Whhs has run different schedules for the past three years. Lunch has been affected with each new schedule, and with that has come questions: How long should lunch be? Should lunch bells be organized by grade or by schedule? What time should students eat?

According to The Ohio Board of Education, meal services for lunch must be between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The four-hour range gives some guidelines, but there is still much to be decided. A poll found that a majority, 82.5%, of students experience hunger before noon. Considering the impact hunger has on learning, an earlier lunch would likely be beneficial for students.

“If I’m hungry, I don’t focus as well,” Sophia Puthoff, ‘28, said

 Students can feel stressed at school.  The cafeteria is known as a stress-free zone with fewer restrictions than the classroom. Lunch is more than a time to eat; it’s a break from the day.

“Lunch gives me a break where I can talk to friends, crochet, and just let myself relax for a little while and forget about all the pressures of school.” Zel Auger, ‘26, said

 If lunchtime represents more than a meal, should lunch bells should last longer? Teacher Kevin McCormick believes longer lunch periods could be beneficial for students.

“I would say I like the concept of allowing 45 minutes last year, the extra fifteen minutes, given the stress of the last couple of years gave students more time to unwind and socialize and unwind and be with their friends.” McCormick said

The length of lunch is a balance between decompression and academics. The more time students have in their lunch bell, the less time students will have in their academic bells. Students understand this relationship most, so should WHHS ILT use student feedback?

“It’s the students that are being affected by it, so the students should get a say on it,” Alex Gerwe, ‘26, said.