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To: School principle
Bring Snack Time Back to Lively Elementary 🍎
I am writing as a parent of a first grade student at Lively Elementary to respectfully request that the school reconsider its decision regarding snack time and reinstate a short, designated snack period during the school day.
My child is 6 years old and eats lunch at approximately 10:30 AM. Students remain at school until 3:15 PM, creating a very long stretch of time between lunch and dismissal not including after school pick up line and the commute home. I also understand that students have a limited amount of time during lunch to actually eat.
I was told that the reasoning for eliminating snack time is that it takes away from instructional time. I absolutely understand the importance of protecting instructional time and ensuring that our children receive the education they need. However, I am concerned that eliminating a brief 10–15 minute snack opportunity may have the opposite effect for young children who are hungry, tired, or struggling to maintain their focus throughout the afternoon.
A short, structured snack period does not need to be disruptive to the school day. It could be a simple opportunity for students to eat a snack brought from home while remaining in their classroom, similar to practices that are still being used at other IISD elementary campuses.
After speaking with other IISD parents, I have learned that snack-time practices vary between campuses. Because of this, I would appreciate clarification regarding whether this is an IISD-wide decision or a campus-level decision, and what considerations were used in determining that snack time should not be offered at Lively.
Most importantly, I am asking that Lively Elementary reconsider this decision and explore whether a short daily snack period could be reinstated, particularly for our youngest students.
I believe that allowing young children an opportunity to eat when they are hungry can support their ability to remain comfortable, attentive, and engaged in the classroom. I hope the school will consider the perspective of parents and the needs of our students when evaluating this decision.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns. I would appreciate a response regarding whether snack time can be reconsidered and whether there is an opportunity for parents to discuss this matter further with the school.
Why is this important?
I believe snack time is important because our students are being asked to go from a lunch period around 10:30 AM until dismissal at 3:15 PM without another opportunity to eat. The older students take lunch later which gives them the same time gap from eating breakfast to having lunch without a snack time in between. At this age, children have smaller stomachs and may not be able to eat enough during a short lunch period to comfortably sustain them for the rest of the school day. Hunger can also affect a child’s ability to concentrate, participate, regulate their emotions, and remain engaged in the classroom. A brief, structured 10–15 minute snack break could give students an opportunity to refuel and return to learning more comfortable and focused. I understand the importance of protecting instructional time, but I believe we should also consider whether asking young children to go several hours without food could ultimately have a greater impact on their ability to learn than the few minutes used for a snack.