Why Darla Diotte prepares four lunches for two kids

Darla Diotte has two children at St. Mary's French Immersion School.

Every day, she has to pack two lunches for each of them.

In a pilot project based on something called the Brain Compatible Learning Research, they've done away with the traditional lunch break at St. Mary's.

Instead, kids get a couple of 20-minute nutrition breaks, forcing parents to re-think the way they pack lunches.

So far, Darla and other parents have been highly supportive.

"It looks very good," says Superintendent of Education Maria Esposito of the new 'balanced-day' schedule.

"As far as parents go, I haven't heard any complaints," Esposito told a meeting of the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board last night.

Here's how the day goes:

9:15-9:25 a.m. Buses arrive 9:25 a.m. Bell rings 9:30-11:10 a.m. Work block 1 11:10-11:30 a.m. Nutrition break 11:30-11:50 a.m. Exercise/play break 11:50-1:30 p.m. Work block 2 1:30-1:50 p.m. Nutrition break 1:50-2:10 p.m. Exercise/play break 2:10-3:50 p.m. Work block 3 4:00 p.m. Dismissal

The principal explains

"The Brain Compatible Learning Research points out the need to optimize student focus and on task behaviour to enhance teaching and learning," says St. Mary's principal Germain Dalcourt.

"Teachers are excited about the fact that this plan divides the day into three 100-minute chunks of learning time where students can really 'get into' their learning activities without interruptions," Dalcourt says.

"The fact that the first nutrition break has brought eating time to 11:10 a.m. will undoubtedly please our students who are usually quite hungry by what is presently our first recess time."

Twice as much food?

Dalcourt is advising parents to pack the same amount of food that they've traditionally sent, in two separate sections.

For example, a child's sandwich should be split into two separately wrapped halves, he suggests.

Vegetables, fruit and dessert should be similarly be bagged in two separate bunches.

However, a recent Globe and Mail article on other Ontario schools that have introduced balanced-day timetables suggests that children are snacking more and some parents find they have to pack almost twice as much food.

"I'm not keen on it," registered dietitian Lynn Roblin told the newspaper. "The problem as I see it is it's going to increase snacking, but not on the right kinds of food."

Less litter

At St. Mary's, principal Dalcourt is asking parents to avoid junk foods like pop, chips and candy.

"With our increased focus on health, we hope that everyone will try to avoid sending junk food to school," Dalcourt says.

"We will all enjoy the fact that no food will go out onto the playground. This will hopefully mean fewer bees, seagulls and less litter."

The idea for the new timetable came from school staff after they attended Sandbox School training in Toronto.

It was considered especially useful for a French Immersion school, where educators constantly struggle to get time for any task because programs are taught in both French and English.

Benefits for staff

The balanced-day program is said to offer potential advantages to school staff as well.

For example, less time is wasted for students dressing and lining up.

And teachers get 40-minute breaks to get things done, as opposed to 10-minute breaks in the past.

"The balanced-day schedule at St. Mary's French Immersion School will serve as a pilot project for our board," says Maria Esposito.

"The plan will be monitored and assessed in order to establish the strengths and benefits to students before deciding whether or not to implement it in other schools," Esposito says.

Adds Principal Dalcourt: "We will undoubtedly be 'fine tuning' as we go and will welcome all input and observations."