Mapleshade celebrates their new breakfast program

June 15, 2017 | Payton North
payton@thereminder.com

Mapleshade third graders were joined by state Reps. Angelo Puppolo, and Brian Ashe, Mapleshade Principal Michael Fredette, and teacher Leigh Plahna to celebrate the implementation of the schools new breakfast program. Reminder Publications photo by Payton North



EAST?LONGMEADOW – Mapleshade Elementary School has implemented their Breakfast in the Classroom program as of the fall of 2016, and kids are able to enjoy daily breakfasts as they come in to class before beginning their school days.

The Child Nutrition team at Project Bread hosted an event at Mapleshade on June 7 to celebrate the implementation of the breakfast program.  Project Bread is the leading statewide anti-hunger organization in Massachusetts.  Through fund raising initiatives with The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, Project Bread supports programs to eliminate hunger in Massachusetts.

According to information provided by Jordan Smith, the Community Relations Coordinator for Project Bread, The National School breakfast Program is a federally funded nutrition program that provides a reimbursement to public schools, non-profit private schools, and residential child care institutions that serve breakfast.  Schools that meet their criteria standards are mandated to participate in the breakfast programs.

“We work with schools that serve breakfast before the school day starts in the cafeteria, schools that offer Breakfast in the Classroom, and schools that offer other alternative breakfast models such as Grab & Go or Second Chance Breakfast,” Smith said.

Mapleshade was mandated to offer breakfast through The National School Breakfast Program in the fall and it’s taken off since.  Last month, 50 percent of students eligible for reduced priced or free school meals participated in the breakfast program and 1,755 breakfasts were sold. The breakfast program is implemented in all 17 classrooms at Mapleshade.

 State Reps. Brian Ashe and Angelo Puppolo attended the event along with East Longmeadow Town Manager Denise Menard.  The three came to observe the breakfast program in Leigh Plahna’s third grade classroom.  Both representatives passed out breakfast to the students consisting of low fat milk, strawberries and egg sandwiches, which are affectionately named by the student as McMapleshade Muffins.

To learn more about Project Bread’s quest to end hunger, go to http://www.projectbread.org.

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