Although much of the lunch hour consists of students enjoying a mid-day meal in the comfort of their own home, there are several opportunities for students to participate in supplemental activities as well.

Elementary School Counselors host a “Lunch Bunch” for students in Kindergarten through 6th grades where they can join a live video session to virtually enjoy their lunches with their classmates and school counselors. Every other week, counselors hold lunch bunch sessions (one week for grades K-3 and the alternate week for grades 4-6) for a total of 16 weeks (8 sessions per grade level group). During this special time, students are able to talk, play games, and socialize with classmates they may not see on a daily basis and gives them a chance to catch up with each other.

“The elementary school counselors saw a need for our students to have a time where they get to socialize with their peers,” Elementary School Counselor, Miss Brianna Edwards explained. “We also saw a need to practice social skills. We decided to create lunchtime groups to help meet that need.”

“We introduce mindfulness and grounding techniques to help our scholars work towards creating ways to help them with their stress, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed,” Elementary School Counselor, Mr. Payne said.

According to a study done by the Harvard University Graduate School of Education suggests that mindfulness education — lessons on techniques to calm the mind and body — can reduce the negative effects of stress and increase students’ ability to stay engaged, helping them stay on track academically and avoid behavior problems.

“I love Lunch Bunch because it's a time to connect with students in a small group setting. Students can have fun learning about ways to relax and we practice them together,” Elementary School Counselor, Ms. Katie Sanko said.

“It is also fun hearing students share about their week or seeing their family pets,” Ms. Sanko added. “I enjoy working with our students during lunch bunch because it combines two of my favorite things: our students and relaxation!”

“These sessions are a great way for our students to meet outside of class time and get to interact with some of their peers in the school,” Mr. Payne explained. “In the cyber environment, it is not always easy to identify opportunities for socialization. These Lunch Bunch sessions can help our scholars that would benefit from socialization with their peers and at the same time learn more about ways they can work on their own individual social skills like learning about taking turns, being respectful, and using positive affirmations, etc.”

During Lunch Bunch, the Elementary School Counselors also take time to teach students about mindfulness.

“The main focus of the group is to learn different mindfulness practices. The mindfulness practices help students learn how to focus their attention, expand their awareness, and be patient even when things are challenging,” Miss Edwards said.

“We have discussed what mindfulness is and how to become mindful. We have also completed a mindfulness technique to demonstrate how to focus. We are looking forward to what the following sessions will hold for our students,” Miss Edwards added.

“Miss Edwards, Ms. Sanko, and I are looking forward to spending time with our elementary scholars in this unique capacity throughout the school year,” Mr. Payne said.

Additionally, our 7th-grade students also have the opportunity to join a “Lunch Lab” if they need some extra help with homework from their teachers. Lunch Lab is designed as academic support and an additional opportunity for students to work on things, during a structured time, with guided support from their teachers Monday through Friday from 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM.

“It is a time for students to focus on assigned work in the4 curriculum for the core classes of Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies,” 7th-grade English Teacher, Mrs. Lauren Borghetti explained.

“The online classroom is staffed by teachers that can help out with a difficult concept or answer any questions. Students earn Scholar Dollars for attendance while increasing their academic skills,” Mrs. Borghetti added.

“The 7th-grade team has worked hard this year to find creative ways to support the students both inside and outside of the classroom. Lunch Lab is an example of a fun way teachers can provide extra live, individual support to students,” Middle School Principal, Ms. Kelly Crooks said.

Lunchtime at PA Distance for K-7 students is not only about eating, it also offers opportunities for social skills, mindfulness, and help with daily lessons.