School sees less tardiness since implementing breakfast in the classroom

First Lady of the Commonwealth Dorothy McAuliffe visited Sugarland Elementary on Monday, September 14th, to learn more about the school’s Breakfast in the Classroom program.

Sugarland implemented the program at the start of the school year. Each day, fifth grade students who serve as safety patrols report to the cafeteria to pick up insulated coolers on wheels to deliver breakfast to the classrooms. Students report directly to the classrooms to eat instead of going to the cafeteria.

Principal Gail Brady said the meal in the classroom has heightened the sense of community among the students and has virtually eliminated tardies at the school. Because the school is experiencing a higher participation rate for the breakfast program, the School Nutrition Department receives additional federal subsidies to cover the cost.

Loudoun County Public Schools Director of School Nutrition Services Dr. Becky Domokos-Bays said the meals comply with federal nutrition standards and are received by the students free of charge. Two days per week, the breakfast includes a hot sandwich, such as a chicken biscuit or a mozzarella Bosco stick. Monday’s breakfast included juice, apple slices and banana bread.

Each classroom has a designated sharing table.   Students who don’t eat an item can place that item on the table, and it can be picked up by another student who needs more to eat.

Sugarland Elementary’s free and reduced-price lunch population is greater than that of LCPS as a whole. Seventy-six percent of Sugarland’s population qualifies for free and reduced-price lunch benefits, while only 17 percent of the LCPS population qualifies.

Brady stated the school seeks various ways of meeting families’ nutritional needs. These include a food bank that provides students extra food during weekends, holiday breaks and extended snow absences and offering dinner at parent-involvement events such as back-to-school night. The school and School Nutrition Department also are exploring the possibility of providing a supper program for the students.

“Education – that is the most important thing to invest in from a state level. That is the most important thing we can do for our future. What we see is food as a tool, like books, laptops and everything else. If they are hungry, they cannot learn,” said Dorothy McAuliffe.