A few months have passed since a new policy was implemented only permitting students to order food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The policy has generated some controversy within the GDS community.
Assistant Principal for School Life Quinn Killy announced the new delivery policy at GDS’ first high school assembly on Sept. 3. The policy was introduced to parents on a back-to-school Zoom and to students by the grades’ respective deans during grade trips before the year started.
High School Director of Security Nick Prout said the security team has noticed a significant drop in food deliveries from last year’s level. This decrease is likely due to the new delivery window and the implementation of the new phone policy, which states that all students’ phones must be off and put away on campus during school hours. Before the new policies, the high school security team saw deliveries from as early as 7:30 a.m. to as late as 7 p.m.
“Food deliveries are disruptive, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is a good time frame,” said Prout. “People that make the deliveries most are not familiar with the address and have concerns, which interferes with those in admissions and college counseling and takes time away for us at security.”
Killy shared the policy in a September newsletter to students and parents. He was unavailable for comment before publication of this article.
“[The GDS security desk] turned into a food court, and we were getting 50 to 100 deliveries a day from unknown people who could have a criminal history,” Director of Security Shelley Harris said. She added that few other schools allow strangers in their building like GDS had.
Campus commuting manager Chris Oster commented that GDS continues to meet its morning and afternoon traffic commitments as outlined in the Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) Agreement.
Freshman Andy Antonipillai said the food delivery policy impacts his access to gluten-free food options. “I am gluten-free and GDS does not have a lot of gluten free options — I can’t eat food some days if I forget to bring lunch, because of the policy,” Antonipillai said.
“Since I pack my lunch, I finish it in the middle of the day, so I’m hungry at soccer practice after school,” junior Lulu Tirado said. “I am always inclined to order because the vending machines don’t have anything nutritious, and we are not allowed to use the cafeteria.” She also said that she has overheard a fair share of athletes complain about the policy.
“I hate the policy because I want to order food all the time. I don’t want to have to walk to get food,” junior Alexander Bobo said. “I have to do work during lunch and I don’t have time to trek all the way down Wisconsin for Chipotle.”
The Hop Shop is a student-run hub for purchasing snacks throughout the day. Students often use their phones to purchase snacks with payment apps. “The policy forced people to buy food at a certain time especially where we have the least amount of employees working.” Hop Shop CFO Isaac Seiken said.
The makeup crew for GDS’ theater program has a tradition of ordering bubble tea before every show. “Ordering the food is a way of bringing our club together,” said junior Tatum Mach, head of makeup crew. Since theater rehearsals take place after school, the club is no longer able to keep up this tradition.
“If people are able to bring food to their club during the day, we should be able to, and the time should not define that,” she said.