| Beginning with the fall of 2006 school year, many high | | | | schools principals, administrators presented the final |
| schools in the Denver schools system will close their | | | | plan, which requires all freshmen to remain on |
| campuses during lunchtime. This means that Denver | | | | campus. Waivers may be requested for the other |
| schools students will not be allowed to leave campus | | | | grades of 10th, 11th and 12th.After the meeting, |
| to eat at nearby restaurants, fast foods, and | | | | principals scrambled to make the new Denver schools |
| convenience stores.Denver schools superintendent | | | | policy work. Since the lunchtime schedule dictates the |
| Michael Bennet introduced the final draft of the new | | | | classroom schedules, the new Denver Plan is causing |
| policy, called the Denver Plan, in the spring of 2006. | | | | an upheaval in many Denver schools, where they |
| Bennet believes his plan will reduce the increasing | | | | have a common lunchtime for all students and |
| afternoon truancy within the high schools.The Denver | | | | teachers. Small cafeteria capacity means multiple |
| schools plan has taken several drafts to reach | | | | lunchtime schedules must be implemented. For |
| implementation. The first draft was introduced to | | | | example, Denver schools East High School enrolls |
| Denver schools principals in November of 2005, | | | | 2,092 students with a cafeteria that seats only 258. |
| suggesting that schools could submit waiver requests | | | | If only the 750 freshmen are kept on school grounds |
| by April to exempt the older students in 11th and | | | | during lunchtime, at least three lunch periods will be |
| 12th grades. A second draft was presented to the | | | | required. This also upsets the activities by possible by |
| Denver schools principals in February 2006, amending | | | | a common lunch period, such as club meetings, |
| the original policy by stating that more time was | | | | students meeting with classroom teachers, and |
| needed to determine how the policy would be | | | | students socializing with their friends and siblings who |
| implemented. At a March meeting of the Denver | | | | are in different classes. |