Proposal would extend recess at Hanover elementary schools
VENN
HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Elementary schools in Hanover County could see some changes to their daily schedules starting in the fall of 2025.
During a scheduled meeting of the Hanover School Board on Monday, Feb. 17, board members received an informational update on proposed changes to elementary school scheduling within Hanover County Public Schools.
The school district would like to extend the recess period for elementary schoolers from 30 minutes to 40 minutes in an effort to "promote both physical and mental health," per school board documents.
To do this, the school district must cut time from other parts of the day. The proposal suggests two such cuts: reducing "student arrival" time from a half-hour to 20 minutes for all and reducing morning meetings by 5 minutes for second to fifth-graders.
According to school board documents, reducing the arrival window to 20 minutes would bring elementary schools closer to pre-pandemic practices. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the arrival window was 15 minutes.
Under this new proposal, arrival would take place between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m. -- though some select schools would have an arrival window of 7:45 to 8:05 a.m., including Cool Spring Elementary School, Mechanicsville Elementary School and Laurel Meadow Elementary School.
Morning meetings are currently between 15 and 20 minutes, according to school board documents. Under this new proposal, they will be 10 to 15 minutes for all but kindergarteners and first-graders. This is because, in those two grades, morning meetings include calendar time.
Principals would be given a recommended range for instruction where appropriate, according to school board documents, so they can determine which content areas may need additional instruction time at each respective grade level.
Within the provided documents, the board proposes the following recommended minutes:
Activity Kindergarten, 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades Arrival Window 20 minutes 20 minutes 20 minutes Morning Meeting 15 to 20 minutes 10 to 15 minutes 10 to 15 minutes Literacy 150 minutes 150 minutes 120 to 140 minutes Mathematics 60 minutes 70 to 90 minutes 70 to 90 minutes Science/Social Studies 30 to 45 minutes 30 to 45 minutes 60 minutes Recess 40 minutes 40 minutes 40 minutes Lunch 25 to 30 minutes 25 to 30 minutes 25 to 30 minutes Art/Library/Music/P.E. 45 minutes 45 minutes 45 minutes Pack Up and Dismissal 5 to 15 minutes 5 to 10 minutes 5 to 10 minutes Total Minutes: 420 Minute Range: 390 to 425 Minute Range: 395 to 445 Minute Range: 395 to 450
These changes would take effect at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
You can read the full proposal here.
