Lunch Break: 11:49 - 12:36
Lunch Supervision
Lunchroom supervision is available to all students. Grade 5 & 6 students are not permitted to leave the school campus, unless they go home for lunch. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for more information.
Grade 7-9 students are permitted to go off campus to purchase their lunch, provided that they return promptly for their afternoon classes.
Ordering food to the school is not permitted. Delivery services (Skip the Dishes, Door Dash etc.) will not be accepted.
Lunchroom Block One (11:49-12:09 PM):
- Div 2 students eat lunch inside their classrooms.
- Div 3 students may leave campus to purchase/eat their lunch; they may eat their lunch outside during the first block; or they may play outside on the school grounds.
Lunchroom Block Two (12:10-12:30 PM):
- Div 2 students go outside to play OR they may attend a supervised club inside the building.
- Div 3 students may remain outside; or they may re-enter the building to eat their lunch inside their classrooms; or they may attend a supervised club inside the building.
Nutrition/Body Breaks
Div 2 students have non-scheduled Nutrition/Body Breaks each day, Monday to Thursday.
Both Div 2 and Div 3 students have a scheduled Nutrition Break on Fridays: 10:39 to 10:46 AM. It is recommended that all students bring a small nutritious snack and water bottle for this break.
Nutrition
Our focus at RTA is on promoting a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical fitness and nutrition. Junk food is strongly discouraged and in some cases not allowed on campus: slurpees, iced-coffee, energy drinks, large quantities of candy, etc. We appreciate parents supporting us in ensuring students have healthy snacks and lunches at school.
Allergies
As a number of our students have severe allergies to nuts, including peanuts, we are an Allergy Aware school. We ask for your support in protecting students with allergies by not sending foods containing tree nuts or peanuts to school. For more information about this and other health concerns see our Illness & Medical page.
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