Attendance Line: 403-777-7360 ext.1
It is important that you call the lunchtime program attendance line if your child is absent.
Lunch
A full meal lunch service is provided to all students. Hot meals at reasonable prices are available. Students who are late may be required to eat lunch in a supervised area. Should students choose to leave school property at lunch, they do so with their parent’s permission. Eating at school is a privilege; students are expected to keep the school clean and to put all waste materials in the garbage cans and recycling cans provided.
Grade 6 Students Staying for Lunch
We provide students with the option of staying at school for lunch. Dedicated lunch supervision is offered to all students in Grades 6. Lunch supervision fees are charged to parents of all students who use lunch supervision services. This service provides students with the opportunity to practice social skills supported by caring adult supervision. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for more information.
Lunch supervision at our school includes:
- a safe and secure place for children to have lunch -a caring environment that fosters and maintains respectful, responsible behaviors
- attendance will be taken and communication is made home if a student is absent-a drop-in service
- access to the service, without a wait list
Each day we have teachers supervising during lunch throughout the school but only Grade 6 students will be eligible to have specific noon supervision, which will require that they sit in a dedicated place in the bistro for the first fifteen minutes of lunch. Once dismissed they must remain in the school and either be in the Learning Commons, movie room or games room. They are not allowed to leave the school property without a note from a parent.
Ordering Food to the School
We remain a closed campus at lunchtime. We want to remind families that students need to bring their lunch or eat the lunches provided by school. We are not able to provide access to microwaves for student use. As a reminder, we are not able to receive Skip the Dishes, Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc. in the main office. The driver will be asked to return the delivery to the restaurant.
School Supervision
The local community centre and local strip mall are open to students at lunch, as the school supports Junior High School students with growing levels of freedoms and responsibilities. However, please remember that there is no staff supervision of these locations. Please have conversations with your student(s) about being aware of their surroundings when out in public spaces.
Home-Packed Lunch Tips for Parents
Lunch is an important part of your child’s day at school. Here are some tips to help you provide a lunch that is safe and nutritious with less waste.
Food Safety
- Keep cold food cold by using an insulated lunch bag and 1-2 ice packs.
- Keep hot food hot by using an insulated container. Preheat your container with boiling water before adding hot food. Microwave ovens are not available for elementary students.
- Pack non-perishables, such as granola bars and whole fruit, that can be kept at room temperature.
- Most CBE schools are nut-aware, please check with your child’s teacher for more information on nut allergies and other allergies in your child’s classroom.
Help Reduce Waste
- Bring a reusable water bottle.
- Pack just enough for a child to eat during lunch.
- Many schools participate in “boomerang lunches” (pack in/pack out), where all leftover items are returned home.
Tip: Pack a sealable bag or container labeled ‘garbage’ for uneaten food or open containers to avoid mess in the lunch bag.
In 2024, ten CBE schools participated in a waste audit conducted by Green Calgary. Here are a few suggestions from the audit to help minimize waste produced by packed lunches:
- Send less selections of food. Younger children have difficulty deciding what to eat when there is a lot of choice and sometimes end up not eating.
- When possible, use reusable containers for foods such as crackers and cut up fruits or vegetables.
Other Tips
- Make sure your child can open all packages by themselves.
- Involve your child in packing their lunch. Children involved in food preparation may be more likely to try new foods and eat what is packed, minimizing food waste.
- Aim to include a food from each food group – lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables should be eaten daily (as per Canada’s Food Guide 2019).
- Some items, such as sandwiches, can be made ahead and frozen to save time. Note that some fillings such as fresh vegetables do not freeze well.
- Designate a shelf in the fridge/pantry at home for lunch items. This may help make packing lunches quicker and encourage independence for children packing their own lunches.
References