East Valley Students Can’t Go Hungry With New Breakfast Program

COACHELLA – Palm View Elementary Principal Lei’ala Montoya makes an announcement over the loudspeaker.

“Grades 4, 5, and 6, please send a monitor or a runner to the cafeteria.”

At her school, it ok to eat in class. The first15 minutes of school is dedicated to having breakfast.

A pancake-covered sausage was on Tuesday’s menu.

How did sixth grade student Evan Tafoya like it? “It was ok. I liked it.”

Palm View is the first school in the Coachella Valley Unified School District to have breakfast in the classroom. Some teachers support it because, according to them, students on an empty stomach can’t concentrate in class.

“They become off-task,” says Teresa Washack, a fourth grade teacher. “They’re just focused on the clock. ‘When’s lunch time? Oh, an hour to lunch!'”

School officials began planning the breakfast program last November after seeing how successful it was at San Diego Unified.

Usually, free breakfast is served in the school’s cafeteria from 7:15-7:45 a.m. But, school officials found out only 36% of students were taking advantage of it. Some of the reasons for that low turnout: Students can’t get to the school cafeteria early enough orstudents would rather play with their friends before the bell rings.

The food services coordinator says they arefollowing USDA requirements so that students get not just a breakfast, but a nutritious one.

Palm View is setting the standard when it comes to keeping students healthy.

Coral Mountain Academy, also in Coachella, begins its free breakfast in the classroom program next week.