Blue lawn chairs are making their debut on the Palo Alto High School quad after the Associated Student Body approved the purchase of 100 chairs late April, according to ASB Leisure Commissioner Scotty McComas.

It’s an initiative years in the making, and one that Principal Phil Winston hopes will create a better blend of relaxation within the busy school day.

“It’s an idea that I’ve had for two years,” Winston said. “Everyone works very hard during class time, and it’s okay to sit down to relax. I was talking to Scotty McComas — give him credit — and I said: ‘Scotty, bring this idea to ASB. What a terrific environment it would create.’”

When not out on the quad, the lawn chairs are stacked in a gated alley between the portables adjacent to the quad. Students are free to use the chairs at any time, though both ASB and the administration request that they are returned to the storage alley after use.

“If students stack the chairs, it’s one less thing the staff has to do in the evening,” Winston said. “If you’re out there at lunch, you’ll notice that people stand up and they go and put their chairs away. That’s a sign of a strong community; they care about the community; they care about the environment.”

The initial purchase of the lawn chairs was directed and funded by ASB, though Winston — who expressed nothing but praise for the lawn chair initiative — hinted that the administration is looking into purchasing more chairs in the future.

“I’m stoked,” Winston said. “If they [the lawn chairs] turn out to be pretty good — and it looks like they are — we’re going to buy 50 more as a school. That’s my hope.”