Students at CVHS may have noticed a change in the vending machine’s operating hours. Chips, drinks, and sweets that used to be available during all times of the day in the vending machines at Centreville are now only open at lunch, if even that. 

Who is responsible for this change and how are students reacting to it?

The vending machines at CVHS are located in and by the cafeteria and are run by the lunch staff. Mrs. Kim, the head cafeteria manager, says that it is her job to order snacks for the vending machines from a list provided to her by the Fairfax County Department of Education. 

When asked about the recent changes in availability of the vending machines she said that “Dr. Healey asked me to change the running times.”

Dr. Healey, principal of CVHS, has been behind many new changes in school policies this year. He has taken a special focus to Centreville’s attendance problem. 

When asked why he decided to change the times of operating for the machines, he stated, “What we have noticed is that there are a significant number of students out during class time and one of those primary reasons we hear is that they are going to the vending machines.” 

Lauren Asif, 12th grader, says that she “enjoys going to the vending machines around twice a week.” 

Other students, such as John Song, an 11th grader, also say that they enjoy the privilege of going to the vending machines. John enjoys “salt and vinegar chips and Hot Cheetos” and is upset at the recent closure of the vending machines during class time. 

Mrs. Salzman, a 10th grade English teacher, says that she hasn’t noticed enough requests to go to the vending machine for it to become a problem in her classroom. She says that “only a couple of kids ask, it’s not really a common request.” She says that she thinks that the vending machines should be taken on a case by case basis if a student is abusing the privilege. 

The vending machines being located by the gym means that it could take a very long time for students in more remote parts of the school, such as the third floor, to get to them, therefore causing them to miss valuable instructional time. In order to combat this problem, Dr. Healey and the administrative team have decided to only make the vending machines available during lunch times. 

Like Dr. Healey’s other changes within the school, this is one very unwelcome by students, but it seems to benefit the greater good of them, such as learning and attendance. However, will this one change really help to keep students in class?