NORTHFIELD — Elementary students in the Pioneer Valley Regional School District will have even more access to quality local meals that meet the latest nutritional guidelines this year, thanks to a new addition to the district breakfast program.
“My number one goal is to make sure that we feed our children,” Food Service Director Michael Onorato said.
Onorato, who has been a chef and worked in the hospitality industry for the last 25 years, joined the Pioneer district as the new food services director this year. He discussed the breakfast plan and other food service updates during the School Committee meeting on Sept. 12.
Starting in the next couple of months, elementary students will see an extended breakfast program with “Breakfast After the Bell.” All breakfasts are accompanied by a variety of fruit selections to enable students to start their day with healthy food.
While there has always been breakfast in the morning, before school starts, students will now have access to a “grab-and-go” breakfast meal after the bell rings. Onorato said this will ensure that if a student is running late for any reason, they will still be able to get a nutritious meal and get to class quickly.
“As we all know — especially educators — a hungry and tired child is not going to learn anything,” Onorato said.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is looking to implement the “Breakfast After the Bell” program in districts throughout the state, Onorato explained. He said he implemented the same program last year while working at a school district in New Hampshire, and it doubled the district’s breakfast participation.
Students will be able to pick up a breakfast meal anytime after the bell through mid-morning. The addition to the program is funded through the regular school budget line for food services.
This year also saw changes to alternative food options at the elementary schools. Onorato said the district is implementing what is called the “Pioneer Lunch Pack,” which he described as “adult-size Lunchables” that are served in reusable containers, instead of a salad and bagel option which had been in place for several years.
Onorato said this had been working well so far, as the district has had days this year where up to 25 percent of elementary school lunches were these alternative meals. The district is looking to implement the same “Pioneer Lunch Pack” options at the high school in the future.
New meal pricing for this year will cost students $2 for breakfast, or 30 cents for those eligible for reduced prices. Lunch is $3, or 40 cents with the reduced price. Milk will cost 65 cents.
Another goal of Onorato’s, he said, is to make sure the district is adhering to all the guidelines of the National School Lunch Program, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and DESE. He said he’ll make improvements and changes as needed. The district will feature signs in the cafeteria to help students make choices that are nutritious, balanced and stay within USDA standards for a full meal.
In 2010, the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act changed the meals served in schools, and rolled out guidelines for what foods are allowed in schools for celebrations. The “A List” is compiled by the USDA as acceptable foods to be served, sold and brought in to schools. The entire “A List” can be viewed on the Food Service page of the Pioneer school district website at bit.ly/2kKo6n1.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.