Woodland Dist. 50 launching breakfast program

Woodland Elementary District 50 in Gurnee will have a breakfast program for students starting in September.

"We anticipate this program to be self-supporting," District 50 spokeswoman Jennifer Tempest Bova said. "Woodland will receive federal reimbursement for the breakfast program, similar to the lunch program."

Officials announced Thursday the breakfast program will begin Sept. 8, for grades one through eight. Breakfast will launch Sept. 9, for pupils at Woodland Primary School in unincorporated Gages Lake.

Under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, schools where at least 40 percent of lunches are provided free or at a reduced cost to students qualify for "severe need" extra reimbursements for the breakfast program. That means schools get up to 30 cents more than the typical reimbursements for every free and lower-cost breakfast served.

Superintendent Joy Swoboda said changing demographics during the last decade have led to nearly 40 percent of the district's 6,200 pupils qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch.

School board President Chris Schrantz said by ensuring all students start their day with breakfast, they'll have a better chance to excel in the classroom. He credited administrators for launching the breakfast program as the district nears the threshold for the extra federal reimbursement.

"Kudos to Joy and her team for being proactive and getting in there now," Schrantz said.

Woodland breakfasts will have a grain or protein, fruit, vegetable and fat free or 1 percent milk. Full-cost breakfast will be $1.25, with pupils who qualify for a reduced price paying 30 cents or getting it for free.

District officials said the idea of starting the breakfast program has been discussed for several years.

"It is our responsibility to educate students and provide them with the necessary resources so that they will be able to thrive and succeed in their learning environment," Swoboda said.

School breakfast program expenses nationwide have mushroomed, according to the USDA's most recently available data. The program cost $3 billion in the 2011 fiscal year, up from $1.9 billion in 2005.