Mt. Laurel Schools expanding breakfast pilot program

After launching a breakfast pilot program at Larchmont Elementary School last year, the Mt. Laurel School District is preparing to add another school to the program.

Students at Fleetwood Elementary School will have the option of purchasing breakfast at school starting Oct. 15, according to business administrator Robert Wachter.

The district began a breakfast pilot program at Larchmont Elementary School last year. Marie Reynolds, the director of district communication services, said the district was mandated to start a breakfast program last year because it reached a certain quota of students eligible for reduced price lunches. Nutri-Serve Food Management, the company contracted to run the district’s lunch program, is also in charge of serving breakfast.

Wachter said the program at Fleetwood will mirror the one at Larchmont.

“This is a continuation of our pilot program over at Larchmont,” he said.

The breakfast offers students a quick meal in the 30 minutes before classes begin. Some of the breakfast options at Larchmont have included bagels with cream cheese, cereal and yogurt. All breakfasts are served with fruit and milk.

The program is open to all students. The cost is $1.25 per day for most students. Students eligible for reduced breakfast pay 30 cents.

The district is trying to increase participation in the breakfast program. Reynolds said the number of students eating breakfast at Larchmont the first year was low. To promote the program to parents, information, prices and menu options were posted on the school’s website. The same information is expected to be posted on Fleetwood’s website prior to the program’s launch.

Only Larchmont and Fleetwood will serve breakfast this school year. Wachter said the district is continuing to evaluate the program. He hinted the district would like to add its other elementary schools in the coming years.