School board questions 35-minute lunch period

MINOOKA, Ill.—When her daughter’s lunch came back from school half eaten, Kristin Rhoads just assumed she wasn’t hungry.

“Ignorance is totally bliss sometimes,” said Rhoads, who since has learned that a lack of time, rather than a lack of appetite, was to blame for her first-grader foregoing her lunch.

Students at Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201’s four elementary schools are allowed a 35-minute mid-day break. During that time, the students use the restroom, eat their lunch and go outside for recess. This time of year, that 35 minutes also includes time to bundle up in coats and hats.

Some parents have reported their children routinely eat lunch in full outdoor gear, to allow them to hit the playground immediately after eating. While dining in parkas isn’t required at any of the schools, it appears to be a widely practiced routine, especially among the youngest students.

School Board member Doug Martin said there are several things wrong with the 35-minute lunch/recess. Not only does it not allow adequate time for children to enjoy their lunch, it doesn’t allow time to develop such things as leadership and conflict resolution – things that aren’t taught in a classroom, but learned on a playground, Martin said.

“Academic subjects, for me, are not the sole focus of education,” he said. “Kids need to learn to play together and to socialize.”

Martin has proposed a revised policy that calls for 10 more minutes for children to eat and exercise. By extending the break to 45 minutes, students will have a 20‐minute seated lunchtime and a 20‐minute outdoor recess, with 5 minutes for waiting in line, walking to and from the cafeteria and playground, and bathroom breaks.