Parents Advisory Council
A note for parents who would like to help at Fun Lunches
Fun lunch is enjoyed by all of the children from Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 9. The JK and SK children enjoy their lunches in the Kindercentre, and the Grade 1 – 9 children have their lunches in the Cafeteria. Fun Lunch happens on the last Friday of every month. Each month has a particular theme with the option of just dressing down as well. Please remember that the Cafeteria is closed to regular service on Fun Lunch days.Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Junior High (Gr 7-9)
The children have their lunches at different times over the lunch hour. Their timing is as follows:
Junior High: 11:40 - 12:00
Division 1: 12:00 - 12:20
Division 2: 12:25 - 12:45
As you can imagine, Fun Lunches are quite busy as the lunch times are 20 minutes, and there are many children who have to be organized in a short period of time.
The JH students are not organized by classes for their Fun Lunch, and they seat themselves. A large number of children from Division 1 and Division 2 participate in the Fun Lunch, so they are seated by class to help with the distribution of their food. Each Grade 1 to Grade 5 class is asked to provide two parent volunteers and each Grade 6 class is asked to provide one parent volunteer at each Fun Lunch to help with organizing and seating the children. Parent volunteers are asked to check-in at the Front Office before they go to the cafeteria.
The tables are marked at each Fun Lunch as to where each class will sit. Grade 1 to Grade 5 are seated at the same tables each month, and Grade 6 is given an area of tables to sit at. Classes will be seated in the same area they sit on a daily basis at school.
The JH students have their lunches first and leave the cafeteria at 11:55. The Division 1 volunteers can go to their tables at this time, and please not earlier, so the JH students have time to eat their lunches. The Division 1 children leave at 12:20. The Division 2 organizers can go to their tables as the children are leaving.
Kindercentre - JK & SK
JK and SK parent volunteers pick up the lunches from the elementary cafeteria in the main building and take them to the Kindercentre where they are distributed to the children. Each of the JK classes (AM, PM, Full day) and SK classes have different pick up times. Your teacher or home room parent will provide the timing necessary for the volunteers.Each Senior Kindergarten class is asked to provide three parent volunteers at each Fun Lunch to help with organizing and seating the children. Senior Kindergarten parent volunteers are asked check-in at the Kindercenter Office and then assemble outside of the Kindercentre lunchroom (multi purpose gym) at approx 11:30. Lunches are then picked up by a few of the parent volunteers. Upon returning to the Kindercentre, parents are asked to distribute the food into classes at specific tables. Students are assembled in their classrooms and are ready and waiting for lunch to begin at noon.
Tips for organizing the children at Fun Lunch
Grades 1 – 9 children who have ordered a Fun Lunch will obtain a meal ticket from their teacher before going to the cafeteria. They will obtain their meal in the cafeteria prior to going to their seat. Kindercentre children do not get meal tickets. Their meals are organized by the parent volunteers.
In the cafeteria, parent volunteers need to provide the children with the drink they have ordered and provide the treat/fruit that goes with the Fun Lunch ordered in the months that the cafeteria doesn’t provide it. Kindercentre volunteers need to provide all parts of the meal (main, drink, dessert).
We recommend preparing name cards for each child in advance of the Fun Lunch to help organize the children at the tables. Many of these can be reused every month. Some parents may like to prepare post it notes itemizing drinks to attach to the name cards, and these can be changed each month if needed (many children have the same drink each month). Children who have ordered a drink also get the Fun Lunch treat/fruit. In the Kindercentre, notes for the main meals will be needed as well. The names of all of the children in each class can be obtained from teachers.
Some parents have found it helpful to put the boys and girls down opposite sides of the tables (most tables are against a wall so the only way in and out of seats is at one end of the table). Many parents don’t know all of the children’s names in their class, so they can at least direct the children down the appropriate sides of the tables so children don’t have to go back and forth between tables looking for their seat.
In the past some parents have brought disposable table cloths, decorations and decorative meal items (paper plates, napkins, straws). Cleaning cloths will be available in the cafeteria to clean tables after the JH students and then Division 1 children are finished. We recommend against bringing decorative items as they can distract from getting the children organized quickly and can take away from the time the children have to eat.
Parent volunteers can go to the kitchen at 11:55 for Division 1 and 12:20 for Division 2 and ask for their class box. In the box will be the drinks for the children and the treat/fruit if applicable. Parent volunteers can then distribute these at the tables in advance of the children arriving. The cafeteria also has straws and napkins for each child.
When Fun Lunch is done, milk cartons, juice boxes and water bottles need to be emptied and put in recycling bins. Pails are next to the recycling bins for this purpose. Tables need to be cleaned off for the next group of children.
Parents, if you would like to volunteer your help at some of the Fun Lunches, please let your Home Room parent know when you are available. Fun Lunches are on the last Friday of each month.
We hope the Fun Lunches this year will be lots of fun for the children and nicely organized for the parents helping out.
Thank you!
The Fun Lunch Team
If you have questions or comments, please email us.
