{"id":16781,"date":"2024-05-07T16:26:40","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T16:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/california\/?p=16781"},"modified":"2025-04-30T17:04:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T17:04:03","slug":"breakfast-spotlight-fullertonsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/california\/breakfast-spotlight-fullertonsd\/","title":{"rendered":"Breakfast Spotlight: How Fullerton School District Is Closing the Achievement Gap With School Breakfast"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Studies show<\/span><\/a> that kids who eat school breakfast are more likely to excel academically, be more alert, have better concentration, memory and attendance, and have fewer behavioral issues. By feeding kids a school breakfast, which is the most important school supply,\u00a0 schools are providing the foundation for kids to succeed.\u00a0 It\u2019s also one of the smartest investments we can make to ensure they\u2019re ready to face the challenges of tomorrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Through our No Kid Hungry campaign, we\u2019ve been partnering with school districts interested in making a difference in the lives of children through breakfast. This includes supporting innovative school meals programs like breakfast after the bell\u00a0 and breakfast in the classroom to effectively reach and feed their scholars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Commonwealth Elementary School in Fullerton, California<\/b><\/span><\/p>

Fullerton School District, Orange County<\/p>

Grades: K-6 | Setting: Suburb | Student Enrollment: 310 | Model: Breakfast in the Classroom\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWhen I first heard about the breakfast in the classroom program, I knew it would benefit so many of our scholars,\u201d shared Jean Summy, Commonwealth Elementary School Principal. \u201cBut I was hesitant to sign up without the input of my staff who would be implementing the program on a daily basis.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Fortunately, her staff were more than happy to test it out . \u201cIf there is a way for us to support our students, our staff will do it,\u201d she said. Since launching the program, Commonwealth Elementary became the first and only school in Orange County to operate this breakfast model.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Breakfast in the classroom works especially well in elementary schools but is easily adapted for all grade levels, helping students begin their day nourished and ready to learn. Specifically, it has the highest potential in reaching 88 percent more students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In this model, school nutrition professionals\u2013led by former Nutrition Services Director Michael Burns (and most recently Victor Trejo)\u2013 pack nutritious breakfasts into insulated rolling bags that\u00a0 are picked up from the cafeteria by staff or students and delivered to the classrooms. On average, the process takes 10-15 minutes. During this time, students start their day calmly eating breakfast with their peers, and teachers often use this time for social-emotional check-in\u2019s or grounding activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Since launching this breakfast model, the impact has been felt across Commonwealth Elementary, from instruction and learning to behavior and attendance. In the first month of operation, the average breakfast served grew by 82 percent. In October 2023, they served 759 breakfasts to just 80 students. Now they serve 3,244 breakfasts to nearly 300 students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

On April 23, 2024, Fullerton Mayor Nicholas Dunlap recognized the breakfast in the classroom program at Commonwealth Elementary. Presenting the certificate to Principal Summy, the certificate states, \u201cPresented in recognition of your dedication and support of implementing the breakfast in the classroom program. Your commitment to making a difference in the lives of children has significantly impacted our community. Commonwealth Elementary has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first and only school in Orange County to operate this program. On behalf of the City of Fullerton and all its residents, we appreciate your willingness to make a difference in the community and extend our best wishes in all future endeavors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Mayor Dunlap is a member of the <\/span>Mayor\u2019s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to engage your staff in discussions about how you can best serve your students, starting with their most basic needs,\u201d said Principal Summy when asked what advice she would give to those thinking about implementing breakfast in the classroom. \u201cI encourage you to create a school atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their morning meal, creating their own sense of family, belonging and community right in the classroom. The classroom is where great things begin!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

The success of Commonwealth Elementary School\u2019s breakfast in the classroom program is attributed to clear and consistent communication, as well as the collective effort of teachers, custodial staff, parents and students. We are honored to collaborate with deeply passionate hunger heroes at Fullerton School District to ensure all kids have the opportunity to achieve their dreams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Last reviewed: May 7, 2024<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Studies show that kids who eat school breakfast are more likely to excel academically, be more alert, have better concentration, memory and attendance, and have fewer behavioral issues. By feeding…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,52,84],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16781","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"category-school-breakfast","8":"category-storytelling"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBreakfast Spotlight: How Fullerton School District Is Closing the Achievement Gap With School Breakfast - California<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/california\/breakfast-spotlight-fullertonsd\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breakfast Spotlight: How Fullerton School District Is Closing the Achievement Gap With School Breakfast - California\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Studies show that kids who eat school breakfast are more likely to excel academically, be more alert, have better concentration, memory and attendance, and have fewer behavioral issues. 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