By Salsabil Logno, Keyla Padilla and Taylor Tracy
A new schedule that only provides Branford High School students with a 15-minute window to get free breakfast in the morning has left some hungry students frustrated and has caused mixed feelings.
From many students’ perspectives, the new breakfast schedule – implemented in March – is unfair. In the updated schedule, breakfast is offered from 7 to 7:25 a.m. before the first period starts, and then reopens only from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. for juniors and seniors who have 1st period open and come in late.
“BHS provides free breakfast, why restrict the access,” said senior Massimo Corrick. “It’s not fair for people who come late or seniors and juniors who don’t have open.”
For underclassmen there is only one time slot to get breakfast which is before school starts.
According to many students, it’s too early to eat breakfast then and, when the buses come late, they don’t have enough time to grab something to eat.
There are also students who do not fit into the new schedule and improved breakfast schedule and can’t “adjust,” they said.
Principal Lee Panagoulias, who made the change, said the new schedule ensures that students remain in class more. He also stated how lately, students have been out in the cafe a lot. He said he knows adjusting is difficult.
Calvin Bacote, a senior, who arrived at school around 7:30 recently when the breakfast had already closed, waited an hour to get breakfast because he had the first period open and according to the new schedule breakfast wasn’t offered again until 8:30 a.m.
Some teachers also think it’s not fair for many students. Sal Zarra, who is a math teacher, said, “I do not want my kids to go hungry.” Zarra is seeing the new schedule from the student perspective and having an understanding how it’s tough to adjust in the middle of the year.
Whereas, Steven Brown, a science teacher, likes the new schedule and said, “Closing for everyone is fair.”
The head of the Chartwells organization, which operates the school cafeteria, said the breakfast hours were implemented by the school. “Our job is to execute,” said John Turenne, the head of Chartwells in the school.
In an interview in March, Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez discussed several options for adjusting the schedule, including expanding grab-and-go options in the school. Panagoulias said he was also open to offering more grab-and-go options, which was how breakfast was offered during the pandemic.
Many students suggested that the school use HIVE (or homeroom) time to offer breakfast for students. HIVE is 30 minutes long, which is a good opportunity to have a break and get some nutrition between classes.
The new breakfast hours began in March. As of May, there have been no adjustments or changes made.
With all these mix of suggestions for the breakfast program, there is hope for more accessibility to get breakfast for all students.
