Lunchtime at West Middle School needs to be extended!

Lunchtime, possibly staff and students favorite 20 minutes of the day. However, everyone has different opinions about lunch at West Middle School. Some people feel that the lunch food lacks variety, and the lunchroom is constantly overcrowded. We are going to give you the inside scoop of the opinions of staff and students at WMS. 

Lunch is scheduled to be 20 minutes long and divided by grade level. 8th graders eat first, 6th graders eat second, and 7th graders eat last. However, the amount of time that each student gets varies from person to person. 

Time. This definitely has to be the most consistent lunch complaint. Studies show that kids who receive more lunchtime, also receive more nutrients because they are eating more (Angell). Many students feel that they don’t have enough time to eat. Not everyone is getting 20 minutes of lunch each day. “No, What’s wrong with 30 minutes of lunch and 10 minutes of recess?” Even WMS staff like Mrs. Becky think we have a lack of time. For Shea Douglass it’s a similar story as well, “It kinda makes me a little annoyed because the lunch lines take a while to buy so then you’re sitting there trying to buy your lunch and when you get out you have like 7 minutes or less.” Some people feel rushed, like Sarah Shin. “I think the time we get is a decent amount of time I can usually finish my food before we have to go but sometimes I feel a bit rushed.” As you can see, quite a bunch of students (and even some staff) feel that they DO NOT have enough time to eat. 

Now, what about the lunch food itself? Is it nutritious? Are there enough choices? Douglass says not, “It depends because some of the lunches are ok but it’s a whole cycle so we don’t really have a lot of choices.” When we sat down with Mrs. Becky for an interview, she shared with us that she is trying to get more food options available for students. Hopefully, in the near future, West students will be able to have more lunch options. 

We also asked students and staff, “If you could change one thing about lunch what would it be?” The results varied we had people who wished that lunch would be longer, more food options should be added, and even Mr. Smiley gave us his input, wishing that the cafeteria was larger. However you may feel about lunch, there are some things that we can all do to help keep the cafeteria clean and in order.

1. Always make sure to pick up your lunch trays and large pieces of garbage. 
2. If you see garbage on the ground, pick it up. (Even if it’s not yours!!)
3. Make sure that you use your lunchtime efficiently, talk when you are done eating. 
4. Wait for a staff member when being dismissed, stay seated until your table is called. 

Works Cited

Angell, Sarah, et al. “Benefits of School Lunch.” Food Research & Action Center, Food Research & Action Center, 12 Feb. 2020, frac.org/programs/national-school-lunch-program/benefits-school-lunch.