We, the undersigned come together to express our deep concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision by the district to revert to a Two Lunch schedule at Garfield High School, despite the collaborative efforts of our Department Heads and the Building Leadership Team (BLT) in partnership with Dr. Hart to create a One Lunch schedule with Advisory that we believe is in the best interest of our students' social and emotional well-being.

The Seattle Public Shooll District's mandate to implement a Two Lunch schedule, solely based on a policy requiring two lunches for schools with a free lunch program, undermines the carefully considered plans that were put in place for our students. This decision compromises several critical aspects of our students' experiences at Garfield High School:

Limited Club Opportunities: The Two Lunch schedule significantly hampers club opportunities for likeminded students to socialize and support each other. Last year, only one out of five clubs succeeded due to the dual lunchtime structure.

Reduced Social Interaction: Students are unable to eat lunch with all their friends as half of them are in another lunch period. This diminishes their social experiences and connections.

Truancy Concerns: Last year, many students resorted to truancy during 4th period to be able to eat lunch with their friends, which negatively impacts their attendance and academic performance.

Teacher-Student Interaction: It prevents some students from meeting with teachers during lunch for academic help, hindering their educational progress.

Inequity in Scheduling: The Two Lunch policy results in half of the school eating lunch as late as 1 pm, over four hours after the start of classes, affecting students' focus and energy levels.

Social and Economic Disparities: This policy seems to perpetuate social, economic, and racial discrimination. Other larger Seattle Public School District high schools in more affluent areas, such as Ballard and Roosevelt, have a One Lunch schedule with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) time. In contrast, Garfield and Chief Sealth, with higher minority enrollment and economically disadvantaged student percentages, are mandated to have Two Lunches, which compromises the SEL supports our students need.

We believe this policy is unfair and detrimental to the overall well-being and educational experience of Garfield High School students. 
Furthermore, we have received feedback from our lunch cafeteria staff who express their willingness to support a One Lunch schedule. However, the district has not provided any substantial data demonstrating how the Two Lunch system benefits our students.

Most importantly, the overwhelming sentiment among our staff and students is in favor of a One Lunch schedule. We firmly believe that a unified, data-driven decision-making process should prioritize the best interests of our students, and our data strongly supports the implementation of One Lunch at Garfield High School.