No one can concentrate when they are hungry. So why are students expected to? Breakfast in the Classroom is a program that you can use to fight hunger in your school.
National School Breakfast Week is a time to stand up for important programs like Breakfast in the Classroom that connect more children to the morning meal.
While most U.S. schools participate in the federal school breakfast program, research shows that fewer than half of the low-income children who are eligible for a free or reduced-price breakfast take advantage of it. Bus schedules, late arrivals to school, and a reluctance to be labeled “low-income” are among the reasons why many students don’t eat breakfast in traditional school breakfast programs.
Here in DMPS, breakfast is being served to all students after the opening bell through a new program called Breakfast in the Classroom created by Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom, a partnership of the National Education Association Health Information Network, Food Research and Action Center, National Association of Elementary School Principals Foundation, and School Nutrition Foundation and funded by the Walmart Foundation. By moving breakfast from the cafeteria into the classroom and offering a healthy meal to everyone, the program removes the stigma associated with traditional cafeteria-based school breakfast programs.
We know that when students eat breakfast, they are more successful at school. And research shows that children who eat breakfast at school perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat breakfast at home. School breakfast can improve students’ concentration, alertness, comprehension, and memory, and it can boost overall learning.
Breakfast in the Classroom ensures that all DMPS students will receive the nutrition they need to begin a day of learning. Programs such as this are what DMPS needs to help students succeed in school. For more information about Breakfast in the Classroom, visit http://www.breakfastintheclassroom.org.
During National School Breakfast Week we want to hear from you! Let us know what your school is doing to celebrate. Don’t forget to use our hashtag #lovebreakfast.
A New Way to Pay!
If you haven’t signed up for E-Dues, it’s simple! Just contact the DMEA office for more information.
