School recess holds a special place in the heart of the American public school student.    However, beyond the love of recess, there are also many  life lessons that are learned on the playground . Parents are beginning to understand how important recess is to a child's development.   In a policy statement last year, The American Academy of Pediatrics said, "Recess represents an essential, planned respite from rigorous cognitive tasks. It affords a time to rest, play, imagine, think, move and socialize." And, perhaps more importantly, "Students are more attentive and better able to perform cognitively" after recess. More......