Andrew Wilson Charter "Breakfast Club" building better student outcomes

(Wilson Charter students Amyriel Thibodeaux and Jala Anderson enjoy breakfast in the classroom where the school is using the time to improve academic results and school improvement.)

When Andrew Wilson Charter Principal Logan Crowe got a “D” from the Louisiana Department of Education on the school’s “report card” last year, he figured he had to do something different. So he started a breakfast club.

“Nearly all our students qualify for free breakfast anyway, so our school leadership team decided to move that time into the classroom and make breakfast an integral part of the school day,” said Principal Crowe.

The idea came from faculty training with The Center for Restorative Approaches, where the concept of “community circles” was discussed as a way for students to build cooperation, communication and interaction skills.

The school’s teachers wanted to grab every moment to help students better understand their subjects and provide a unique way to better reach Wilson’s young minds, said Principal Wilson So, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, every morning students began being served and eating breakfast in their classroom to reach a goal of bell-to-bell instruction, said Principal Crowe.

“Our goal was to seek academic improvements, but we found we’re actually building a more positive school community. Eating in the classroom has created a family-style environment for our students, allowing them to get to know each other and their teachers better,” said Principal Crowe.

Following breakfast, the students engage in community circles with their fellow classmates and teachers, and once the bell rings, they are roaring and ready for class, said Assistant Principal Ronicka Briscoe.  “The camaraderie being built with our students and teachers is truly enriching our school,” said Ms. Briscoe.

(Wilson Charter students Shamar Davis, Andrew Allen, Ortez Carruth, Antoine Wilkerson, Albert Brown, and Erielle Rowe enjoy breakfast and get ready prepare for their morning classes.)

Compare Wilson to other schools in Orleans Parish at these sites: http://www.charterdiscovery.com/schools/detail/62/Andrew-H.-Wilson-Charter-School or http://www.laschoolfinder.com/schools/detail/62/Andrew-H.-Wilson-Charter-School  

The mission of Andrew H. Wilson Charter School and the Broadmoor Charter School Board is LEARNING. We will inspire and guide every child everyday by providing excellent educational opportunities so that all may achieve academic and personal growth and exceed their expectations in life. Wilson is an open-admissions, Recovery School District charter school and member of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools. Find out more at www.wilsoncharterschool.org