Communications from parents suggest that, because of long lines, some students at Parkersburg South High School were unable to have lunch in the 48-minute alloted lunch schedule. A South student says there were problems, on the first day of classes tuesday.

"Most people got their lunches, but some people were late for classes," said Senior Kyle Moore. "The first day, thre was an announcement over the speaker that said people were coming back (to classes) a little late."

Wood County School officials say there was enough time for students to go through the line at the new cafeteria, which is similar to the cafeteria which opened last year at Parkersburg and Williamstown High Schools.

"There's nothing that happened that we wouldn't have guessed would have happened," says Superintendent Bill Niday. "Yes, the lines are longer...yes, thre's a different way we're serving meals, and it will take an adjustment period for all of us. But they're working very hard at South to make sure that's done well."

And they say things continue to improve. But, they add, there are a lot more students eating at school than in previous years.

"Last year at South, we might average serving 150 meals a day in the old cafeteria," Niday said. "We're probably close to serving 1000 meals a day this year. So obviously, there's a big change at Parkersburg South."

The reason for that change is the new policy, in which students are no longer allowed to leave the school building to have lunch at local restaurants. Although the change was announced two years ago, it's a change veteran students have to get used to.

"It's difeintiely different not being able to have the free time being able to hang out with friends and mellow out in between classes," Moore said. "But I guess everything will be able to work itself out."

Superintendent Niday says the transition to the middle school concept has added 500 more students to both P.H.S. and South high schools.