The Mattapoisett School Committee learned on February 11 that Center School is piloting a breakfast program of its own.
Center School joins the three other Tri-Town elementary schools to pilot the program this year and Old Hammondtown School in Mattapoisett, which for years was the only elementary school to offer breakfast. Now, all Tri-Town schools will offer breakfast for students before their school days begin.
Jill Hennessey, food service director for the ORR and Tri-Town school districts, said she has been preparing to pilot the breakfast program for students to try free of cost when they return from February vacation.
“This will be the last school, [Tri-Town] district-wide, hopefully implementing [Mattapoisett] district-wide,” said Hennessey proudly.
Children in the morning will disembark the bus and proceed immediately to the cafeteria to sample the bagels, cereals, homemade baked goods, and smoothies that have been a sensation for students in Rochester and Marion.
“As we’ve been doing it across the districts, we’ve found that it’s been a program that’s been welcome and has many positive comments about it,” said Superintendent Doug White.
All students will try out the breakfast program and then, Principal Rose Bowman said, after the first week or so, definitive numbers of just how many students will participate in the breakfast program will eventually establish themselves.
“When students are eating breakfast then going into the classroom with a full stomach,” said White, “they have a chance of participating and learning even better in the classroom, and the research will back that up.”
In other matters, the School Committee went over the school year 2016/2017 calendar with minimal discussion, save for a short diatribe from Chairman Jim Higgins, who has remained firm from the start that Good Friday should be a day off for staff and students.
Higgins said he would make a motion at ‘The Joint’ meeting of the school committees to restore Good Friday as a day off. He found that giving the day off would make sense, given that it would be the final day of school before the start of April vacation. He referred to high absenteeism and a lack of substitute teachers as viable reasons, as well.
“I think it created turmoil in regards to getting an education on that day,” Higgins said. “It’s traditionally been off, and I will continue to advocate for us to have it off as long as I’m on the School Committee and I’m going to continue to do that this year.”
Higgins then looked to his other School Committee members.
“And I’d appreciate some support this year,” said Higgins. “It’s good to put personalities aside…. Do me a favor every now and again….”
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for March 14 at 7:00 pm at Center School.
By Jean Perry