Freshman have mixed opinions on lunch schedule
Metea Valley freshmen have mixed feelings over an unexpected change to their lunch schedule. Metea’s administration has modified the freshmen schedule for the 2024-2025 school year. All freshmen now report to a What I need, or WIN session for half their lunch. This schedule change caused the establishment of a new bell system to assist with the transition from lunch to WIN.
WIN was implemented to make the jump from middle school to high school easier for freshmen. This system was an idea floating around for years, but they finally organized the rooms and staff to make WIN happen. The new lunch configuration gives freshmen a period to do anything that they need to do. However, Principal Dan Debruycker points out the multitude of ways freshmen could take advantage of WIN time.
“We’re looking to figure out how we utilize it the best as time goes on, but really targeting those freshmen to get off to a good start is really important to us,” Debruycker said. “As time goes on, they’re going to need to utilize that time to do homework. They’re going to maybe utilize that time to do reassessments, maybe tap into the resource rooms downstairs.”
However, this new schedule does not benefit everyone. The bell used to transition freshmen to WIN periods is the same as the end/start bell. Many students find that the bell distracts them from their classes and draws their attention to what their next class is. Junior Annie Jones says that bells in the middle of the period only adds to the stress of leaving for your next class.
“Sometimes, I struggle and I scramble to get my stuff away,” Jones said. “And sometimes I throw things in the wrong place.”
The staff has mixed feelings. Teachers say that they find the bell helps them with their lessons as a reminder that only half the period remains. Other teachers say that the bell is just as distracting for them as it is for the students as some staff need to cross the building quickly to their next class. Science teacher Lisa Braheny expresses what it’s like to get to her class.
“My classroom is on the other side, at the bottom,” Braheny said. “So when the bell rings, I have a class right after this, so I’m like hurrying.”
According to Debruycker, there is no current way to adjust the bells, and it is still a work in progress. Metea administration is working with a bell company to learn about a new system with the hope of adding more sounds to differentiate the bells.
However, freshmen themselves feel that this period will benefit them in the long run for the rest of their high school career.
“The WIN gives me time to, like, do my assignments and catch up on anything I need to catch up on,” freshman Claire Tracy said.
