I, like many others within our community, am greatly concerned about the talks surrounding amending the start and end times of our elementary schools in Horseheads. As a legal guardian of a child attending one of these schools, the potential increase to a seven-hour school day is particularly alarming. The impact of the existing six-hour school day on our children is becoming evident, with the strain clearly visible on their young faces after being confined indoors, save for a brief 20-minute recess.

With this in mind, it's important to highlight existing studies which demonstrate the impacts of prolonged school days. Research done by the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses that recess contributes to the academic, physical, and mental well-being of students. Children need breaks to recharge and prepare for learning; depriving them of this necessary downtime could lead to decreased cognitive performance and increased stress levels among students (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013). With a seven-hour school day, the limited recess time will invariably decrease further, which will be detrimental to our children’s overall well-being.

Understanding this, we urge the relevant authorities to reconsider this proposition. We ask that they consider the potential impacts that this might have on our children. Rather than extending the school day, we suggest the exploration of optimizing the existing timeframe to maximize learning while ensuring the mental and physical well-being of the children. We, the citizens and parents of Horseheads, insist on maintaining the current elementary school timings. Protect our children’s well-being – reject the seven-hour school day. Please sign this petition to make our voices heard.