The “Why” Oakview Elementary School opened last year in Holly Springs, NC.

Open seating
Heading into year two, the Oakview community acknowledged areas for improvement;
one of these being the strain brought on by a rowdy cafeteria setting. Cafeteria-related
issues are not new to elementary schools, and Oakview’s goal was to creatively
address the following prevalent concerns:
- Major incident referrals coming from the cafeteria
- Relational tension between students and staff
- Lack of student responsibility when cleaning or managing time
Oakview’s solution involved implementing open seating in the cafeteria, allowing
students to choose where they want to sit. The cafeteria was renamed the “Owl Court”
to mimic a food court, where students practice real world skills needed to be successful
in shopping malls, airports, restaurants, and the like. The Owl Court was designed to
foster the following:
- Positive relationships between students and staff as a result of clear and
consistent expectations
- Student autonomy in seat choice and peer proximity
- Student responsibility for managing time and cleaning up
- Enhanced social competencies, where students are able to take take time
away from strained relationships or resolve conflicts appropriately,
resulting in fewer major incident referrals
While educational researchers recognize the social
significance of lunch in a school environment, there is
little research on the effectiveness of open seating in
elementary school cafeterias. One elementary school
study in 1998 implemented a school-wide behavioral
support system, acknowledging the need for social
competency when decreasing challenging behaviors; the
cafeteria being a focal location. There were increased
positive behaviors when staff were intentionally targeting
social skills, setting consistent expectations, and
rewarding desired behavior.*
Implementation
On the first day of school, students met in the Owl
Court by grade level. School counselors and
administrators taught and modeled procedures and
expectations. Expectations were re-taught
approximately four weeks into the school year.

Counseling open seating in the “Owl Court”

By nicole simpson
Oakview elementary school
How it works
Colored zones
Grade levels are assigned to cafeteria, clearly displaying Students are able to recognize their
a colored “zone”, either
orange or blue. Students
follow the flow of traffic and,
with the exception of
kindergarten, may sit
anywhere within their zone
during lunch. Colored paper
“tablecloths” were used on
the first day of school.
in the provides elementary students with
Cafeteria exposure to real world environments
and enhanced social competencies
Dismissal tones
Visible timer When it is time for a class to leave
the cafeteria, a unique tone sounds
Considerations
A digital running clock is - Sensitivity for students with social
projected on a wall of the
and a picture of their teacher
appears in place of the digital clock.
limitations or other concerns
- Implementation and sustainability will
the current time. likely vary by school
tone, see their teacher’s picture, and
- Possible future need for efforts to
know to clean up their space and
encourage blending and inclusion
line up without being told.
- Present self-reported student data
Clear and consistent expectations may be skewed, and it would be
WISE expectations are explicitly taught, beneficial to survey staff as well
modeled and reinforced by Oakview - More research and a longer time
staff. These expectations are visibly frame are needed before making
hung in the Owl Court. solid evidence-based conclusions

is it helping?
Students and staff at Oakview
Elementary quickly adjusted to open
seating in the Owl Court. While this
represents only the first nine weeks of rules always or most
school, the Owl Court’s effectiveness
appears promising for the rest of the
school year.
Major incident referrals
Compared to the 2016-17
school year, there has been
a significant decrease in major
incident referrals coming from
the cafeteria.
Student perceptions
52 students completed a survey after the first nine weeks of school.
75% of students reported they prefer open seating over assigned
seats at lunch. 100% of students report to knowing at least some of
the expectations of the Owl Court and 90% claimed to follow those
of the time. Some students used positive words
such as “good” and “#owlsome” to describe lunch in the Owl Court.
Student social competency
In the same survey, 67% of students reported they
have made a new friend in the cafeteria this year.
100% of students were able to provide a positive
solution for when a conflict arises with a peer in the
Owl Court. Many students used positive words such
as “nice”, “respectful”, and “good” to describe their
relationship with others in the Owl Court. *Resource:
Lewis, T. J., Sugai, G., & Colvin, G. (1998). Reducing problem behavior through a
school-wide system of effective behavioral support: Investigation of a school-wide social
skills training program and contextual interventions.School Psychology Review, 27(3), 446.