Questions parents might ask:

1. How do I organize my child's lunch bag?
   
   One of the biggest challenges for parents in implementing the Balanced School Day will be ensuring that their child(ren) has both a healthy snack and a lunch packed each day for the morning nutrition break and afternoon lunch break. Here are some great organizational tips to make this task easier for children who pack their own lunches and their parents:
   
   
   • pack the snack and lunch in two separate bags
   • use a divided lunch kit to separate the morning snack from lunch items
   • use one lunch kit but label the food items that you would like your child to eat for the morning snack
   
   Each child has their own unique eating habits, likes, dislikes, and appetite. Talk with your child to see which organizational approach they would prefer when planning their meals for school.
   
   
2. How are kids going to sit for the longer instructional periods?
   
   Although the blocks of instructional time in the Balanced School Day are longer, flexibility is built into each block. What has changed is the solid uninterrupted time that teachers can use to deliver lessons. Best teaching practices find students engaged in a variety of learning opportunities during any instructional period. What the Balanced School day does is it allows flexibility for teachers to spend more time on a activity ( if there is a need to do so) instead of being interrupted by the transitions associated with two short recess (Grade 1-6) and a long lunch recess (Grades 1-8).
   
   It's a win/win situation for both students and teachers!!
   
   
3. What about kids who go home for lunch?
   
   Students will still have the opportunity to go home for lunch during the second Nutrition Break. However, we do encourage that children stay at school for lunch. Leaving school property often leads to children getting into trouble or being late for the afternoon instructional time. We feel it is safer when the children stay in one location.
   
   
4. Will more disruptions mean more behaviour issues?
   
   One of the key advantages of the Balanced School Day is that it actually provides fewer disruptions during the day. The longer nutrition/activity breaks give children more time to eat and more time to play. What have been eliminated from the traditional schedule are the short recess breaks and the longer lunch break, which require extra transition time. Transition is often a time when behaviour issues occur.
   
   
5. Will there be adequate recess and noon hour supervision?
   
   Safety is our top priority!! The Staffing Committee supports the development of supervision schedules in accordance to our Staffing Allocation for this year. We don't anticipate a change in the number of adult supervisors that we have out on the playground as a result of implementing the Balanced School Day.