Breakfast Seen As Key To Learning

Gage Lautzenheiser, a Jones Elementary School first-grader, pulls a breakfast cart Wednesday down the hall to his classroom at the Bentonville school.
Gage Lautzenheiser, a Jones Elementary School first-grader, pulls a breakfast cart Wednesday down the hall to his classroom at the Bentonville school.

BENTONVILLE — At some schools, the first subject of the day is breakfast, and administrators said it’s improving the way students learn.

Breakfast in the Classroom, a program meant to encourage students to eat their first meal of the day together, is catching on in the Bentonville School District.

Mary Mae Jones Elementary launched its program last fall. Three other schools — Sugar Creek and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools and Ardis Ann Middle School — have followed suit.

Rather than have students eat in the cafeteria before school starts, students eat in their classrooms. They may either buy what the school prepares — items include muffins, bagels, yogurt, fruit and milk — or bring their own food to class. Those who qualify for free or reduced lunch prices qualify for the same benefits at breakfast.

The food is wheeled out from the cafeteria to the hallway on carts. Designated students then bring one of the carts to their respective classrooms.

Ashley Williams, Mary Mae Jones Elementary’s principal, said about 58 percent of students are eating the school’s breakfast each day, up from 19 percent the year before the program began. An unknown number of students are bringing their own food to eat.

“The students get their breakfast and start immediately on their work,” Williams said.

The increase in students eating breakfast has led to a decrease in visits to the school nurse for hunger-related ailments like stomachaches and headaches, Williams said. She pointed to statistics showing the number of nurse visits declined by 11 percent last school year from the year before.

“Their bellies are full and they can focus on the instruction,” Williams said. “That results in increased achievement.”

The school’s attendance rate also improved slightly last year, from 95.1 percent to 95.37 percent, something Williams attributes to the breakfast program as well.

Zoe Morton, school nurse, collaborated with Williams to bring Breakfast in the Classroom to Mary Mae Jones Elementary.

“The reception to it has been wonderful,” Morton said. “And I think you have a camaraderie in the classroom that you don’t get in the cafeteria.”

Marla McRae, a Mary Mae Jones kindergarten teacher, said about 16 of her 20 students normally eat breakfast in her classroom.

“I think they get a good breakfast, and they’re ready to learn,” McRae said. “I’m glad we have (the program) here.”

At A Glance

The Menu

The breakfast menu at Mary Mae Jones Elementary this week. Milk is offered each day.

• Monday: Strawberry banana yogurt with granola, apple juice

• Tuesday: Chicken biscuit, strawberries

• Wednesday: Apple cinnamon muffin, orange juice

• Thursday: Breakfast pizza, apple slices

• Friday: Bagel, grape juice

Source: Staff Report

Carol Jacques, the mother of a first-grader and third-grader at the school, feeds her children before they leave each morning. But she thinks the program is a good one, especially for parents who have to work and don’t have much time in the morning.

“It’s important for them to eat for their brains to work properly,” Jacques said.

Ardis Ann Middle School began its Breakfast in the Classroom program Monday. Food is provided in bags students pick up in the cafeteria. They eat in the cafeteria, but may carry the food with them to class if they want, said Steve Hesselberg, principal.

There was an accident in the hallway Monday involving spilled cereal and milk. That led to a new rule that cereal be eaten only in the cafeteria.

“We’re adjusting as we go,” Hesselberg said. “I haven’t heard any teachers say it’s causing disruptions in class.”

The Springdale School District started its own Breakfast in the Classroom program in December. It started with five elementary schools and has grown to 10.

The main difference between Bentonville’s and Springdale’s programs is that Springdale provides free breakfasts to all students at its participating schools, regardless of whether they qualify for a free meal by federal guidelines.

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