New ID card system aims to make buying lunch more efficient

Amid the chatter of students making the usual walk through the cafeteria lines during lunch, a new sound has emerged lately — a routine beep as student ID cards are being scanned.

The school started using Meals Plus, an ID card system, on March 6 with a goal to make purchasing lunch simpler by allowing students to make cashless transactions with their ID cards.

Principal Paul Robinson, who has experience with similar systems in other schools in San Diego where he served as principal, said the change will improve the cafeteria.

“It’s been easy for parents and students in other schools,” Robinson said. “It naturally made sense to us to implement it because the benefits of the service will outweigh the one-time hardware cost.”

Not only does the service eliminate the need for students to carry cash, but parents will also be able to easily deposit funds into their students’ accounts using credit or debit cards on the service’s secure website.

The service was largely planned by LGSUHSD teacher mentor Peter Jordan and Stacy Murillo from the district office. The system has been in a planning stage since last school year but was finally begun this month.

“The main purpose in getting the system in place was to provide better privacy to the students in the district who have free and reduced lunches,” Murillo said.

Freshman Jeffrey Xu was among the students who tried the system out on March 6, but it initially made the lines longer and slower. As opposed to simply having the workers take cash and return change, they had to swipe an ID card for each student, input the amount into the computer, and then take cash and give change.

“The new system makes buying lunch difficult, but if they start using barcodes on each lunch item, buying lunch would be faster,” Xu said.

Sophomore Hanlin Sun also felt that the system is slowing the lunch lines, but he is optimistic for improved efficiency.

“I think the lines are moving slow now because the system is new,” said Sun. “I think the lines will fasten up later on, making the system worth it in the long run.”

For her part, Murillo sees short-term difficulties but long-term payoffs, especially as more parents take advantage of loading money onto the cards.

If the Meals Plus program proves to be more efficient, Robinson hopes to expand the scope of the program to include other school activities such as purchasing tickets for dances and other ASB activities.

“We’re hoping to grow it and to make it easier for students to purchase things they need and not having to worry about carrying a lot cash,” Robinson said.