Around the Schools
Dearborn Park Elementary honored for serving more students a healthy breakfast
Seattle Schools Superintendent José Banda, congratulates Dearborn Park Elementary Principal Angela Sheffey Bogan, far right, for her school receiving a Super School award for serving more students a healthy breakfast. Also there to recognize the staff were: from left, School Board Director Betty Patu, state Superintendent Randy Dorn and Debra Entenman, Congressman Adam Smith’s community outreach manager.
School receives Super School award in 'Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge'
The staff at Dearborn Park Elementary School was honored Oct. 26 with a Super School award for their work in serving more students a healthy breakfast.
Dearborn Park was recognized for making the greatest improvement in “The Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge,” a state initiative challenging all of Washington’s schools to make changes to their school breakfast programs to increase school breakfast participation by 50 percent during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years.
Dearborn Park increased school breakfast participation by 50 percent over the past year alone. Its students have improved their scores on 6 out of 8 standardized tests in reading, writing, math and science over the past two years.
School Superintendent Jose Banda, Seattle School Board Director Betty Patu, Dearborn Park Principal Angela Sheffey Bogan, staff and students accepted the “Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge Award” from Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn.
Also on hand to offer congratulations was Debra Entenman, community outreach manager for Congressman Adam Smith, who proudly noted that she is an alumnus of Dearborn Park Elementary.
A typical school breakfast includes a fruit cup, granola, milk and yogurt. Nearly half of the state’s students qualify for free breakfast at any public school, yet very few actually get it. Students who eat breakfast score higher on standardized tests and get better grades. They are more likely to be a healthy weight and have healthier levels of nutrients like calcium in their diets.
One year into the challenge, more than 12,000 additional students statewide are starting their school day with a healthy, nutritious breakfast.
The Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge is a joint initiative of State Superintendent Randy Dorn, the Washington State Dairy Council, Share Our Strength and Children’s Alliance.
More information on the Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge is at www.fuelupfirstwithbreakfast.org.