Since 2017, the Brew-Tea-Ful Cafe has happily served students. Located off Gunston, the Pulley Center coffee shop offers a variety of drinks and treats for purchase. However, recently, the cafe was permanently closed to students, leaving many feeling frustrated, disappointed and unsure why the decision was made. The cafe remains open to staff.
After long-term monitoring, the decision to close the cafe was made in collaboration between the West Po and Pulley Center administrations. This decision was driven by repeated instances of students misusing cafe access to arrive late, avoid or skip class entirely according to West Po administrators.
Emily Corbin, assistant principal, explained, “While the Pulley Cafe is great in theory and built comradery, culture and established relationships between the two centers, it was causing a lot of trouble with attendance. It was really contributing to a problem that we are trying to work on at this school.”
to the cafe closing. (Nora Fitzpatrick)
Data provided by Dean of Students Brian Bishop indicates a significant spike in unexcused absences and tardies during third period and S1-S8 classes. On average 130 students are tardy and 235 are absent during third period alone. This is significantly more than the 152 to 186 absences per period seen during the rest of the school day. As third period aligns with the operating hours of the school cafe, several students would come late to class with the cafe as their excuse.
Brew-Tea-Ful Cafe was selling over 50 cups a day of beverages, which included both hot and iced drinks. Iced coffee and hot chocolate were reportedly their most popular, and they received a rush of customers typically from 9:30-9:45, which spans the passing period between the first period of the day, 1st or 2nd, and the second period of the day, S-rotation or Advisory.
Jenna Seyller, freshman, visited the cafe every day and ordered a peach iced tea along with a pack of cookies.
“The line was long. At the beginning of the year, it took up to thirty minutes for me to order and get my drink. Near Winter Break, it was down to about ten minutes,” Seyller said. “Sometimes I was late to class, but I always had a pass.”
The program’s purpose is to teach Pulley Center students about running a business, marketing, cooking and cleaning. Students who are in the program work as cashiers, baristas and servers. They also develop social skills which include shaking hands, making eye contact, and patience. The overall goal is for students to leave with knowledge that will help them with their future endeavors.
Though the cafe is now closed to students, and only staff members can place orders, administrators suggest the restriction may not be permanent.
“We are always open to hearing the student perspective,” said Corbin. “If students can demonstrate positive attendance trends, among other privileges they have in this building, we may consider re-opening it in the future.”
