Smith Students Can Have Lunch Outside

Smith Students Have Lunch Outside Thanks to Principal / PTO Partnership

It started as an idea to enable kids a little more freedom during lunchtime, allowing them to take their lunches outside and eat in small groups out in the fresh air. "We thought if we had portable chairs the students could bring out and set up, it could be a great and healthy change of scene especially during these beautiful fall days,” said Smith Principal Christian Mueller, who ran the chair idea past their PTO. They enthusiastically agreed and created a "Signup Genius" where parents could donate a chair, and within 3 hours, all 75 chairs were purchased.

“Kids like having choices,” continued Meuller, “Our 6th graders were especially excited, since they were expecting to ‘lose’ recess once coming from elementary to middle school.”

The chairs are available to everyone during all 3 lunch periods, and students are thrilled with the opportunity to safely be outside without masks for a break during the day. “We can spread out and still be with our friends,” said 8th grader Claire Johnson,” We don’t have to yell to be heard above the cafeteria noise.” 8th grader Abigail Losey agrees: “It actually feels safer to be outside, I don’t worry as much.”

In addition to utilizing the chairs at lunch, teachers are now signing out groups of chairs during the school day in order to take classroom lessons outside. The chairs are kept in a set of refurbished metal cabinets, where one side has been removed. “We try to be creative and use all of the tools at our disposal to enhance our students’ learning and social opportunities,” concluded Mueller.

Smith PTO President Sherry Gillespie was excited by the project and quick and enthusiastic support from the PTO: "This sounded like a great idea, and I was proud of the Smith parent community for stepping up in such fine fashion." 8th grader Abigail Hayden concludes, “When it is nice and warm out, we are so grateful to be able to take a break, get out and enjoy the fresh air and be together.”

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(And because I was outside, I snapped a few other photos of kids enjoying their lunch break.)

Photos courtesy of the Troy School District. Facebook photo album with student names: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=TroySchoolDistrict&set=a.10159651742895127

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