Questions about recess (K) in FCPS

[Anonymous]

Apologies if this has been discussed recently, but I did a search and nothing much came up.

How much recess do elementary school children, especially kindergartners, get in FCPS these days? Does it vary by school? I've seen somewhere that it is just 30 minutes, which seems like way too little -- if that's actually the case, have any parent groups been advocating for more time spent doing recess? Have they had any success? I ask because, as the parent of a preschooler, time spent outside has been a big point of concern for me and my husband during the preschool search. But I'm worried that, two years down the road, I won't have the choice to place my daughter somewhere where she gets more time spent on physical activity... thanks for any information you more experienced Fairfax parents can pass along!

[Anonymous]

In the first week of K, DC had 3 recesses per day. Then in the first several months, they often had one short recess and one regular recess. Now, they have one regular 20 minute recess and very occasionally have an additional short recess. In inclement weather, they watch a movie instead of having recess. It is not enough.

[Anonymous]

30 min is a nice wish. I'd say 20 min is the norm in K.

[Anonymous]

20 minutes, but my fourth grade son has told me that they've had short recesses before (less than 10 minutes). I won't even ask the teacher because I don't think I'd get the truth anyways. I think in kindergarten they will let them have the full 20 minutes though. No sol test prep until 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Our school used to have two 20 minute recess periods. Now they have one. I don't understand why there is less time now being that full day Mondays are gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school used to have two 20 minute recess periods. Now they have one. I don't understand why there is less time now being that full day Mondays are gone.

I know, and they added extra minutes to the school day. And they still send the kids home with homework. Wtf fcps???

[Anonymous]

Our kindergarteners don't get homework, but the recess still seems to be lacking and less than other kids used to get.

[Anonymous]

Our K class has 20 minutes for recess and that time includes going out and coming back and a bathroom break for all the K students. In the afternoon, they lay down for a short nap in the beginning of the year. They also do stations and have a lot of time where they are not sitting still.

[Anonymous]

Our school does a long and short recess and PE twice a week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our K class has 20 minutes for recess and that time includes going out and coming back and a bathroom break for all the K students. In the afternoon, they lay down for a short nap in the beginning of the year. They also do stations and have a lot of time where they are not sitting still.

OP here -- that's true, I suppose I shouldn't think of all non-recess time as "sitting still" time, for sure.

But, wow. This news really depresses me. I'm not naive about education these days-- I was involved in education policy in my first career and so know all about the testing requirements and crammed school days, etc. But, I guess, now as the mother of an actual child, who needs to run and work off all this energy , I see things differently! Do you know, for kids that go to aftercare, do they get outside frequently? That would at least help, I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our K class has 20 minutes for recess and that time includes going out and coming back and a bathroom break for all the K students. In the afternoon, they lay down for a short nap in the beginning of the year. They also do stations and have a lot of time where they are not sitting still.

OP here -- that's true, I suppose I shouldn't think of all non-recess time as "sitting still" time, for sure.

But, wow. This news really depresses me. I'm not naive about education these days-- I was involved in education policy in my first career and so know all about the testing requirements and crammed school days, etc. But, I guess, now as the mother of an actual child, who needs to run and work off all this energy , I see things differently! Do you know, for kids that go to aftercare, do they get outside frequently? That would at least help, I suppose.

SACC requires all kids to go outside for the first half hour of SACC. In the mornings they may have a choice depending on how long SACC runs before school.

[Anonymous]

20-30 minutes recess, working snack and PE is help outside on nice days. The issue for us is overcrowding. There isn't enough room to run around and to have games like soccer without imposing on other people's play space. Indoor recess is disaster-they are packed in like sardines. I like the idea of more recess in theory, but I want more wide open spaces! I do think snack time should be a time to chill, talk to a friend, get up and get water, jump up and down in place or whatever you need. Heck do exercises at their desks for 5 minutes and then have snack. Kids NEED MOVEMENT.

[Anonymous]

This is one of the reasons why we left for private school. The tuition's a bitch, but 100% worth it.

[Anonymous]

Recess is when incidents happen because teachers are chatting instead of paying attention to children interactions. DC has roughly 25 min of recess at the end of the day. There is always children hurting others. My friend's child ended at the local hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apologies if this has been discussed recently, but I did a search and nothing much came up.

How much recess do elementary school children, especially kindergartners, get in FCPS these days? Does it vary by school? I've seen somewhere that it is just 30 minutes, which seems like way too little -- if that's actually the case, have any parent groups been advocating for more time spent doing recess? Have they had any success? I ask because, as the parent of a preschooler, time spent outside has been a big point of concern for me and my husband during the preschool search. But I'm worried that, two years down the road, I won't have the choice to place my daughter somewhere where she gets more time spent on physical activity... thanks for any information you more experienced Fairfax parents can pass along!

In our fcps school it was 20 minutes. It's 10 in 1st grade. You can't advocate at my school because the principal is a bully and any complaints result in reprisals. Welcome to FCPS, the worst "world class" school district in the world.