The HCS elementary students will be heading into a new adventure in the 2024-2025 school year! We will be eating lunch cafeteria-style in the east gym instead of in classrooms. I know–it sounds new and scary and change can be hard, but as with any decision we make at HCS, this idea has been thoroughly thought through and discussed to make sure it is the right decision for students. After a couple years of discussion, research, and observations at other schools, we have decided to move forward.
Here are some of the reasons behind this decision:
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Cleanliness – Eating lunch in individual classrooms creates problems for our carpeted classrooms and invites a variety of critters into the building. Daily milk spills, syrup catastrophes, fruit cup splashes, and Go-Gurt explosions not only are hard on the carpet, they create messes all throughout the building for our teachers and custodian to clean up. A cafeteria setting contains the messes to one non-carpeted space and keeps the classrooms where your children are learning much cleaner.
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Location – Our older students (3rd and 4th graders, especially) who take hot lunch have a VERY long walk from their classroom, to the hot lunch window, and then back to the classroom. They often end up eating much of their hot lunch while walking because their actual eating time is limited by all the traveling. While this is an efficient use of time, we don’t want to continue to promote an eat-and-run culture here at HCS. Also, every extra step is an opportunity to drop that tray and spill its contents all over the floor. The hot lunch window is directly across from the east gym, so with the new cafeteria set up, students will have less travel time and be able to sit and enjoy their lunches at a table with their classmates.
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Change of Pace – Our students spend most of their time in classrooms. Eating lunch in a cafeteria gives them an opportunity to have a break from their classrooms and it signals a different part of the school day–a time to relax, socialize, and enjoy lunch together.
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Social Skills – With a cafeteria-style setup, we have the ability to teach social skills consistently across all grade levels. Teaching students to use manners, help each other, and converse with their tablemates is an important part of this new adventure. We have a lot of ideas brewing about how to make this fun and engaging.
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Community – Eating in a cafeteria-style setting offers up some unique opportunities to build community in our student body. Some ideas we are considering include:
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- birthday celebrations with the Birthday Plinko Cart
- periodic lunch times with buddies from a different grade level (if scheduling allows)
- listening to the chapel songs for the week while eating
- team/class challenges focused on working together
- discussion questions available for lunch conversations
Frequently Asked Questions
When will this begin?
We have placed an order for cafeteria tables, but they will probably not be delivered by the first day of school. We will most likely begin cafeteria-style lunches in mid-September. This will give students an opportunity to settle into the routines of a new school year and also give time for students, staff, and volunteers to learn the cafeteria procedures.
How many kids will be in the cafeteria at one time?
We are currently planning on having two grade levels in the gym at one time to eat lunch. We’ll have three different lunch periods that we rotate through.
What if my child doesn’t have anyone to eat with?
Students will be seated with their class at assigned tables, so they will always have a place where they belong. We would never want a student to feel isolated or left out.
Won’t this just be chaotic?
Anytime you have a lot of kids in a room together, the noise level will be elevated. That’s just normal. However, in our observations of other school cafeterias, the students behaved well! We’ve learned some great routines and procedures that we can implement to help things run smoothly in a cafeteria setting.
What if my child has a food allergy or special dietary needs?
We do have several students with food allergies or special dietary needs. Since students will be sitting at a table with their own class, there are some food safety boundaries already built in by having assigned seating areas. Depending on the need, we will customize the plan for each child. Tables will be washed between groups to eliminate the transfer of possible allergens from one group to the next. Strategically separated eating areas and additional staff will be an option for those with higher lunchtime needs. Again, care will be taken to make sure students feel included and not isolated from their classmates.
What if my child is overwhelmed by noise or has sensory issues?
In our observations at other schools, we did see accommodations for students who were struggling in a noisy environment. It may take a little bit of time to get used to a new lunchtime environment. If students are having a hard time, noise-canceling headphones or a quieter table with only a couple of classmates could be some possible options.
Who will be supervising the cafeteria?
Great question! We actually need some help from you! While we will have some staff in the lunchroom (teachers and parapros), we will also need parent/grandparent volunteers who are dedicated to helping out a couple of times each month. These people will be in charge of setting up the tables, monitoring the lunchtime and helping students as needed, cleaning tables and changing trash bags after each group, and helping to put away the tables at the end of lunch. You can find more information about earning your Parent Volunteer Points by doing this job here. You’ll also notice that we need a couple of people to help coordinate all these volunteers. We hope you’ll take a look and consider getting involved in this exciting new endeavor!
Will microwaves be available for students to use?
There are a lot of logistics involved with two grade levels trying to use a limited number of microwaves at the same time. We anticipate long lines and kids not having sufficient time to eat their lunches. At this time, the cafeteria setup in the gym will not allow for microwave usage. Students will need to take a thermos or a lunch that doesn’t need to be heated up.
Who do I contact if I still have questions?
It is understandable that something new brings a lot of concerns and questions. If you still have questions after reading the information above, please contact elementary principal, Tricia Kiepert.
