Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

A trio of Galt High School students went before the school board last week to plead that trustees approve an open campus policy that will allow them to patronize local businesses for lunch.

But this proposal started as a service learning project in their Advanced Placement government class and involved not only coming up with the recommendation, but finding information to back it up as well.

The topic was selected by the students after spending time in Alex Bauer's first-period class where they identified and discussed issues they saw in their community, state, country or globe, according to the teacher.

"After narrowing the topics down, students conducted some preliminary research to see which of their final ideas might work best," Bauer said. "Another round of discussions led them to select the off-campus lunch idea."

So far, the group has won over Principal Charles Howell, who admitted at last week's school board meeting he was originally against even discussing a change in campus policy. In the end, both board president Terry Parker-Owning and Interim Superintendent Audrey Kilpatrick said it was an idea worth examining further.

Class spokeswoman Natalie Gray, a senior, recently answered questions from education reporter Jennifer Bonnett about the class project and the process to take it before the school board.

Q: Tell me more about your proposal. How did your group come up with this idea?

A: This project started as a class project. We were assigned to do a service learning project.

We had several other topics to choose from, but we narrowed it down to this one.

Q: If approved by the school board, who would be allowed to go off campus? How would this be an incentive?

A: If approved by the school board, which we will know in December, seniors next year with a 3.0 (GPA), good attendance and also receive proficient or advanced on their California Standardizes Tests their junior year.

Most students now do not study for the CSTs, and by providing the opportunity to have off-campus lunch, many will study. Our principal said that he had a similar policy at another school and the scores were greatly improved.

Q: What kind of legwork did you do before bringing it before the school board?

A: We had to look up education code to make sure that school will not be liable. The school will need administration, but the administration is OK with that due to the incentive for the API scores that makes the school look better.

Q: If it is approved by the school board, who would benefit?

A: If this policy is passed, the (current) juniors will be able to have this privilege next year.

My class and I are hopeful for it to pass. When I gave the school board my presentation, they seemed very optimistic and open to the idea.

Q: Why didn't you solicit this change for this school year?

A: We didn't think it would be approved in time. We also didn't want to make extra work for staff.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

Lunchtime: Open or closed campus?

All Lodi Unified high schools: Closed, except for juniors and seniors, who may petition to leave the campus during the lunch period.

Galt High School: Closed.

Liberty Ranch High School: Closed, as its current enrollment is only freshmen and sophomores.

Lodi Academy: Upper classmen may leave campus for lunch once a week with special permission.

Mokelumne River High School: Closed.

Jim Elliot Christian High School: Closed, except for juniors and seniors, who may get a special pass to leave the campus during the lunch period.

News-Sentinel staff

Reader Feedback

alf wrote on Nov 22, 2009 8:07 PM:

" 1 in maybe 20 brown bags it. the others either have to buy or get free/reduced lunch. is the campus opens, then the free/reduced monies that are given to the school will go down. thus, less funding to the food dept. and now back in the red. do you really think that all the fights, drugs and smokes have gone down? you need to get back on campus and check it out. it's still there. open the campus now. "

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Patriot2006 wrote on Nov 22, 2009 7:11 AM:

" If you will recall, there were several reasons for closing the high school campus. First off was many of the businesses complained that simply having all the students off campus severely affected their business during the lunch hour. Some stores dedicated employees to monitor students due to theft. Another reason was the general public outcry. Student left campus in groups and refused to obey traffic laws or offer simple courtesy bringing traffic to a halt. But the primary reason for closing the campus was safety. Many fights occurred during the lunch hour and some students used it as an opportunity to drink, smoke, or use drugs. It was a real drain of resources for our police department. For the school board to reverse this decision would be irresponsible. This isn't about having bad food on campus, bring your own. "

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dogs4you wrote on Nov 21, 2009 7:04 PM:

" Taco trucks---- Rejoice, business will go up 100% "

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spiker wrote on Nov 21, 2009 9:48 AM:

" If anyone remembers the behaviors that led to the campus being closed they would NEVER open it again. Even the merchants that would benefit from the students spending money wanted the campus closed.

Alf..nobody is being force fed. Ever hear of brown bagging it? "

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alf wrote on Nov 21, 2009 8:55 AM:

" oh no. we cannot have this happen. the food department will go back in the red, seeing now that the students are being held hostage and forcefed the slop they pass out during lunch. open this campus, open this campus NOW. "

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