Canwood Community School

As the ten o’clock bell rings at Canwood Community School in Saskatchewan, students and staff are given an energy boost with a nutritious and delicious homemade snack - prepared each day by their Nutrition worker or sometimes by a small group of students and community volunteers from their “Baking Buddies” program.

“Students learn better when they are well-nourished – that is part of our school philosophy,” says Diane Johnson, Program Coordinator. “It is our job as a community school to try to remove barriers that affect a child’s learning abilities. Providing a daily snack program to all of our students removes one of the obstacles they may face during the school day, and enables them to reach their full potential.”

Located in a small rural community, the Canwood Community School serves over 160 students, with approximately 20% of the student population being from aboriginal and Métis decent. The Snack Program, founded in 2001, has made a positive impact on the way students work, learn and play.  Teachers have found children make healthier eating choices, are in higher spirits and more alert in class, and detention rates at the school have dropped.

“Some kids come to school in the morning and you know they have not eaten,” says Canwood Community School’s Kindergarten and Grade 1/2 teacher.  “Some people may think that we don’t have those kids in our school but we do and they are extremely happy when it is snack time.”

The Canwood Community School Snack Program is dedicated to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive and the school is committed to providing the proper nutrition they need to learn. A nutrition worker helps with the menu-planning and preparation of a variety of healthy food items - homemade soup and muffins, servings of cheese and crackers, oatmeal, or fruit and vegetables – and parents, volunteers, local businesses and the local radio station all pitch in to help ensure the program’s success.  In addition, the Canwood Community School Snack Program has successfully completed Breakfast for Learning’s Keys to Success quality standards program – ensuring the best in student nutrition programming.

“Before the snack program began, it was only the fortunate ones who had a healthy extra in their lunch to snack on,” says Canwood Community School’s Grade 3/4 teacher. “Now everyone is on an equal basis.  After my students have had a snack they are settled down and ready to work, ready to listen, their tummies are full and they are ready to pay attention.”