On Monday, April 15th the School Board approved the motion for Universal Free Breakfast for Reedsburg Area High School students. Breakfast has been offered in the past, however, now breakfast will be offered Free for all students through 12th-grade.
"This has been a work in progress," explains Aramark Food Service Director Jennifer Jennings. "I started working on this in August 2017 when I saw the need for breakfast and started seeing all of the benefits of offering breakfast to all students. Last spring we expanded the program to include Webb Middle School students and now we will be offering it at the high school.
According to Jennings, "School Breakfast is really the most important meal of the day for kids as it provides the necessary fuel to start a day of learning and achievement."
Research has shown that children who eat breakfast have:
Higher Academic Scores
- Students who eat breakfast earn, on average, a letter grade higher in math than kids who don’t according to Pediatrics Magazine
- Studies have also shown eating breakfast results in higher test scores
Improved Behavior
- Hungry children are more likely to have discipline problems
- Satiated teens are less likely to be suspended from school
Reduced tardiness and absenteeism
- Kids who participate in the School Breakfast Program are tardy and/or absent from school less often
School breakfast provides at least one-fourth of the nutrients needed by a growing child. Nutrient standards, set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, require breakfasts to provide less than 30 percent of calories from fat, and 10 percent or less from saturated fat. These requirements also meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
For more information about the School District of Reedsburg’s nutrition program and menus, visit www.rsd.k12.wi.us or call Jennifer Jennings, CDM, CFPP at (608) 768-8938 ext 2322. | 
