There’s more than food on the menu when Warwick Valley High School takes lunch

“Unit Lunch” is a system that the Warwick Valley School District implemented in its high school in 2017 that gives students more freedom at lunch.

Unit lunch lasts 55 minutes, and students of all grades, nine through twelve, can go anywhere in the school to eat lunch. There are only two restrictions: No going into “the pits” (school’s basement) and that the Freshman hallway is a quiet study hallway.

According to the district’s website, “Students and staff have a common lunch period when many students attend club and extra-curricular meetings.”

Many teachers and administrators have voiced positive opinions, feeling that unit lunch allows many students to seek help that they may need and make up work. Teachers also get the opportunity to hold review sessions for upcoming tests, finals and Regents.

For the moment, though, the pros outweigh the concerns. So let’s do lunch - everyone.

Pros

When students graduate high school, they will likely to go to college or get a job. Getting to experience more freedom in high school can make students be more prepared and responsible for college and the work force.

Students now have the opportunity to get extra help in any class, but they don’t have to.

It’s their decision.

It can teach them to be more responsible

Many teachers in Warwick agree with “Unit Lunch” and all of the positives that come along with it.

“Unit Lunch” also gives students the opportunity to get more exercise and get in better shape because Warwick has two gyms.

Cons

A counterargument for having a “Unit Lunch” could be that kids could be fooling around somewhere they shouldn’t be due to the abundance of free time they have.

Although the school does have numerous security guards and staff members on duty during lunch, having that much freedom can lead to people acting irresponsibly.