Tulsa Public Schools is partnering with Midwest Dairy to expand the district’s second chance breakfast program in all secondary school sites starting Monday, March 22. Second chance breakfast encourages students to pick up a grab and go breakfast meal between their first and second class period by strategically placing breakfast carts throughout the school building. 

“Many secondary students miss the opportunity to have breakfast before the first bell due to late arrival, participation in extracurricular activities such as band or athletics, or possible challenges associated with accessing breakfast in the cafeteria,” said Superintendent Deborah A. Gist. “This expansion of service can help to reduce food insecurity and lead to better health outcomes of our students with good nutrition.”

Midwest Dairy works in collaboration with dairy farmers in Oklahoma and across the Midwest to increase milk consumption. As a valued community partner of the Tulsa Public Schools child nutrition department, Midwest Dairy will provide second chance breakfast carts and equipment to support the delivery of nutrient rich meals, including dairy, to students across the district to help make this meal service successful. This equipment was provided to the district through the support of 5,800 dairy farm families. 

“When schools have the equipment and resources they need, they’re better equipped to distribute nutrient-rich foods, like milk, to students,” said Charles Coblentz, a dairy farmer from Chouteau, Okla. “This second chance breakfast program at Tulsa Public Schools will ensure that all students have access to the fuel they need to start their day off right. I’m proud of dairy farmers for supporting projects like this in schools.”

“We know that our families are counting on us to care for their children every day, and that includes making sure that they have nutritious meals,” said Gist. “When students are well fed, they are better able to focus on learning, so school meals play an incredibly important role in helping our students stay on track to success. We are so grateful for Midwest Dairy and our dairy farmers for helping to make second chance breakfast possible.”

District staff will continue to follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines for health screenings, personal protective equipment, and safe distancing when serving students.

As students returned to in-person learning at the end of February, Tulsa Public Schools continues to provide breakfast, lunch, and supper meals for all Tulsa children ages 18 and under. For more information on the district’s meal-sites, visit www.tulsaschools.org/mealsites.