Breakfast News!

Every Turners Falls High School student can get breakfast at school every day -- and, starting next week, later in the morning! The secondary school's cafeteria manager, Liana Pleasant, is trying out a new "Second Breakfast" program this month using the grab-and-go cart we got this year with support from Action For Healthy Kids. Here's how "Second Breakfast" will work:

• Because our school qualifies for and participates in the Community Eligibility Program, all of our students can have two no-cost meals each day: one breakfast and one lunch. Additional meals and items are available for purchase, as well. Here is February's menu for the middle and high schools, including breakfast options: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SkGQuc0M33t3pTh9OolJrsGOYydERuF0/view
• The academic day begins at 7:45 for high school students; breakfast is served in the cafeteria before school starts and in a grab-and-go format from the cart in the school lobby at arrival time. 
• TFHS students have a 25-minute period each morning that's used for all-school and class meetings, advisory, getting extra help from teachers, clubs, and study hall. The new thing we're trying involves bringing the cart back out around GAP each day (9:06-9:15 MWF and 9:38-9:42 on Tu and Th), so that students have a second chance to get breakfast ... or a second breakfast ... or just to grab a snack for later.
• If it's their first breakfast, it's free; if it's their second breakfast they pay. (We track meals and charge account by swiping student IDs.)
• After consulting with the Building Leadership Team, we decided to offer only foods that aren't messy or sticky from the cart. Teachers retain the prerogative to prohibit food in their rooms, either completely, or on a given day for a particular reason. The breakfasts provided will be designed to be able to be packed away if needed.

This week before break will be a pilot. We'll be paying attention to whether more students eat breakfast this way, as well as whether students are able to get to GAP/class on time, and if trash/recycling is disposed of properly. We'll be making adjustments and improvements based on what we learn!

~ Heather Holmes, Food Services Manager