Why not just have this event as an adult event? That's what we do. School starts at 8 a.m. at our school and we have this event at 8:30. It's sort of an adult gathering after the children are in school. If you want the children to eat with their parents, then maybe you can schedule this event after school or in the evening. Our PTO pays for everything needed for this event. Good luck to you.
All wonderful suggestions. Unfortunately having the event before the school's breakfast time is out, because school starts at 7:15. I thought about doing it just for the parents at 8:00 or so, which is allowable, but it kind of defeats the purpose of the family event.
I will not go down easy though. I'll contact the food service company and see what I can do. Again, thanks for the suggestions, and keep 'em coming.
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
Our school is 90% free/reduced and we are able to have these events. What we do is invite parents to come and finish prior to the start of school breakfast. The children who normally eat school breakfast have their donut or whatever with their family and then go get the school's more nutritious breakfast. If parents choose to stay and visit with their child until they are completely done eating, that is completely acceptable and parents can even order a school breakfast, if they prefer. The food is also served in two different areas. If this doesn't work for you, I would try having a breakfast prior to the start of the school year or on a weekend maybe in coordination with another event. Believe it or not, our school uses these events to try to get parents informed about our programs and get them involved in helping their kids succeed. We get a lot donated but some funds come from Title 1's parent allotment and helps the school meet it's required events for funding, as well as, offering an alternative to all of the night time events, which a lot of our parents can't attend because they work in the evening.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
If you can't work it out and do it during school time, is it possible to make it an after school event? Obviously it throws out the whole breakfast theme but maybe base it around an after school snack and make it more like cookies and juice. Obviously this takes away from the early morning event being a big benefit to the working parents.
My second suggestion is would it be possible to invite the parents while the kids are eating their school supplied breakfast and just provide the parents with coffee and some bagels/donuts or something that only the parents get and the kids will have their normal school breakfast?
How about making it a " Craft Event".. like Decorating Donuts with mom ? If they eat breakfast at school, they can come and get their breakfast in the cafeteria and then come to the gym ( or wherever) to " decorate " their donuts.. You can have frosting and sprinkles in invidual dixie cups, with disposable plastic cutlery... and OOOPS.. if they eat their art!
Our school will not allow any outside food to be allowed during breakfast/lunch times due to the same regulations. We had to really talk to be allowed to give the kids popsicles on Spirit Day. Talk to the kitchen staff, they may have some ideas on how to get around it. Our kitchen lady has proved to be a wonderful ally. All it took was us dropping off extra goodies in the kitchen instead of the teacher's lounge just one time. The particular group gets forgotten way too often.
