McKim Middle school in Kimberley recently announced that students will no longer have access to microwaves or hot water for lunches after a significant increase in enrolment numbers.
McKim Principal Stacy Decosse explained that the increased enrolment numbers required a significant renovation, and the school no longer has the space or ability to provide microwave use as an option to parents.
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“There are safety and supervision considerations around microwave use but the main reason is there are too many students,” Decosse said in an email to the Bulletin. “We are not able to provide the number of microwaves or the supervision as would be necessary for this population of students; frankly, there would be too much waiting and it will cause a number of other issues.”
She adds that the same goes for the hot water dispenser, which was previously available to students.
“Last year we tried to accommodate parents who sent cup of soup or instant noodle lunches by supervising the use of the one coffee pot in the school kitchen with a hot water spout,” Decousse explained. “One hot water station is not sufficient for a school this large.
“Again, we are concerned with supervising boiling water and cannot have kettles in classrooms for lunch time use. We need our noon supervisors to be in classes supervising students and can no longer afford this option.”
Decosse asks parents to pack a conventional lunch for their students that does not require being heated at school.
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corey.bullock@kimberleybulletin.com
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