Along with major changes to the schedule, all four Rockwood School District (RSD) high schools have redesigned lunchtime as well. 

For the 2019-2020 school year, the cafeteria has switched from a dynamic menu to a static menu, meaning that the menu stays the same day to day.

Cafeteria manager Kim Moore believes the change is a positive transition for everyone at Lafayette. 

“This is much easier for my cooks, it is much easier for me for my ordering and the kids absolutely love it,” Moore said.

Throughout her years working at Lafayette, Moore has come to recognize that many students form patterns in their lunches.

“Kids are creatures of habit,” Moore said. “Some of the boys that come through, they’re always having orange chicken every day. They say ‘I would eat this every single day,’ Well, guess what? This year you have that opportunity.”

Although the menu is the same every day, Moore thinks students still have the opportunity for variety.

“It kinda gives the kids a variety because some of them would only get cheeseburgers all the time. But the kids I would see only getting cheeseburgers, I see they’re getting other stuff too now. Which is good because you’re gonna get burnt out,” Moore said.

New options in the cafeteria include a wrap station, American line, Italian line, a deli, Mexican line and an Asian line.

“And plus we have our salad bar and in the fall we will start our soup bar, also,” Moore said.

This switch was brought about by district dietitian Kristen Davis and other Child Nutrition workers. 

“The static menu is something I’ve always been interested in doing and the change to the new schedule, with the hour lunchtime, I thought it would be a great opportunity,” Carmen Fischer, Child Nutrition Director, said.

The switch to a static menu is not the only change the cafeteria staff is getting used to. Flex Time has added additional variation to their workday.

“The 64 minute period is the hardest one because we have to make sure we have everything cooked in that time,” Moore said. “It’s a lot.”

Moore suggests that students schedule their Flex Time more efficiently as the weeks go on.

“I want to stress that if you can go to your lockers or go see your teachers or maybe hang out with your friends at first and come a little bit later when you see the lines have died down. It’s so hard when you get all the students jammed in there,” Moore said.

“The static menu is something I’ve always been interested in doing and the change to the new schedule, with the hour lunchtime, I thought it would be a great opportunity,” Carmen Fischer, Child Nutrition Director, said.

“With all the different line options, even if you had to wait during those flex days to get to the cafeteria, you already know what items will be there,” Fischer said.

So far, the cafeteria has received positive feedback about the change, students such as senior Alexis Brewer like the change.

“I like it because I get Bosco Sticks every day and they have them every day now, I also feel like they have a lot more options for when I feel like changing it up,” Brewer said.