Benjamin Logan School District Recognized as Breakfast & Beyond Super Star

The Benjamin Logan Local School District has been recognized as a 2021-2022 Breakfast & Beyond Super Star by the Ohio School Breakfast Sponsors, Ohio Education Associations and their membership, and other education, health, and child-focused organizations. 

Twenty-two districts or schools received this honor for their innovative and collaborative work to increase access to school meals.

The goals include:
• Increase participation in school breakfast.
• Offer a variety of new breakfast options
• Use USDA foods to offset the increase in food costs.

Results include:
• Elementary school – 72% of students eat a daily breakfast, a 48% increase in participation over last year.
• Middle school- 45% of students eat a daily breakfast, a 32% increase in participation over last year.
• High school-18% of students eat a daily breakfast, an 11% increase in participation over last year.

This year, school breakfast and lunch are offered at no charge. The nutrition department implemented a new 15-day breakfast cycle menu offering food options and utilized USDA foods. New serving strategies were added like Grab-n-Go breakfast to increase access and participation in school breakfast. The goal of the nutrition department was two-fold; to improve meal acceptance and participation, thereby, increasing revenue to remain financially solvent and to support the health and learning of all students.

The school board, district and building administrators, teachers, and other staff supported the new strategies to facilitate an environment where students had the opportunity to eat a well-balanced breakfast and start the day focused and ready to learn.

Elementary students are dismissed from their classroom to pick up a Grab-n-Go breakfast in each grade level hallway to eat in the classroom. American Dairy Association Mideast donated insulated bags to keep milk and other food items at the right temperature. 

Middle school students in all four grade levels are dismissed to the cafeteria to pick up a Grab-n-Go breakfast to eat in the classroom. The BELA president, Marge Jenkins, helped serve breakfast at the middle school due to COVID-19 protocols.

High school students eat in the cafeteria. Hot and cold options are offered daily. Students can choose from hot items like waffles, omelets, sausage, and biscuits that are part of a rotating 15-day menu cycle. Cold options like fresh fruit, yogurts, muffins, and cereal are offered daily.

District-wide 50% of the students eat a daily breakfast at school, a 30% increase over last year. The implementation of new menus using USDA foods, instituting Grab-n-Go breakfast at the elementary and middle school, and promoting new concepts at the high school, benefited student health and learning and supported a nutrition budget. With the budget in the black, the district was able to purchase food service equipment, POS systems, cafe tables and chairs, and new monitors, keypads, and computers for the department.

For more information contact Sonja Frederick, Food Nutrition Coordinator at  [email protected]