Donation Boosts RMS Breakfast Program

The Rochester Memorial School received a generous $3,000 donation from an anonymous donor to purchase a commercial blender for the new RMS breakfast program, and Principal Derek Medeiros says he could not possibly be more grateful.

“With this commercial [blender] they will be able to make fifteen smoothies in one shot,” said Medeiros on November 5 to the Rochester School Committee.

The delicious smoothies whipped up by the RMS cafeteria staff are a real hit with the students, helping to make the RMS breakfast program the most popular of the Tri-Town school districts. Thus far, staff could hardly keep up with the students’ demand for smoothies as popularity of the breakfast program increased.

“We’ve literally been using household blenders,” said Medeiros. Those can only make a batch of three to four smoothies at a time.

Medeiros said that on October 16, he was sitting in his office when he got a call from the school secretary, announcing the arrival of an envelope with his name on it. Someone had slid the envelope under the door and left without notice. Inside the envelope was a check for $3,000 and a handwritten letter.

“Dear Mr. Medeiros, Recently I read the article in The Wanderer about the need for a stronger blender for the … breakfast program. I decided that it would make a perfect gift in memory of my husband who recently passed away.…” The letter was signed, “Most sincerely…”

Medeiros said he was shocked and equally thankful when he opened the envelope.

“Thank you to whoever this person is,” said Medeiros. “While I’ve been principal, I’ve never had a donation like that.”

“This is extraordinarily generous,” said School Committee Chairman Tina Rood.

As the breakfast program expands, Medeiros said he is looking toward opening the library to the sixth graders during breakfast, making it an “Internet Café” of sorts for the students and allowing open use of the computers, laptops, and tablets while they enjoy breakfast.

“It could be an opportunity to have the technology at their fingertips and at the same time socialize,” Medeiros said.

Medeiros and the School Committee lauded the RMS cafeteria staff for their culinary skills and enthusiasm for the program.

“It is nice to have people who love their job in the school,” said School Committee member Jennifer Kulak. “It’s a piece that makes it special.”

Also during the meeting, Director of Student Services Michael Nelson announced an immediate change to the bullying policy in the student handbook, at the advisement of the Department of Education as the DOE performs its audit of the school.

Nelson said language will be added to include members of school staff as possible aggressors or perpetrators in a bullying incident. Nelson said there will be a change to the current physical restraint policy, specifically prohibiting mechanical restraints, seclusion, and the strict limiting of prone restraint (lying face down).

“Physical restraint sounds scary,” said Nelson addressing his comment to parents, “but we use them as we do a fire extinguisher – in the case of an emergency.”

In other matters, Medeiros announced a parents’ informational session slated for December 2 to address the implementation of the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) program. The tentative date for implementation and student introduction to the program is January 21.

The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for December 3 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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