Barrington High adds new vending machines - for after school only

Before November, whenever Barrington High School students were staying late after school for activities or sports, they would have to either leave campus to grab dinner or bring their own from home.

That changed when the school's student lounge got a new row of top-of-the-line, credit card-enabled, fingerprint-activated vending machines.

"(Principal Steve McWilliams') goal has been to create space for students to gather," district spokeswoman Morgan Delack said. "Adding a level of food convenience is a part of that."

One wrinkle is that students are forbidden from using the vending machines during the school day. That would violate the district's deal with their lunch provider, as well as national school healthy food guidelines, Delack said.

"The machines have things like regular potato chips that wouldn't be able to be sold (during school hours)," she said.

The after-hours restrictions haven't slowed sales, though. Delack said the vending machine provider is there several times week replenishing the food.