CAPE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXPAND PROGRAM OFFERING BREAKFASTS

Students at Washington Elementary School ate french toast, juice and milk Tuesday, the first day for a school breakfast program at the school.

Cape Girardeau schools have offered breakfast at May Greene Elementary School since the spring of 1991.

Lisa Elfrink, director of school food services, said she felt it was time to expand.

"It was wonderful," she said of the first day at Washington. "We had 90 students. We thought we would do good to have 75."

Washington Principal Barbara Blanchard said, "Most of the breakfast trays were pretty clean, an indication that students enjoyed their breakfast."

Blanchard expects more students to eat cereal and pecan twists, juice and milk today.

"A lot of parents are working and with their schedules don't always have the time to provide the breakfast they would like their children to have," Blanchard said.

"Children do need a good breakfast," said Blanchard. "It gives them more energy and helps them stay on task in the classroom."

The school breakfast program, like the school lunch program, is financed partly through federal funding and also through the money paid by students and adults for meals.

Breakfast costs student 75 cents. For those who qualify for reduced-cost, the meal costs 30 cents. The guidelines and prices are set by the federal government, Elfrink said.

At May Greene, Elfrink said, participation varies from 50 to 60 percent of the students.

"It was started as a pilot program," Elfrink said. "They decided to continue it for the next year. We're still rolling."

"We decided the timing was good to expand the program," Elfrink said. "I talked to Barb Blanchard and she said let's do it Feb. 1."

"We just felt there was a need there," she said.

Washington has the second highest percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced-cost lunches.

At Washington, 72 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-cost meals. At May Greene, 92 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-cost meals.

"Hopefully we will be able to expand to Jefferson and Franklin. Beyond that we will have to look and see what parents want at the different settings," Elfrink said.

In December, a small breakfast ala carte program started at Central High School. Elfrink said the program received no federal money and is supported by students who may purchase breakfast items.

"All of us go through an eight-hour fast at night," Elfrink said. "By the time it's lunch, it's been 13 or 14 hours. How can you study if you have no food in your stomach?"