For the 2024-2025 school year, Sahuaro has adopted a new one-lunch schedule. This is a big change and it has brought both advantages and disadvantages. Due to the decrease in the number of enrolled students, there is no longer a need for two lunch periods. Since we are only a few weeks into the school year, there are still things to consider regarding this change.
Not everyone is excited about switching to one lunch; some have found it extremely hard to get food and find a place to sit where they are not in the sun, especially during the hot summer months. Students such as Damarys Gonzalez, a sophomore, said, “I don’t like the one lunch schedule, mostly because of the weather. It’s too hot, and what if it rains? They can’t fit all of us in the cafeteria.” Another common concern revolving around the one-lunch schedule is not every student is able to get their lunch in a timely manner. Students are uneasy over the difficulty of breaking up altercations. This is a worry of Gabriella Velasquez, a sophomore, who said she is seeing, “…that not a lot of students can get lunch and it’s harder to break up fights.” These are some eye-opening concerns to consider for the lunch period.
There have been many benefits to switching to a one-lunch schedule. For example, students find it more enjoyable as they don’t have to worry about being separated from their friends or having to make new ones. Principal Estrella said, “The other positive thing about having a one lunch schedule is it gives teachers, coaches, and club sponsors a chance to meet.” Russell Todorovich, one of our campus security personnel at Sahuaro with 15 years of experience, mentioned this is the first time the school has implemented a one-lunch schedule. “I like it. As we have switched to one lunch there hasn’t been a change in fights, but there have been many positives. Fewer people are getting in trouble for wandering and lunch detentions,” he said.
Ana Navarro has been working in the school kitchen since April. She said, “I love having one lunch, as it makes it easier for us in the kitchen.” She mentioned that some challenges they are facing are having to make more food, resulting in more waste than usual, and a difficulty in hiring and training new staff due to shortages. She concluded by saying, “I love the kids. They’re all nice and respectful to me. This has been my dream come true.”
Whether you like or dislike this change, it has pros, cons, and concerns. Will we be able to ensure all students can get their lunches? Is there a risk for more fights to break out during this period? Will we notice more activity clubs and sports groups? Only time and patience will tell as we grow with the changed environment of our school.
