Did you know that every school cafeteria in our system offers a healthy and nutritious breakfast each school day? Schools serve from7:20 AM until 7:40 AM and offer healthy options to students so that their minds are fueled up for the day’s educational experience. With hot and cold options available, even picky eaters can find something that they enjoy. Breakfast is available for $1.00 for paid students, $.30 for reduced-price students, and at no charge for students who qualify for free meals. Menus include items such as sausage biscuit or pancakes and each meal includes a fruit, juice, and milk choice. Cereal choices and cereal bars are also available to offer variety.
The Child Nutrition Program has been working on creative ways to increase student breakfast participation. At Gaylesville, the entire campus is participating in Breakfast in the Classroom. Manager Debra Parker wanted to try this option to encourage more students to eat breakfast. Administrator Scott Hays has been vital in working with the CNP staff and the program is thriving! Because of their successful implementation and the support of faculty, students, and parents, every student receives a breakfast at no charge regardless of meal eligibility status. Breakfast in the Classroom has been proven to reduce nurse visits, improve behavior, lessen absenteeism and tardiness, and improve test scores. Teachers and students enjoy breakfast together and students do not have to travel to and from the cafeteria. Kuddos to everyone at Gaylesville High School for understanding the importance of a healthy breakfast to start the day!
At Sand Rock, CNP Manager Sarah Battles wanted to find a way to get breakfast to the students in the 3rd-6th Grade Building without them having to travel the distance to the cafeteria. With the support of administrator, Mr. Ben East, the Grab and Go Breakfast Program was born! Sarah travels down to the building each day with various Grab and Go options that the students can easily access. Students can eat together outside on nice days and there is a contingency plan that allows them to eat inside if it is cold or rainy. A mobile computer kiosk allows Sarah to record meals and enables students to have access to their meal accounts. Sarah makes sure that a smiling face is the first thing the students see and the program is growing. Back in the cafeteria, the rest of the CNP staff is working hard to get a hot meal in the hands of students who prefer that option. What a great idea to encourage healthy eating habits!
Each school in the county has CNP staff who arrive early in order to make sure that our students have access to breakfast and who work hard to find new ways to improve our breakfast program. Various sites have been trying options to best meet the needs of our valuable customers- the students of Cherokee County Schools! We would like to invite students to have breakfast with us and start the day off ready to learn! We would love to see you in the morning…