COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
RICHMOND

KARRIE K. DELANEY
Post Office Box 231023 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
Centreville, VA 20120 TRANSPORTATION
HEALTH, WELFARE, AND INSTITUTIONS

SIXTY-SEVENTH DISTRICT

May 11, 2018

Members of the Loudoun County School Board

Administration Building
21000 Education Court
Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Dear Members of the Board:

Effective July 1, 2018 House Bill 1419 will become law, allowing you to increase the amount of time
dedicated to unstructured recreational activities in our elementary schools. House Bill 1419, also known
as the “Recess Bill,” allows the School Board to exercise their discretion in setting their schedules while
reducing the minimum number of instructional hours dedicated to the four academic areas from 742.5
hours to 680 hours. This reduction will ensure that time allocated to unstructured actives will not take
away from physical education, arts, music, and specials. In addition to this reduction, House Bill 1419
will also allow the School Board to include unstructured recreational time as instructional or teaching
hours.

Prince William County Public Schools have already taken advantage of this legislation and has been able
to double the amount of time they dedicate to recess in their elementary schools.

We, members of the Virginia General Assembly representing Loudoun County, urge you to consider
taking advantage of this new law and adjusting your elementary school schedules to allow for more
unstructured recreational time. Adjusting these schedules could provide our elementary school students at
least 20 more minutes of recess per day.

We ask that you recognize the positive benefits of recess and unstructured recreational time and how it
can better our elementary student’s academic performance, focus, and overall health and well-being.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Karrie K. Delaney Barbara Favola

67th House District 31st Senate District

DISTRICT: (703) 996-9415 • RICHMOND: (804) 698-1067 • EMAIL: DelKDelaney@house.virginia.gov

Jennifer Wexton Richard “Dick” Black
33rd Senate District 13th Senate District

Wendy Gooditis David Reid

10th House District 32nd House District

Jennifer Boysko
86th House District

DISTRICT: (703) 996-9415 • RICHMOND: (804) 698-1067 • EMAIL: DelKDelaney@house.virginia.gov