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February 27, 2009


Ms. Julie Rumschlag
Cab Calloway School of the Arts
100 N. DuPont Road
Wilmington, DE 19807


Dear Dean Rumschlag

RE: Longer lunch period

I believe that we should have a longer lunch period. It is outrageous that we have only half an hour to eat lunch. Sometimes, even when I do not go outside or talk for an extended period of time, I cannot finish my lunch. Also, when I do go outside (which I almost always do), I have to give up eating at least part of my sandwich. I am fully aware that this cafeteria must accommodate the Cab Calloway high school and middle school, as well as the Charter School of Wilmington. However, it seems to me that Cab Calloway is getting the shorter end of the stick. Both the high school and middle school only have a half-hour for lunch, while Charter gets to have lunch for a longer duration.

As I am sure you are aware, a longer lunch would mean a longer time for the students to play in the courtyard. This would allow students to exert more of their energy, which would result in fewer people using their energy in the classroom by not settling down. More time in the courtyard would also allow the students to converse with their friends more. This would deter some of the chatter that occurs in the classroom, which is quite irksome to both teachers and students. While this would inevitably take time away from the educational period of the day, a substantial portion of the amount of time spent on dissuading the classroom chatter would now be used for teaching. This would result in a near equilibrium between the time given that is no longer needed to deter talking and the time taken away from class with the extended lunch period. It seems to me to be a win-win situation to have more time in the courtyard for the students.

More time for a lunch period would also allow students to make up tests during the lunch period, while still allowing both teachers and students to eat their lunch. This has been a serious problem in Mr. Edwards’s class, where many students (those who can) are forced to make up their tests during their arts (or occasionally academics) periods, which could force them to miss important material in those classes. Also, students who are doing poorly in Mr. Beam’s (there may be other teachers who do this as well) class, or just want peace and quiet from the vociferous noise in the cafeteria could go to his class to either make up work or to seek sanctuary from the noise would have more time to do so, and have the ability to do so as well as eat their entire lunch. Of course, students who have not had lunch will probably do poorly for the remainder of the school day, which would bode ill for the student’s grade on any upcoming tests or quizzes.
Having a longer lunch period would be advantageous to the teachers as well. In addition to the reasons that I mentioned above, the teachers who eat lunch would get a longer time to discuss things in the faculty dining room, which would mean that teachers would not get into extensive discussions in between class periods and then be late to class. It would also mean that teachers who do not eat lunch would have more time to get their work done during school hours. That would mean that teachers would probably not do their work during class, which also sucks time from the students’ actual learning time. I think everyone would drink from the well of a longer lunch period.
Overall, I think that there are absolutely no reasons to not have an extended lunch period. As I stated earlier, I think that this is very much of a “Catch 21” idea, meaning that virtually no harm could possibly come out of it. It would be very popular among students and teachers alike, and it would make everyone happier. An extended lunch period would allow students to exert energy and make up work. It would also allow teachers to get things done. Please consider implementing this change during the 2009-2010 school year.

Sincerely


Jonathan Tate
Student