50 signatures reached
To: To Administrators and Teachers at Burning Tree Elementary School
Bring Back Snack
We want to change the new policy regarding no snacks for the kindergarteners or first graders. There may be other affected grades as well. We ask that snack time for all the elementary students be reinstated.
Why is this important?
For these little ones, it is hard for them to last the whole school day without a snack break. In the meantime, some of the older grades are still getting snack time. Children and adults alike benefit from having more sustenance in the day, and we don’t see a good reason to deprive the youngest ones from such an opportunity.
Removing snack time for young children goes against well-established developmental and nutritional guidelines. Young children have small stomachs and high energy needs, which is why it is recommended that children have regular, healthy snacks throughout the day to support growth, attention, and emotional regulation. Without a snack, many 5- and 6- year olds struggle to focus, experience mood swings, and may even feel physical discomfort. This isn't just about convenience - it's about meeting basic developmental needs to ensure kids are ready to learn.
We have heard various reasons from the school about their justification for eliminating snack: that the teachers wish to have more time for classroom instruction;' that there are concerns about allergies; or that they desire to "build stamina and independence." Regarding the time for classroom instruction, teachers could have a short snack time or even a “working snack time” (as they used to do in the 1st grade) where kids do class work while simultaneously having a snack break. If the concern is about allergies, in previous years, children in these grades were given snack time where parents provided a nut-free snack to avoid introducing allergens into the classroom. If the desire is to build independence, teachers could ask students to go and get their snacks themselves if they are hungry. There are workarounds that can address the ostensible reasons given and still meet the children's developmental and nutritional needs.
Removing snack time for young children goes against well-established developmental and nutritional guidelines. Young children have small stomachs and high energy needs, which is why it is recommended that children have regular, healthy snacks throughout the day to support growth, attention, and emotional regulation. Without a snack, many 5- and 6- year olds struggle to focus, experience mood swings, and may even feel physical discomfort. This isn't just about convenience - it's about meeting basic developmental needs to ensure kids are ready to learn.
We have heard various reasons from the school about their justification for eliminating snack: that the teachers wish to have more time for classroom instruction;' that there are concerns about allergies; or that they desire to "build stamina and independence." Regarding the time for classroom instruction, teachers could have a short snack time or even a “working snack time” (as they used to do in the 1st grade) where kids do class work while simultaneously having a snack break. If the concern is about allergies, in previous years, children in these grades were given snack time where parents provided a nut-free snack to avoid introducing allergens into the classroom. If the desire is to build independence, teachers could ask students to go and get their snacks themselves if they are hungry. There are workarounds that can address the ostensible reasons given and still meet the children's developmental and nutritional needs.
How it will be delivered
By email