Pablo Cruz Rivera

Staff Writer

Update: As of January 20, ACPS has announced that the Titan Lunch plan is canceled for the 2022-23 school year. Read more about the cancellation here.

ACHS administration has planned a new schedule for lunch called Titan Lunch. This lunch schedule is different from the current A, B and C block lunch schedule and will go into effect on January 24, the first day of the third quarter. 

In the previous schedule, PRIDE time would take place for 30 minutes prior to 3R and 4B periods. After PRIDE, students would either start their 3R/4B instructional periods or have lunch, depending on the location of their classrooms—  A lunch was third floor, B lunch was second floor and C lunch was first floor.

This new lunch schedule is a big change from the previous one. Now, students will attend continuous 1R/2B and 3R/4B blocks, then have a 20-minute PRIDE session, compared to the current schedule of having a 30-minute PRIDE session before A lunch or the beginning of 3R/4B. In the new schedule, after PRIDE, all students will be dismissed and have a common lunch schedule. Titan Lunch will be divided into two separate sessions with different activities in both sessions. 

This new lunch schedule will bring a lot of change to ACHS. Since all students and teachers will be having lunch during the same block, students are no longer limited to seeing only other students or teachers who are on the same floor as them like they were with the block lunch schedule. 

Here are some teachers’ opinions on the new Titan Lunch schedule at ACHS:

English teacher Eva Irwin says that Titan Lunch will help her “ensure [students] are successful academically” by providing time for teachers and students to meet.

“I currently hold office hours before and after school, and sometimes it can be hard for students to come during those times,” she said. “I am looking forward to being able to meet with more of my students to be able to help them with their assignments.”

Math teacher Gretchen Wagner says she is also looking forward to the new lunch schedule since it will give students more options in how they want to spend their time. “I am really happy that we are allowing students to have flex time during the day to choose where they want to be,” she said. “I am really excited about the new lunch schedule.”

English teacher Katherine Bentley says that the new lunch schedule will give “mature young adults” freedom and more opportunities to do what they want.

“Overall, I am very excited for Titan Lunch to return to Alexandria City. I really feel that the time in the middle of the day for students to attend club meetings, meet with teachers at their office hours or decompress with friends is vital to having a healthy and happy school community,” she said.