust, 65 educators from across the region came together this month for Playworks "Power of Play" trainings in Pendleton and Union. Paraprofessionals, PE teachers, and principals rolled up their sleeves to experience hands-on strategies for building safe, structured, and joyful recess environments, and left with practical tools they can put to use right away.

Beyond the games and activities, these sessions gave staff from different districts a chance to connect, swap ideas, and learn from one another's experiences. It's this kind of collaboration that helps build stronger school cultures region-wide, and we're so grateful to the Wildhorse Foundation for investing in the people who make recess a meaningful part of the school day.

For Union Elementary School, the training was the result of momentum that had been building for a while. Principal Chris Dunlap observed a Playworks recess in action last year and, after sitting down with Playworks trainers, was inspired to ask Director of School Improvement Dave Williams to bring a training to the region. Dunlap made it a priority for his whole team, bringing his entire classified staff, the student success coordinator, PE teacher, and the district superintendent to the Union session. Moving forward, Union's PE teacher will explicitly teach students the games used during recess to help set them up for success, and staff will hold monthly check-ins to revisit training concepts, debrief, and celebrate wins. "We want students more engaged with meaningful activities," Dunlap said, adding that structured play will help reduce problems and conflicts that arise during recess, freeing up teachers to focus on instructional time rather than managing recess issues.

Thank you to everyone who participated. We can't wait to see the Power of Play in action on playgrounds this fall!Thank you to everyone who participated. We can't wait to see the Power of Play in action on playgrounds this fall!