Central Falls elementary school offers breakfast in class
3:58 PM Fri, Nov 13, 2009 | Permalink
Email
 |
 |
Projo 7 to 7 News BlogTaking the news pulse of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, by Providence Journal and projo.com staff, from 7 to 7, every business day |
|
Get the 7 to 7 on your mobile at www.projo.com. Twitter: projo | RSS | Email alerts
« R.I. after-school program director wins national award |
Main
| Most Friday night football games postponed by rain threat »
CENTRAL FALLS, R. I. -- Now you can have waffles with your reading primer. At the Robertson Elementary School, children spend the first 10 minutes of class eating a nutritious breakfast -- a whole-wheat English muffin, wheat bagel or whole-grain waffle, plus milk, juice and a fruit or yogurt. The program, called Breakfast in the Classroom, is the brainchild of food service provider Aramark, working with Central Falls Supt. Frances Gallo. The program, now in its second month, is already a success, having increased the free-breakfast participation rate from 29 percent to 85 percent in this school. "The benefits children receive from eating a nutritious breakfast are well-documented," Gallo said. "Research has shown that eating breakfast increases concentration and attendance, decreases disciplinary problems and yields better test scores." The district will introduce this program system-wide later this school year.
CommentsLeave a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
Tags 
New comments
New photos
New posts
Projo blogs
Archives
HAHA I GETTING ANOTHER FEEBIE AND YOU CAN'T DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!! SIGNED A DISGRUNTLED
TAXPAYER!!!!
TIME FOR A BIG CHANGE!!!!
Report Abuse
Is anyone else questioning how a food corporation such as Aramark was given the power to make such a decision about when and where the free breakfasts would be provided to the Central Falls students? Obviously the management in that business setting be must have some clout because it persuaded a superintendent to lower the quality of food (making more of a profit for itself?), increase its numbers (a captive audience during class time thereby ensuring its federal funding next year) and do this all under the guise of caring for kids! Kudos to Aramark for making such a great business move and getting itself press at the same time!
Report Abuse
When are the municipal officials in Central Falls going to make the parents step up to the plate and care for their children? I am sick and tired of feeding, clothing and housing people who have no intention of supporting their own. Mayor Moreau should step up and demand that Central Falls parents support their own children. And, by the way, Mayor Moreau, you should fund your own school system. Maybe when Central Falls starts paying its own way, the entitlements will dwindle!
Report Abuse
David, while I appreciate your concern, the fact is that 56% of american children do not eat breakfast. With the way students arrive to school, it is almost impossible to feed more than 35% of the student population. Thus, breakfast in the classroom can feed almost 100% of this same population.
The federal mandate for breakfast is either: 2 bread or 2 protein, a fruit and a dairy serving. As long as our student are consuming these without exceeding the sugar levels and with the absence of trans-fats, we should be happy.
Study after study shows that when students eat breakfast; test scores go up, retention is improved, behavior problems go down and A.D.D is reduced.
I don't think the problem is Aramark here, but the federal rate for reimbursement. So let's go after the fed.
Best,
Noel
Report Abuse