On Oct. 23, 1:59 p.m., Alexandria City Public Schools announced plans to introduce a new experimental policy called “Learn and Lunch.” It will be voted on by the governance committee on Dec. 25, 2025.
Learn and Lunch would be a 73 minute period that replaces lunch. During this time, students would be free to visit their teachers to get help with work and eat lunch.
The policy, if implemented, will drastically change schedules for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. Instead of lunches separated into three different blocks, all students will go to lunch at the same time for a 73 minute period.
“This is amazing,” said junior Label Shlutz. “I might actually be able to pass a class next year.”
Shlutz is not alone. The overwhelming majority of students think this policy will be greatly beneficial to their social, emotional and academic learning.
Sophomore Sebastion Hoffer said, “I’ve never actually finished my lunch before. With 73 minutes I might be able to get halfway through.”
Teachers also see the potential benefits. Teacher Polyana Sunshin thinks this policy will help her seniors graduate.
But it is not all sunshine and rainbows. English teacher Debbie Downer said, “I only get to kick students out of my room once a day. If they’re allowed in my class during lunch I might just crash the actual freak out.”
Self-identifying “High school has-been” Semoj Jibresco led the initiative to create this completely new policy, with no previous policies inspiring his plans. When he learned it was up for a vote after he graduated, he hacked into the ACPS database and changed all of his grades to an “F.” Because of this, he was enrolled back in ACHS as a freshman. He did all of this just to experience “Learn and Lunch.”
Administrator Michael Oak believes this will help relieve the strain on intercampus transportation. He said that “If you triangulate the numbers then they will be different numbers than if they were not triangulated before the triangulation process.”
Views on this policy are mixed but chicken sandwiches are forever.
