Breakfast fuels Blue Ridge testing

Blue Ridge seventh graders Tatum Bennett and Makayla Kays pick up a bagel during breakfast service at the school Middle and high school students will be offered free breakfasts during the three days of PSSA testing this week. STAFF PHOTO/STACI WILSON

BY STACI WILSON

With the annual standardized testing underway this week in area schools, one district is hoping to get its students off to a healthy morning start.

Blue Ridge School District is offering free breakfasts to all middle and high school students, Tuesday (March 15) through Thursday, during PSSA testing, said Food Service Manager Linda Cole-Koloski.

Superintendent Robert McTiernan said, “All of the things schools and parents can do in regards to sleep and nutrition during testing are important.”

He also encouraged parents to pack healthy snacks for students.

“Some students may arrive to school without having a good breakfast and that affects performance,” McTiernan said.

Cole-Koloski said, “We have never tried this before. This will be our first time. I am hoping that it may increase participation (in the school breakfast program).

Currently, elementary students in Blue Ridge are able to take advantage of a free, universal breakfast program throughout the entire school year.

Although March 7-11 was National School Breakfast Week, Cole-Koloski opted to hold off on the celebration until the PSSA testing dates so all 1150 students in the district could take advantage of the breakfast program.

Cole-Koloski said, “We are trying to promote the importance of breakfast to all of our students.”

The district will receive its normal state and federal reimbursement for the food service. Any shortfall will be absorbed by the middle and high school food service budget.

The Universal Free Breakfast program has to be run very carefully and monitored on a regular basis, Cole-Koloski said. But added, “The higher (the district’s) percentage of free and reduced meals that you serve, the more doable the program is.”