When Estevan Comprehensive School students return to school in September, they will have a common lunch hour.
The school has traditionally held two separate lunch hours, in an effort to accommodate student numbers in the cafeteria, and for programming numbers in shops and the gymnasium.
But the school has seen a decrease in attendance in recent years, and about 720 students were enrolled at the Grade 9-12 school when the 2017-18 school year ended. Principal Pat Jeannot said registrations will be consistent next year.
The common lunch period will happen from 12:25-1:27 p.m. This past school year, students had their lunch break from 11:17 a.m.-12:19 p.m., or 12:23-1:25 p.m.
In a letter sent home to parents, the school cited several reasons for dropping the common lunch break, including the sliding attendance.
“We know that all of these areas can accommodate our current student numbers,” the letter stated.
ECS staff members have studied student benefits of moving to a common lunch hour, and believe this is the right move.
According to the letter, absenteeism is higher during the current two lunch hours than at other times of the day.
“Our students have been telling us that this issue is created because they want to be with their friends during the lunch period,” said the letter. “Often times lunch periods did not coincide between friends, which made it difficult to happen.”
Students will now have that opportunity to spend time together.
A common lunch hour will also provide students with a greater opportunity to become involved in student activities, as they will have the option to run some activities during the lunch hour.
“Until now, it has been difficult to do so, as students did not share a common lunch time,” the letter stated. “Students who cannot currently come to the school before or after hours will now have this opportunity opened to them.”
Students who wish to take band or choral as electives during the lunch will be also able to do so.
ECS principal Pat Jeannot said they haven’t had many concerns raised about the decision.
“We had looked at putting the band and choral into the time table, but what we heard from our students was that they wanted to have that opportunity to take band and choral over lunch, to be able to get the extra electives, so that’s where we left it,” said Jeannot.
Student numbers for band and choral continue to look strong for the next school year.
The administration team was looking at ways to improve student engagement and attendance, he said, and had discussions with students groups on their thoughts.
“Having a common lunch would give the ability for these groups to get together … to do some of their planning and some of their activities. We did do some research on it.”
The school has been looking at having the common lunch since the numbers started to decrease a few years ago.
If the school sees a return to higher student enrolments, then it could return to a two-lunch period system, if they find that there is too much pressure on the cafeteria, gymnasium and other areas.
Other comprehensive schools in Saskatchewan have moved to a common lunch hour, he said, although there are a few schools that still have two.
He noted that large schools such as Prince Albert Carlton now has a common lunch break.
