PETITION FOR A MINIMUM 40 MINUTE LUNCH PERIOD

Canutillo High School

To the Canutillo Independent School District Board of Trustees,/ Superintendent

We, the undersigned parents, guardians, students, and community members of Canutillo Independent School District, respectfully petition the District to increase the current 30 minute lunch period at Canutillo High School to a minimum of 40 minutes.

A 30 minute lunch period does not mean students/ teachers actually have 30 minutes to eat.

Students/ teachers must leave their classrooms, walk across campus, use the restroom if needed, and wait in lunch lines before they can sit down and begin eating. Depending on the length of the lunch line and where a student's (teacher’s) previous class is located, a significant portion of the 30 minute period can be gone before a student/ teacher ever receives their meal.

Our students/ teachers deserve enough time to eat without rushing.

Lunch is not simply "free time." It is an important break in a demanding academic day. Students and teachers BOTH need adequate time to eat, decompress, socialize, and mentally prepare for their afternoon classes. When students and teachers  have to choose between finishing their meal and getting to class on time, we believe the schedule is failing to meet a basic student need.

This concern becomes even more significant when we look at comparable high schools in the El Paso area. Neighboring campuses with similar A/B schedules reportedly provide considerably more time for lunch:

Coronado High School — approximately 46 minutes

Franklin High School — approximately 46 minutes

El Paso High School — approximately 46 minutes

Ysleta High School — approximately 41 minutes

Hanks High School — approximately 40 minutes

Montwood High School — approximately 40 minutes

Eastwood High School — approximately 39 minutes

If neighboring high schools can structure their instructional day while providing students and teachers approximately 40–46 minutes for lunch, we believe Canutillo ISD should explore how it can do the same.

This Is About More Than Lunch

Canutillo ISD has expressed concerns regarding student enrollment and retaining students at the middle and high school levels. We believe student and teacher retention begins with creating schools where they feel valued, respected, supported, and proud to belong.

As parents and community members, we have supported Canutillo ISD, including supporting investments in our schools because we believe in this District and its students and its teachers . With that support comes an expectation that decisions affecting the daily lives of students will keep their well-being and educational experience at the center.

Policies, bell schedules, dress codes, attendance numbers, and accountability measures all have a place in operating a school district. BUT STUDENTS CANNOT BECOME SECONDARY TO THE SYSTEM CREATED TO SERVE THEM.

A school should have structure, but it should also have culture, community, and humanity.

Our students and teachers spend the majority of their waking weekday hours on campus. Providing them an additional 10 minutes at lunch is a reasonable request that could make a meaningful difference in their school day.

Our Request

We respectfully request that Canutillo ISD:

Increase the Canutillo High School lunch period from 30 minutes to a minimum of 40 minutes;

Review the current bell schedule to determine how this change can be implemented while maintaining required instructional minutes;

Evaluate actual student wait times in cafeteria lines during lunch periods;

Seek input from students, parents, teachers, and campus staff before finalizing future bell schedules; and

Consider student and teacher experience and well-being as an important part of the District's efforts to improve student retention.

This petition is not asking for less education.

We are asking for a school day that recognizes that students learn better, teachers teach better when their basic needs are met.

Students and teachers should not have to rush through a meal, or skip eating altogether, because the lunch period does not provide enough time.

CANUTILLO ISD EXISTS BECAUSE OF ITS STUDENTS. They are not simply enrollment numbers, attendance percentages, or accountability statistics. They are the reason our schools exist, and their voices and well being should matter when decisions are made about their school day.

We respectfully ask the Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees and District Administration to listen to its students and families and provide Canutillo High School students with a minimum 40 minute lunch period beginning with the earliest feasible bell schedule adjustment.

Give our students and teachers time to eat. Give them time to reset. Give them a school environment that shows them they matter.

 

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, SUPPORT A MINIMUM 40-MINUTE LUNCH PERIOD FOR CANUTILLO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

I urge school administrators, policy makers, and concerned citizens to take action. By signing this petition, you lend your voice to a cause that puts students' well-being and educational success at the forefront. Let’s ensure our students have the time they need to nourish their bodies and minds. Sign now to demand an increase to a minimum 40-minute lunch period in our schools.