Sherwood Starts Hot Breakfast in the Cafeteria Again

Students at Sherwood Heights Elementary recently started eating breakfast in the cafeteria. This may not sound like a big deal, but it’s a welcome change for the school.

At the start of the 2024-25 school year, the school had a program called Breakfast After the Bell, which was mandated due to the high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Due to the school’s large student population, it was impossible to fit all students in the cafeteria in the morning to eat breakfast at the same time. So, the school had to offer cold/to-go style breakfasts that students ate in the classroom. Breakfast was served after the first bell, so students didn’t start eating until 8:00 AM.

The school recently revised the breakfast protocol, serving breakfast earlier, starting at 7:30 AM and having students arrive at staggered times between 7:30 and 8:00. This way, they are able to accommodate all students who want to eat in the cafeteria.

TJ Presley, Sherwood Principal, said the recent change allows the school to provide hot breakfast options to students, and all food is served on a tray and eaten in the cafeteria. Presley said this has helped in other ways around campus, such as less mess in the classroom, less waste of food because students are choosing what they want to eat, less garbage , and less interference with instructional minutes during the school day.

“We are also hopeful that the hot meals will improve our attendance and on-time arrivals for the start of the school day,” Presley said.

If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Sherwood Spurs are on their way to success!