MONROE - The Monroe school district will offer free breakfast to all students during its upcoming summer school sessions.
Children who are enrolled in the first hour of summer school from 8 and 9 a.m. will receive free breakfasts in their classroom. Other students who are not enrolled in the first hour of summer school will be served breakfast from 7:30 to 8 a.m. in Monroe Middle School's cafeteria. All students 18 and under are eligible; they do not need to be enrolled in summer school to participate.
The school district will be receiving reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the cost of the free breakfast program, said Nicole Ruegsegger, Monroe's summer school coordinator. Officials anticipate those reimbursements will cover the costs of providing breakfast, and expect it to be "a wash" for the district, she said.
The breakfasts will help fill the gap for many students on free and reduced-price school meals whose access to healthy, nutritious meals is limited when school is not in session.
Providing the meal "makes sure students are getting a healthy breakfast to start their day," she said, adding that studies show students perform better academically and have fewer behavioral problems when they aren't hungry.
The program is being looked at a pilot to see how it works.
"It's a big undertaking," she said. But logistics were made somewhat easier because all summer school offerings are at the middle school this year. If summer school classes return to different buildings in future years, it may make the logistics more difficult.
The district tried to select breakfast items to avoid common food allergies; alternate meals will also be available for children with allergies, Ruegsegger said.
A donation from the Monroe Woman's Club provided tubs to help deliver breakfasts to the classrooms.
Summer school packets are being mailed out this week. A flyer with more information about the summer school breakfast program will be included for parents.
Children who are enrolled in the first hour of summer school from 8 and 9 a.m. will receive free breakfasts in their classroom. Other students who are not enrolled in the first hour of summer school will be served breakfast from 7:30 to 8 a.m. in Monroe Middle School's cafeteria. All students 18 and under are eligible; they do not need to be enrolled in summer school to participate.
The school district will be receiving reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the cost of the free breakfast program, said Nicole Ruegsegger, Monroe's summer school coordinator. Officials anticipate those reimbursements will cover the costs of providing breakfast, and expect it to be "a wash" for the district, she said.
The breakfasts will help fill the gap for many students on free and reduced-price school meals whose access to healthy, nutritious meals is limited when school is not in session.
Providing the meal "makes sure students are getting a healthy breakfast to start their day," she said, adding that studies show students perform better academically and have fewer behavioral problems when they aren't hungry.
The program is being looked at a pilot to see how it works.
"It's a big undertaking," she said. But logistics were made somewhat easier because all summer school offerings are at the middle school this year. If summer school classes return to different buildings in future years, it may make the logistics more difficult.
The district tried to select breakfast items to avoid common food allergies; alternate meals will also be available for children with allergies, Ruegsegger said.
A donation from the Monroe Woman's Club provided tubs to help deliver breakfasts to the classrooms.
Summer school packets are being mailed out this week. A flyer with more information about the summer school breakfast program will be included for parents.