Another clear example of the benefits of promoting school breakfast: This report is courtesy of the Manteca Bulletin, in California. The full article can be found here.
When Shasta Elementary School in California began serving breakfast in the classroom, first grade teacher Sherry Hatfield thought it would be an added burden to hand out breakfast items to students as she was taking attendance, getting the lunch count, and collecting homework. She found that the program was a “blessing in disguise.” The string cheese, apples, graham crackers and milk, (one morning’s menu), kept the students quiet for 15 minutes, and she was able to take care of morning housekeeping, like taking attendance, with few distractions. “It doesn’t take away from my day,” she said. Shasta School offers universal breakfast – free for all students regardless of household income, and this is the first year for breakfast in the classroom. “So many studies show that students are more receptive to instruction with a good breakfast,” said Principal Audrey Greene. She also said that Nutrition Services provides the classrooms with cleaning supplies – and the students get involved by handling cleanup themselves. The Manteca Unified School District has been offering breakfast in the classroom for three years, and the program is helping breakfast participation to skyrocket.