Administration Adopts New Lunch Schedule

Last week, the administration at East made a schedule change shortening lunches and lengthening fifth hour. First and third lunch were shortened by three minutes while second lunch lost six minutes. The bell schedule also changed, now ringing just one bell to signal those leaving lunch need to be in class, and those in class need to be leaving for lunch. Assistant Principal John McKinney said the change was made to increase instruction time.

“We decided to make the change because we had some lunches that were getting a lot more time than others,” said McKinney. “Now all the lunches pretty much have the same amount of time, and students have more time in their fifth hour.”

While it shortens lunch time for some teachers as well, American History teacher Vicki Helgesen believes that it is a change for the better.

“It’s always been tough having a lunch bell right in the middle of the hour,” Helgesen said. “When you lose your class for thirty minutes it requires another settling-down, it takes time to get refocused, any additional class time is very helpful.”

This change largely affects seniors who go out to lunch. Senior Seth Berkbuegler says that the shorter lunch period makes eating out much more difficult.

“It’s just not enough time,” Berkbuegler said. “The first day the new schedule was in effect I got a tardy after lunch, I was five minutes late but under the old schedule I would have been on time.”

Despite student complaints, the administration stands by the new bell schedule.

“If your sole purpose is to go out for lunch and to eat, you should have plenty of time,” McKinney said. “Lunch isn’t meant for socializing, it’s meant for students to get their food then return promptly.”