The influx of restaurants opening up close to the school sparks the question of whether we could ever have open-campus lunch. Open-campus lunch is a realistic option and should be implemented when considering the school’s future and growth.

For those who don’t know, open-campus lunch is when students are allowed to leave school grounds during their lunch period and get back in time for their next class. Whether they go out to get food or just eat in their cars, students get the privilege of having these options.

The food scene around the school is only growing, so any arguments saying there aren’t enough places for students to get to and back in time for their classes, will soon be non-existent. Over the past 10 months, Hy-Vee, Culver’s, Chipotle and Scooter’s have opened within two miles of the school, plus the already existing food restaurants, such as Abelardo’s, within this same distance. This leaves students with diverse options and would help prevent one restaurant from becoming overcrowded with students, allowing students to get back to school in time.

While open-campus lunch would work, it is understandable that it has limitations. Similar to Millard South’s open-campus lunch policy, the option should only be available to juniors and seniors to limit the number of students off campus at a time. This also makes the most sense since upperclassmen are typically more mature and responsible than lowerclassmen, and they are the ones who are old enough to drive.

Having open-campus lunch could also be used as a positive reinforcement tool for administrators. They could put a restriction in place saying that only students who have no missing work can participate. Open-campus lunch would then become a motivator for students to stay up on their school work.

While acknowledging it should have limitations, such as restricting access to just upperclassmen and utilizing it as a tool for academic motivation, implementing open-campus lunch would be a forward-thinking step for the school’s future. It’s time to seriously consider this option as we navigate the upcoming changes of our district.