Board Member Sarah Johansen Experiences Lunch

School board member Sarah Johansen visited Kimberly Lane on January 8 and met up with a 5th grader and her mother for lunch.

Sarah's lunchmate was one of the first students in from recess and to get a meal, due to assigned table washing duties. The student did not have the opportunity to wash hands or receive hand sanitizer. Sarah and her lunchmates sat down to eat at 12:41, with the last student receiving their meal at 12:47, sitting down at 12:50. Some of the students reported the lunch paras had come around with hand sanitizer before they received their meals, but noted that rarely happens.

Lunch consisted of cheeseburgers, jojo potatoes, salad (dressed, with red peppers, grape tomatoes and croutons), fresh pineapple, sliced grapefruit, carrots, snap peas, and bananas. Most students were able to finish their lunch, although plenty of carrots went into the garbage.

Paras came to their table at 12:55 and turned over a card that indicated it was time to start cleaning up. Sarah's lunchmate needed to stop eating due to table cleaning duties, handing unfinished fruit to mom in hopes of bringing it back to class to finish. After cleaning the tables, Sarah's lunchmate came to get her winter gear and fruit. It was hard to hold everything and the fruit dropped to the floor. There were no offers to replace the fruit, nor was there any food left to offer as it was the last lunch of the day.

Paras walked through the cafeteria gathering unopened milk. The milk along with sealed snacks are sent to the Kimberly Lane office and used as extras for hungry students or for those who may need calming.

Sarah said lunch time was a balance as more time might allow kids to get rowdy.