An in-classroom breakfast option is being piloted at Hedges Elementary School in Kalispell.

Serving breakfast in the classroom fulfills a need for students who are on tight schedules and miss hot breakfast served in the cafeteria.

Four or five classrooms in kindergarten and first gradedhave participated in the pilot program since January.  Breakfast is served in the classroom around 8:30 a.m. when school starts.

“It allows kids to participate who ride the bus, or are dropped off right before the bell,” Kalispell Public Schools Food Services Director Jenny Montague said. “We want to make sure we’re feeding every kid that’s hungry.”

The in-classroom breakfast  costs $1.50; the reduced price for eligible students is 30 cents per meal. Meals always include fruit, grain, protein and milk, Montague said. The meals are more portable and include items such as homemade muffins, string cheese, fresh fruit, bagels with cream cheese or granola bars.

Hedges Principal Natalie Miller said there is a lot of interest in adding this breakfast option. She said students who eat breakfast appear ready to learn and more focused than children who don’t.

The school received a $5,000 Breakfast after the Bell grant to purchase equipment for the breakfast program.

Robin Eck, AmeriCorps service member for Montana No Kid Hungry, said the plan is to expand the in-class breakfast option to all of Hedges, then to Elrod Elementary and eventually districtwide.

Kalispell Public Schools and other school districts in the valley recently celebrated National School Breakfast Week March 2-6 promoting the national theme, “Make the Grade with School Breakfast” through different activities and events. 

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.