Breakfast & Lunch

For 2025-2026, school breakfast and lunch is free for all students.

We’re excited to welcome students each morning with a healthy breakfast and a positive start to the day! Please review the updated breakfast process and expectations for the 2025–2026 school year. An Important Meal to Start a Successful School Day! Children who eat breakfast at the start of their school day have higher math and reading scores, they focus and behave better, and are less likely to be absent. Food and Nutrition Services is proud to serve breakfast, at no charge, to ALL students in the Denver Public Schools. 🍎 New Breakfast Procedures for Montclair Students

🕗 Morning Arrival & Entry

Students who would like breakfast should enter through the cafeteria doors off of Newport Street.
Once inside, school staff will guide students to the breakfast line, where they will:
- Enter their lunch number
- Pick up their breakfast

🍽 Breakfast Seating & Expectations

There is no assigned seating during breakfast. However, students must:
- Remain seated unless given permission to leave their seat by an adult on duty
- Follow our CARES core values (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control)

If Expectations Are Not Met:

Students who are not meeting behavior expectations may be asked to sit at the Reflection Table.
Multiple infractions may result in a family conference with the Dean of Culture to create a support plan. Our goal is to ensure every student can enjoy breakfast in a safe and welcoming environment.

📋 Overflow Plans

In the event of high breakfast participation, we have the following overflow procedures in place:

Plan A: Students may sit on the couches in the hallway or in the cafeteria, with adult supervision.
Plan B: If needed, small groups (approximately 20 students) will be supervised and transitioned to the auditorium by staff.

🏫 Transition to Class

At 8:05 AM, all students will be transitioned to their classrooms by school staff:

2nd through 5th grade students will be supported by additional staff members.

Kindergarten and 1st grade students will be assisted by their paraprofessionals.

A complete Breakfast and Lunch will be offered free of charge to students during the 2025-2026 school year.

Lunch Procedures/Expectations for Students:

Lining-Up
- Students should line-up outside the lunchroom to wait for an adult to have them move into the cafeteria
- It is the expectation that students are walked all the way to lunch.
- All students should be in line order
- Rosters will be used for kinder/1st students and 2nd-5th grade students will need to memorize and enter their lunch number each day (even though lunch is free for all students)
Entering the Lunchroom
- Students will be asked to stay in one line as they enter the lunchroom and go to their assigned table/seat.
- Tables are called up one at at time to get in line for their food.
- Students should remain in their line and not cut in front of classmates at this time
Getting Lunch
- Students should put their number in with Ms Sarah and grab a milk.
- Students should be carefully holding trays as they go through the line.
- After getting their entree, students will get the other items
  - Fruit
  - Veggies
  - Utensils/Napkin
- Students should be saying “Thank You” to all staff in the lunchroom as they get their food and get assistance with cleaning up, etc.
Eating Lunch
- All students will sit at their designated table during lunch (students will sit by classroom at the same table daily)
- Students should make space and show consideration for classmates at lunch tables
- Students should be focused on eating during their time in the lunchroom as they have a limited amount of time to eat
- Students should only be eating lunch during lunch time. There will be no candy, cookies, or chips allowed during the school day (these will only be allowed for students who bring a complete, healthy packed lunch from home). If a student brings chips/candy/cookies without a full meal please send the student to put their food in their backpack or hold onto the food and return to the child’s teacher at pick-up or after lunch duty is over. If this is a repeated offense, please take the treat and hold it in the office for pick-up at the end of the day. Chronic problems with a specific student will necessitate that the child’s caregiver(s) pick up the food from the office.
Clean-Up
- Students will be asked to clean up their own lunches and take them to the cleaning station (table) to throw away trash and dumb out their milk.
- Trash Items:
  - Utensils
  - Other wrappers from lunch
  - Straws
- Students should be expected to clean up their tables and area around their tables as well (throwing away any larger items that need to be thrown in the trash)
Dismissal from Lunch
- To Class
  - Students will be dismissed to go clean up their trays quietly and immediately sit back down at their table. The assigned Lunch Team member will give the class the point based on doing a good job of being calm and respectful & cleaning-up and lining up respectfully. Students will be lined up by table and asked to be in line order when their teacher arrives.
- To Recess
  - The assigned Lunch Team member will give the class the point based on doing a good job of being calm and respectful & cleaning-up and lining up respectfully. Students will be sent a table at a time if they are calm and showing they are ready to walk out to recess.

Class Points:

Each class will have a poster for points located on the wall closer to the table. The Lunch Team member assigned will give the point to the class based on:
Students respectfully entering and getting lunch
Students sitting down doing a good job being kind, calm and respectful using level 1 voices
Students may leave seat by raising their hand and obtaining permission from staff
Students cleaning-up and lining up respectfully in level 0 ready to go to recess or class (by tables)

The class in each Pack with the most points at the end of the month will earn the Golden Lunch Tray award.. They will also get their picture taken and hung up in the cafeteria on the Cougars Who CARE wall!

For additional information, please contact the Food Services Department.