Parents Opposing Green Brook Recess Change Launch Petition Drive

Some Green Brook parents are hoping to block a change in recess plans for next year, and have collected about 200 signatures on a petition urging board members to repeal the change.

The plan is to add instructional time for students in the sixth- through eighth-grades by shortening the time between classes and combining lunch and recess in a single 30-minute break. But a group of parents opposed to the change posted an open letter to the district that says the move comes "at the expense of the children’s well-being."

"The administration has professed that 'It’s easy being Green in Green Brook,' " the letter notes. "We submit that the well-being of humans is an important part of a 'Green' way of life, inclusive of time spent improving physical, emotional and mental health."

The letter includes information from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding the importance of recess and physical activity for children, and concludes that further discussion should be held before the change is implemented.

The petitions are expected to be delivered to the board offices Friday, and are likely to be a hot topic at the Green Brook Board of Education's June 24 meeting.