Donwood Lunch Program
In 2007, the River East
Transcona School Division board of trustees moved to develop a new policy
regarding user-pay lunch supervision programs. This policy
recognizes that the care and supervision of a child during the midday break is a
parental responsibility. However, non-profit, user-pay, supervised
lunch programs may be established and operated by parent groups, as we have done
at Donwood, to assist parents in securing a supervised
environment for their children during the lunch break.
According to this policy, all students who stay for lunch at a
school with a user-pay lunch supervision program, except those the division
is obligated to transport, will be charged a fee. According to The Public
Schools Act, the school division is obligated to transport students in rural
areas (East St. Paul and St. Clements municipalities) who live more than 1.6 km
away from their designated school, and students with special needs (see Lunch supervision programs in our school: A guide for parents for more information on this policy).
Although we continue to encourage students to have
lunch at home, if possible, as we have found children benefit from a short,
midday break from the school environment and the walk to and from school, a
supervised lunch program is available for students at Donwood School. This program is run in accordance with divisional policy and offers a combination of “user-pay” and/or “volunteer”
options. The cost per student varies for annual, monthly, or
casual users and parents have the option of volunteering to help defray
costs. All students who stay for lunch at the Donwood School Lunch
Program will be charged a fee with the exception of those students the
division is obligated to transport.
Expectations for the lunch room:
• Eat and remain seated until 12:00
p.m.
• 12:00–12:15 p.m. — Finish eating, clean your
space, and play quiet games
• 12:15 p.m. — Dismissal to play
outside
• 12:15–12:45 p.m. — Safe, respectful play on
playground (or in class during inclement weather)
Adult lunch supervisors monitor two classrooms with Grade 5 and 6 lunch
monitors assisting students in the primary classrooms during the eating
time. When a student has been given reminders and cues to follow the guidelines but is unable to do so, parents are informed through a letter home indicating the concerns that have arisen
during lunch. The first notice is for information, the second results in a student
eating in the school office for two days, and the third notice in a term results in a
parent having to arrange for their child to eat at home/out of school for two full
weeks. Our experience tells us that when guidelines like these are in
place and students know the expectations, they should be able to conduct
themselves in an appropriate manner with very few students losing their
privilege to have lunch at school.
Allergies
Donwood School has several students with nut
allergies that can be potentially life threatening, therefore we ask that all
food items children bring to school be nut-free—in this way we can reduce the
risk to these children. Please check labels on food products you send to
school. We thank you for your understanding and support in making this a safe
environment for all children.
If you have further questions, contact the director of the Donwood School Lunch Program, Mrs.
Janice Garofalo, by calling the school at 204-668-9438.
