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Allan Ng, Regional Administrator of the US Department of Agriculture, joined SDUSD Board President Shelia Jackson and students from Normal Heights Elementary School for Breakfast in the Classroom during a 2009 visit. |
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The innovative Breakfast in the Classroom Program ensures each student starts the day right, with a nutritious breakfast.
Studies have shown that kids that miss breakfast also miss learning. While some schools have offered breakfast for many years, Breakfast in the Classroom ensures that they have breakfast by making it part of class time.
Available only at schools with students' families that are more than 80 percent qualified for the federal government's Free and Reduced Lunch Program, Breakfast in the Classroom started in San Diego Unified during the 2007-08 school year.
In 2009, Principal Leah Tussey of Kimbrough Elementary School, said before Breakfast in the Classroom, fewer than 15 percent of her students were taking advantage of free breakfast in the cafeteria.
"We started last year with about 950 students and only 150 were coming to breakfast," in the cafeteria, she said. Students weren't having breakfast, weren't ready to learn and there were a high number of visits to the school nurse.
"It was enough of a problem that it was impacting learning."
Now, students are on time and eating. Teachers use the breakfast time for special lessons. Students enjoy being monitors to pick up, serve and clean up for breakfast. Watch the video for more details.
