Second breakfast still in place Friday despite announcements of potential cancellation

Despite teachers making in-class announcements on Thursday that there would no longer be a ten-minute passing period between 2nd and 3rd hour, East Principal Dr. Scott Sherman confirmed to teachers via email that the extended passing period would, in fact, remain in place.

Briefly after Associate Principal Dr. Susan Leonard wrote that she was unaware as to whether or not the the shortening was confirmed, math teacher and IB Coordinator Monique Goodeyon confirmed in an email that “…2nd breakfast is staying for now.” 

The cancellation would have been an effort to extend minutes in school, giving seniors more time in class. In order to graduate, seniors need to meet a certain number of credit hours. Since Monday’s unforeseen cancellation took away credit hours for seniors, East administration intended to revoke second breakfast to make up for the lost time before deciding to keep it in place.

The original decision to eliminate the longer passing period, known as “second breakfast,” came after a surprise cancellation on Monday when a car crash on 75th and Mission caused a power outage throughout the school. The passing period would have been shortened from ten minutes to the typical five, with an extension to third hour. 

Second breakfast is a time for students to catch up with friends in between classes and visit teachers, but its primary purpose is to give students who do not have the chance to eat breakfast at home get a bite to eat at school. 

Most students were told the news of second breakfast’s cancellation in class by their teachers on Thursday. The response from students has been primarily negative, but some believed the school’s original choice was for the best. 

“I’m a bit disappointed about the shortened passing period, but overall it’s fine, and I’m fine having a longer 3rd hour,” junior Athena Bradshaw said. “I would rather this than the day start earlier; I already wake up at 5:30 [a.m.] to catch the bus.” This quote was given before Bradshaw was aware the cancellation had been revoked. 

At the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, the decision was made to eliminate weekly late starts — Thursdays in which the school day begins at 8:50 a.m. as opposed to the normal 7:40 a.m. — starting in 4th quarter. Like the would-be second breakfast cancellation, revoking fourth quarter’s late starts was done in order to give seniors more credit hours. 

There has been no further update as to how the school plans on making up Monday’s lost time.