As the 2024-2025 school year is beginning, many changes are being made on campus.
One of the biggest changes made this year is that all students are in one lunch. The goal behind having one lunch is that all teachers have the same lunch break, which is supposed to help the teachers build community with one another. This also gives clubs the opportunity to have meetings with all of their members during lunch because some members cannot meet before or after school. Last year, these ideas were presented to the Principal Advisory Committee, who voted in favor of a single lunch. To allow for the crowded cafeteria, students now have permission to eat in the cafeteria, outdoors, or in the hallways. Also, during lunch on Fridays, family members are now allowed to bring outside food to students.
Another significant change is the new phone policy. Students are no longer permitted to have their phones with them during class time, but they are still able to use them in between classes and during lunch. This was the school’s solution to cell phone problems, in an attempt to avoid using phone lock boxes.
Finally, there are now only four minutes between classes, instead of five. This was enacted because of a newly passed law called the “Student Attendance Accounting Handbook.” The law said that schools need a minimum of 45 minutes per day in Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes. For these minutes to be met while still letting the school have early release days, pep rallies, etc., the school day would have to be extended or there would have to be an extra minute in each class. The second option was chosen to avoid lengthening the school day.