Tamaqua school gets breakfast grant
Breakfast is often regarded as the most important meal of the day.
Thanks to a group of teachers at Tamaqua Elementary School, there won’t be much morning hunger for third-grade students anymore.
“A couple of months ago, I was given an opportunity to apply for a grant through the (National Education Association) foundation in cooperation with an organization called No Kid Hungry,” said Jolene Barron, third-grade teacher at Tamaqua Elementary School. “Right now, the kids come in the morning and go to the cafeteria to eat. It’s optional, and then they come to the classroom when they’re done eating.”
However, Barron took an informal poll of 20 students and found that only two of them were taking advantage of the former breakfast offering.
“We had a conversation about why they weren’t eating,” Barron said. “A lot of them said they would rather be in the classroom with their peers in the morning. The morning is a little chaotic in the cafeteria; it’s loud and hectic, and they feel like they get rushed.”
After diagnosing the reason for lack of participation, Barron followed through and was awarded the grant for Tamaqua Elementary.
“It was for $3,000 and we could purchase whatever we wanted,” Barron said. “We decided to purchase equipment; warming and cooling bags, a cart for delivery, and garbage cans for the classroom.”
The program has picked up steam and the numbers speak for themselves. Barron said, it seems that the students are healthier and performing better in the classroom.
“The response has been phenomenal,” she said. “Most classrooms are averaging between 15 and 18 students eating breakfast. The food choices are great and they seem more relaxed. Our nurses visits are going down; kids aren’t coming in with the belly aches or headaches anymore. Students have told us that they feel more focused; they’re not as tired or lethargic. They’re enjoying it almost as much as we are.”
The cost of breakfast varies, but is reasonable. Breakfast In The Classroom is currently only offered to third-grade students, but the elementary school is hoping the program expands in the future.
“One of the misnomers is that because it’s a grant, the kids can eat for free; that’s not necessarily true,” Barron said. “But the parents are totally on board with the cost. If the child receives free lunch, they do get free breakfast. If they are a reduced-lunch student, they get reduced breakfast at 30 cents. If they’re a full-priced lunch student, they only have to pay $1.25 for a breakfast.”
The students have their choice of three items per breakfast. The menu includes options such as confetti pancakes, French toast minis and breakfast tacos; to go along with a side of fruit and a choice of milk or juice.
“We had children who initially opted out,” Barron said. “Some eat at home, some for dietary reasons. But after the first couple of days, a lot of parents asked for new forms, because the kids wanted to eat in the classroom.”