As construction crews begin renovating the BHS cafeteria, students’ lunch periods have been moved to the gym for the remaining weeks of school, and students do not seem to be as impacted as one might be expect.
“The first day, there was a little confusion… but after that, I have not heard a single complaint,” Asst. Principal Paul Chase said.
“I’ve been told by staff members and some students, they actually like the gym better as a cafeteria than the old cafeteria,” Chase said, adding that the gym is “a much more wide-open space [and has] high ceilings so it doesn’t get as loud as the old cafeteria.”
BHS students are mostly indifferent about the dubbed “gymeteria.”
“I guess it’s somewhat weird because… [I’ve] been kicked out of a cafeteria that [I’ve] been using all year,” said freshman Inkyu Kim. “Other than that, it doesn’t really bother me.”
However, Kim did have one issue with eating in the gym: it is difficult for him to hear the bell.
“It felt unsanitary at first, because the gym is where people sweat… It just felt a bit weird eating there, but we got used to it over time,” freshman Bradford Douglas said. “I don’t like or dislike anything about it, really… not very much has changed.”
Chase said that the cafeteria staff has had to adjust the most.
“I think they had the biggest adjustment. They have to, obviously, prep food elsewhere, then move it down to the [gym]. They obviously have to have specific selections that work for transition from the kitchen to the [gym] each day… [and] they obviously have to follow the same state health codes as they have in the past, [along with] dietary needs,” Chase said.
Chase said that his greatest challenge with the move is the difficulty of monitoring students in the lunch line to deter theft.
“[The lunch line is] behind a wall, and I have to be in two places at once,” Chase said. “It’s harder to watch kids… that’s the biggest thing – making sure kids aren’t taking things.”
While there may be some difficulties, students will soon reap the benefits.
When students return to BHS in August, they will be welcomed to a brand new cafeteria.
“[The new cafeteria will] take a little bit of a different shape. The wall that’s closest to the 500/600/700 wing will be taken out… and the cafeteria will actually expand into [a former storage room].”
Chase also added that AVI Foodsystems, the school’s lunch provider, is considering offering new menu items for the 2013-14 school year to complement the new cafeteria. However, the meeting to discuss these possible changes will not take place until after the 2012-13 school year lets out.
