10/02/08 — LINESVILLE — Conneaut School District Board of Directors lauded its second “successful” breakfast express program Wednesday, this time at Linesville High School, and announced the “grab-and-go” menu will open at Conneaut Lake High School on Monday.
“Everyone is pleased,” said Wendy Szallay, the assistant superintendent of schools. “On Monday we will phase in the breakfast express program at Conneaut Lake so that we can provide the opportunity for a nutritious breakfast for all high school students before their days begin.”
The morning program began in the district with a pilot program at Conneaut Valley High School in the latter half of the 2007-’08 academic year. It was added to Linesville High in August, and since that time the number of students taking advantage of it has doubled.
“We are very pleased with the results and to have such an increase in the number of students,” said Jody Sperry, board president. “There are so many advantages to students who eat a healthy breakfast. They are able to pay attention better in class and, therefore, score better on tests.”
Szallay said 137 students in grades seven through 12 consumed a la carte items at Linesville Wednesday morning.
Lora Zill, who is a school board member and teacher, said, “The experts say eating breakfast is important and there has always been concern that some students may not be getting a healthy breakfast.”
Another factor that Zill cited was that skipping meals can lead to weight gain, and many school districts have followed the breakfast-serving trend.
“This is truly a positive step,” Sperry said. “It’s good to know that we’re providing our kids the chance to learn better.”
Sperry attributes the program’s favorable outcome to convenience. Traditional breakfast programs require students to eat in the cafeteria. But because of the menu options, which include cereal bars and other “finger foods,” it doesn’t take away from kids’ social time before school, which Sperry said is “a very important aspect of students” in that age group.
Currently the district doesn’t offer the program to its other schools, but Sperry said expansion is something that has been considered.
Two other Crawford County school districts also offer similar breakfast programs, including Crawford Central and PENNCREST.
Sharon Armstrong, the assistant business manager and coordinator of food services at Crawford Central said providing bagged breakfasts is “imperative” at some schools.
“We offer breakfasts at every elementary and high school in the district,” Armstrong said. “Some elementary school kids even get themselves up early just so they can get to school as fast as possible to eat.”
All of the foods “fit” into the components required by the state. Students receive items such as milk, juice, cinnamon buns, whole grains cereals and crackers, muffins and breakfast bars.
Superintendent Richard Borchilo of PENNCREST said students at Maplewood and Saegertown high schools currently have programs in place, while the district is currently looking at possibly offering it at Cambridge Springs High School as well.
At the elementary school level, Cambridge Springs, Saegertown and Maplewood all participate, though not “grab-and-go” style. Currently the district is trying out the bag-style breakfasts for fifth and sixth grade students at Maplewood Elementary School. Depending on the outcome, it will be considered for the other grades as well.
Prices range from free for some students to under $2 at all schools in the three districts.
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