Superintendent outlines lunchroom furniture purchases and reports improved supervision for off-campus lunches

Superintendent Dr. Pete Perez described planned purchases of new lunchroom furniture intended to improve student experience at the high school and elementary sites. He said the district expects the new booth-style and bistro seating to add approximately 60–80 seats, be lighter for custodial handling and come in school colors. Perez said custodial staff were consulted in the selection process and that the district will provide specifications and weight comparisons for board review.

Student representatives described design choices, including booth seating and logo placement, and emphasized wheelchair accessibility. Board members raised operational questions about whether booths would be stationary or mobile and asked for specification details and comparisons to current furniture for safety assessment. One board member requested exact specs (weight, materials) because of concerns that heavy chairs could be used as weapons; Perez agreed to provide technical specifications.

On the off-campus lunch issue, Perez reported after visiting OHS that assistant principals Tovar and Scott Schwartz observed improved parking-lot behavior and faster student egress with increased supervision. Perez said tracking attendance, tardies and behavior has helped preserve off-campus privileges for juniors and seniors and contributed to a more orderly lunch period. The board requested a student update in January after the break to hear direct student feedback.