Students beware: your lunchtime routine may be in jeopardy. The administration at Freedom High been making changes in the lunch lines to make them more fair and efficient.

The system that students are familiar with is a traditional buffet style: students grab a tray, view the options, pick, pay, and go. This practice is young at Freedom – only 5 years old – and many, including the administration, saw room for improvement.

Meet the number card system.

“I was going down helping in the lunch room and I noticed we had a big problem with people skipping the line,” said Student Success Coach Mr. Jones, who implemented the number card system. “I got the idea from a Student Success Coach at another school. It allows students to grab a number and go do something else. Then for the lunch ladies don’t have that bum rush of kids because it’s on a one-one-one basis.”

The shift in lunch lines has received mixed reviews from students.

“I feel like it has potential to help organize the lunch room,” said Senior Matt Lyons, “ The wait time has improved.”

“I think it’s good they’re trying the new system, but to me, the only thing it has changed is that the lines look shorter. The numbers go up to almost 100. Kids who have a higher number just go and sit down and may even miss their turn,” stated Kush Patel, 12.

A main motivation for the new system was cutting down on students skipping in the line.

“[Although] it doesn’t really change that much because tickets can get stolen or lost, “said Blake Schroyer, 11, “It does prove to solve skipping.”

The system debuted on the 21^st in just one of the lunch lines. They are still in the process of testing it in other lines to possibly expand it to more of the lunch room.

“We’re probably eventually going to be throughout the whole Cafeteria. We want to color code [the numbered slips] so the kids can’t use a red one in one line and then the other line has red as well,” Jones added.

Assistant Principal Mr. Williams echoed Jones’ thoughts on the matter, “We’re looking at however we can make it work. We’re all up for ideas. Mr. Jones brought it to me and said, ‘let’s give it a try.’ If we can get the kids to get their number and just chill out, we’re good.”

The potential of senior privileges being applied to lunch lines has also been considered.

Williams explained, “We tried a senior line before. We don’t have the man power to say ‘seniors only.’ It’s kinda difficult. We’ve been trying to figure out how to do senior privileges for lunch but we just haven’t found a good way to do it.”

The administration and faculty appreciate suggestions and feedback. Any students with ideas can contact members of Senior Class Club.