Balanced Day & Nutrition Breaks

Lunch Time

Safety: Parents can help keep our lunch routines successful by reminding children of the importance of following the lunch rules. Staying in their seat, using an indoor voice and not sharing food help lunchtime to run smoothly.

We have a number of students at A.B. Ellis Public School who have food allergies.  Please keep our students safe by not sending peanuts/nuts, foods with “may contain nuts” warnings on their labels or nut butter substitutes. Also, please support any food allergy action plans specific to other food allergies of children in specific classrooms. These plans will be communicated to families as required.

Litterless Lunches: We encourage students to think about the environment. One way to demonstrate our respect for the environment is an initiative to promote waste reduction and litterless lunches. This is achieved by sending home unconsumed lunch items and wrappings at the end of the day for disposal. The key to success appears to be washable containers for food and drink items.

Food Sales: As part of our fundraising plan, the school offers 6 inch Subway sandwiches on Tuedays and your choice of cheese or pepperoni pizza on Thursdays. Food orders are completed using School Cash Online. Please direct any questions regarding food sales to the office.

Recess

Students in Grades 1 to 8 have two opportunities for recess in the balanced day.  If weather permits, they will be outdoors twice each day for 20 minutes of free play and fresh air. While in the school yard, students are monitored by several staff who are available to promote safe play and support problem solving.

In the event of inclement weather, students will remain in their classrooms and choose from activities supplied by their classroom teachers.

Students are reminded to be safe, be respectful, and have fun.

Nutrition Break Supervisors

A.B. Ellis Public School employs two paid Nutrition Break Supervisors in addition to our regular staff to help monitor students during our two nutrition breaks. Supervisors are responsible for:

• supervising students during each 20 minute outside recess;
• supervising students during each 20 minute eating block and assist students with clean-up of the lunch area;
• work with students with a variety of backgrounds;
• work with students with a variety of needs and capabilities;
• communicate in a sensitive, courteous manner with students, staff and other supervisors; and
• support students in solving problems in a positive manner.

From time to time we also need temporary replacements for our Nutrition Break Supervisors. If you are able to assist us in this area, please contact the office for more information. Please note that a current Vulnerable Sector Check from OPP is required to supervise our students.