5 minute read
The Hubbub surrounding Grub
Admin puts the end in vending
Alexa Leiting Features Editor
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Beginning on Oct. 3, Millard South began the shut down of vending machines from 7:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Although it was not largely talked about over the announcements or in other ways, teachers began writing on their whiteboards and informational papers were taped to the machines themselves.
Students were initially confused as a whole. They seemed to not understand as to why this was happening to their daily snacks.
When asked about why the shut down was implemented, Principal Heidi Weaver said, “Administration the Multi-Tiered System of Support, which is a group improves learning and behavioral outcomes for students, this choice. The decision was made because too many were tardy to class. Also, students were using restroom go to the vending machines,” she said.
Weaver also explained that the changes have helped. “Students can’t be distracted by the vending machines on their way to class anymore,” she said.
Despite the vending machines being shut down during the school day, the Patriot Post still is able to sell one of the most popular snack items South makes available for purchase: Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies. At 9 a.m., students may begin requesting passes from teachers to buy fresh, warm cookies. Although the cookies are truly delicious, this creates some confusion about the reasons why administration shortened the vending time frame. It was announced that the reason the machines got shut down was because kids were losing class time by waiting in line for snacks. The Patriot Post, however, also produces a line of kids missing class time waiting to get their hands on these popular treats. Weaver went on to explain the difference.
“We have a system for students to buy cookies from the [Patriot] Post. They must have a pass from the classroom teacher.” There should only be one student and one pass from each classroom to get the whole class order, not a pass per student.
“Typically it was at teacher discretion to hand out vending machine passes but in reality, students should not be receiving passes to go to multiple places during instructional time. If we have good instructional time for students, then they will receive more credits. If they earn more credits, more people graduate,” Weaver said. She went on to say that if all students can get themselves to class on time much more frequently, the vending machines might have a chance to return.
Even though students showed a somewhat negative response to their snacks being taken away, teachers have a different outlook on the choice.
Taylor Mendenhall, a business teacher located in the 100s, spoke on the issues with the vending machines. “There has been significant changes with the removal of the vending machines previously just outside my door,” Mendenhall said. “For one, when the bells ring, it is a lot easier to get students cleared from the hallways because they can’t use the machines as an excuse. Two, during the class periods, it is quieter in the hallways because people aren’t constantly out there chit-chatting waiting to use the machine. Also, in the 200s, the security desk up there was constantly busy. [They were] showing kids to back to class when they were using the vending machines upstairs. But now they don’t have to,” he said.
Although MSHS began this schoolwide shutdown of the vending machines, other high schools in the district have not taken the same measures. According to Mark Hawkins, an assistant principal at West High School, there are 10 vending machines in the building. In addition to this, snacks are sold throughout the whole school day minus breakfast and lunch due to national nutrition laws. Hawkins said that there are no issues with students using vending machines at West High. Students seem to not cause any disruption in the hallways while buying items nor have there been any major concerns about students missing lesson time to purchase food or drink.
In a way, Millard North High School has come up with a sort of ‘not-too-hot and not-too-cold’ alternative to both of the two other schools. North has a total of four vending machines located near the cafeteria which are kept on all day long. However, students are expected to only use the snack and drink machines during passing periods as well as before and after school time.
Matthew Starks, an assistant principal at North High, had a similar response as West’s administration regarding issues (or lack thereof) surrounding vending: “We have not had many issues with the vending machines. Occasionally, we will have a student who leaves class to get something from the vending machine. There has not been any major disruption or lines forming at the machines during class. If we started noticing issues with the machines, we would look at limiting access to them during the school day,” he said.
Despite the fact that it is assumed that schools are the only ones deal with the machines, there is someone outside of the district that gets significantly impacted by choices about them. Brian Oswalt, a local small business owner, supplies and owns the vending machines in Millard high schools. When asked about how the shut down has affected him he replied, “I have been at Millard South for over a decade. This year has been very frustrating as the vending time rules [have] changed… I think administration was dealing with a lot of behavior issues, and this was one way to address it,” Oswalt said.
The removal of the vending machines, although controversial, has occurred and does not appear to be changing any time in the near future. Unfortunately, this is due to the frequent disturbances to classes near the machines as well as tardiness to lessons.
Nevertheless, if MSHS students are able to clean up their timeliness record, the snack crackdown might make a turn around.
