LTHS Acknowledges Long Lunch Lines At South Campus

LA GRANGE, IL – A Lyons Township High School student complained about long lines at lunch to the school board last month.

It turns out the school has been working on the issue for some time.

Officials have been planning a multimillion-dollar project to build an addition for a new lunchroom. That plan also includes relocating the music department to the old cafeteria space, which would require major renovations.

Architects described the plans at a board meeting this week.

"Right now, we know students have to wait a long time to get lunch," said Heather Juhl from Itasca-based DLA Architects. "So this introduces a whole bunch of new concepts that allow lines to move through really quickly. It allows multiple different serving points and multiple different types of service."

The new cafeteria would have a market component where students can grab salads and other items, she said.

Superintendent Brian Waterman said the school has worked with its cafeteria contractor, Maryland-based Sodexo, about how to design the lunchroom to improve efficiency.

He also said an independent cafeteria consultant has also joined planning meetings.

The new cafeteria and music department are estimated to cost $17.5 million to $19 million, according to the architect's documents.

The project will take 1½ years, officials said. They hope to go out to bid early next year, with work starting as early as April.

"It's easier to take a cafeteria and a music room out of service than actual classrooms," Brian Stachacz, the school's business manager, said.