PAWS and lunch breaks have been known throughout Eagan High School to be calm and laid back breaks from everyday classes.  Whether students are participating in team building activities, or catching up on homework, these breaks are fun parts of the day to get to know others better and cool down from busy morning classes. One key thing that always comes on Fridays in PAWS class is the traditional PAWS treats. This potluck of fun foods is what keeps some students going through the end of the week slump, along with the much awaited lunch break, which gives students specific time to eat and talk with friends. There is a major change you might not know about PAWS treats and lunch hours however.  This change is that new rules have been added surrounding bringing food into PAWS and lunch during the school year. I’ve asked Mr. Thompson, an assistant principal at EHS, some questions about the issue, and summarized his answers.

1. What new regulations are in place surrounding food in school?

In the lunchroom throughout the whole day, doordash is not allowed.  One thing that happened during COVID was that kids would leave class all day to order food.  We used to have one pizza ordered during a trimester ten years ago, but we had people increasingly ordering deliveries. There were constant orders coming in, and people were always leaving class. 

2. What can we do in the future to keep our current privileges surrounding food in PAWS?

We fought for it, I am a big believer that food builds culture and community. Some people have complained due to allergies, but we fought through it. There are some people who brought up concerns of finance, but there is always a conversation with each PAWS teacher about that. We think that food is important and the vast majority of the population supports that, but we need to be careful to create a balance. 

3. Is there an issue with PAWS lunch during finals?

The only issue with PAWS was that teachers would have potlucks and others didn’t.  I think some teachers might be interested in having a break and lunch is different for each class, so we try to use PAWS lunches but give opportunities to teachers to eat alone.