LUMBERTON — Thousands of parents are supporting the notion to add recess into the Lumberton Intermediate School.
Megan Kuehne has a nine-year-old daughter at the school and began a petition last month.
"I wanted to see what us parents can do, take the idea to the school board and superintendent," says Kuehne. "Let them know that our concerns are serious."
The petition provides information on why recess is important for a child's development.
Kuehne isn't alone in believing a slot for some free time at the school would help, more than 1,100 people have signed it.
"I asked parents, 'Is it just me because I just moved here and does it bother anybody else?,'" says Kuehne. "It turns out it does bother other parents and they are concerned about it."
Kuehne's family moved from Utah earlier this year and tells 12News the previous school where her daughter attended had three recess periods.
Izzy Kuehne, a fourth grader at Lumberton Intermediate, says she misses having the chance to socialize with her friends.
"I don't get to spend time with my friends because most of my friends aren't in my class," says Kuehne's daughter Izzy. "Just having free time and playing on the playground is what I miss the most."
Despite the Lumberton Primary School (1st-3rd grade) having a playground, one doesn't exist at the Intermediate School (4th-6th grade).
Classes at Lumberton Intermediate do have P.E., but both parents and students say kids need time during the day to freely play.
"They learn how to interact with one another and it's not the structured play like P.E. in a classroom," says the mother of a fourth grader Christa Read. "I think it's really important for the kids to get outdoors."
"We just run for a long time and then we play a game," says sixth grader Carter Bean. "We can't do anything else, it's not a chance to do stuff really."
12News spoke with a representative for the school and tells us it will be up to the school board to decide whether to add recess.
Kuehne provided the board with a presentation last week during a public forum.
The spokesperson says the Lumberton School Board is listening to the parents concerns, but hasn't said if they plan to pursue the recess topic.
"I think they want to work with us and know that it is beneficial," says Read. "Hopefully they'll figure it out and work it in."
"Recess is a win for students, teachers and administration because it helps behavior along with boosting test scores," says Kuehne. "Kids will learn better because kids will be happier and want to come to school, so it's a win-win."
Parents have also met with Principal Paige Wing who told them fitting recess into the daily schedule is a challenge.
Teachers at Lumberton Intermediate do have the choice to allow for breaks during class and give kids an opportunity to get outside when the weather cooperates.
Parents don't know how long it might take to get recess added, so they've decided to be proactive and supply teachers with "recess boxes."
The boxes contain chalk, jump rope, games and other items for boys and girls to use outside in the meantime.