ST. PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul school district is hiring a private company to supervise recess at seven elementary schools.

The district on Tuesday night agreed to spend $178,500 to hire Playworks to chaperone recess and teach children conflict-resolution skills. Playworks is a nonprofit company with programs at 250 schools in 30 cities.

The company actually charges $60,000 per school, but has helped administrators get grants and donations to offset more than half the cost.