Students maximizing achievement, relationships, and time lunch, or “SMART” lunch, is a one-hour lunch period set up for students to eat during one-half. During the other half, students can participate in clubs and get help from teachers and peers. This system has been with PCHS since its opening in 2006 and has been “pretty remarkable,” says Panther Creek Principal Dr. Decker. However, due to students’ behavior on and off campus last year, SMART lunch has been taken away as a disciplinary measure. 

Last year, some students took advantage of this period to go off campus when they were not permitted to, some harming local businesses. Such actions included stealing, trespassing, pulling fire alarms, and starting violent fights at these stores. Some went as far as stealing from nearby homes and jumping off their roofs. Even for the students staying on campus, only 8% of students were using SMART lunch for its intended purpose. With this long list of issues, Dr. Decker stated, “It just was not working as it was designed, making it an easy decision to hit the pause button.”

Although it’s easy to understand why the period was removed, many students are still upset they no longer have this valuable time. As Meriam Ali, an officer in PCHS Student Government, stated, “this year’s loss of SMART lunch is putting a strain on students and staff equally.” She adds that people’s grades have been impacted, and students and teachers often have to stay at school longer for clubs and meetings – things they could have done during SMART lunch. 

Like Meriam, a Junior at PCHS Tiffany Meng shares these concerns, “Personally, I think it’s detrimental to our education… We need it to be studious because, last year, I used that time to talk to teachers and do homework.” 

Moreover, Meng states, “SMART time is the only time I saw some friends.” She rarely sees some of her friends during this period as lunches have split up into A and B lunch, separating many friends. According to a survey conducted by PCNN, only 30% of students have the same lunch period as their friends. That has negatively affected many students’ social well-being and relationships.

Other students like Saniyah Seth believe that the lack of SMART lunch also is affecting their mental health. Seth states, “my grades have not been impacted as much, but my mental health has.” She explains that without one-on-one time with teachers and designated times for clubs, she has to stay up later to finish all her assignments. She is more tired during the day and loses focus during class because she no longer has this very valuable period.

Furthermore, varsity cheerleader Tanisha Thulasidas states, “as an athlete, I practically can’t do anything without a packed schedule or leaving practice early.” She shares the same concerns as her fellow students, as her mental, social, and academics have been negatively impacted by the loss of SMART lunch. Although she doesn’t want to blame it for these issues, she can confidently say that having this period would make things much easier.

Whether it’s mental, social, or academics that have been affected, students and faculty alike have been impacted in one way or another by the loss of SMART lunch. Some believe that no positives have come out of taking this period away, while others have seen exponential growth in our school because of it. 

Although students may not see it, Dr. Decker says, “a lot of great things happened in a short amount of time… Kids’ behavior has drastically improved.” Fights stopped occurring as frequently, students have been more on time, and so much more. 

Dr. Decker states, “Coming off COVID-19 with several months of asynchronous learning, we all need to relearn time management, academic responsibility, and how to do school again.”

With all this progress, and the clear need for SMART lunch to come back, Dr. Decker says that we can see its implementation very soon. He states, “By the time we reach the 2nd quarter if all goes right, SMART lunch will make its return.”

Although he has apprehension about its re-implementation, he is impressed by the students’ improvement and is hoping that it will stay here – which numerous PCHS students hope for as well!