Four more Wimmera schools will offer their students healthy breakfast and lunch options by next year, as the state government expands its School Breakfast Clubs Program.
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Ararat West Primary, Ararat College, Dimboola Memorial Secondary and Horsham College are among 500 schools statewide that will be included in the $58 million expansion announced on Thursday.
The program, which started in 2016, offers students muesli, cereal, milk, baked beans, fruit cups, fresh fruit, toast and lunch bowls.
Dimboola Memorial Secondary College principal Anne Gawith said her school would have no trouble accommodating the project, having independently run a breakfast club a number of years ago.
"The interest in that waned over time but we think we have sufficient interest from staff and students now that it will work well," she said.
"The research is fairly clear that if the body is not healthy and not given adequate nutrition it impacts on learning."
Ms Gawith said families in the school's community would be especially grateful for another aspect of the program, which involves schools providing school holiday food supplies to students who need them.
"We've got 20 families who will benefit from hampers of fresh produce, and the parcels will arrive all packaged up," she said.
"When the need is established in consultation with other stakeholders, we'll determine our list and decide whether we have a time and place to distribute them or they come to us and grab the supplies."
Ms Gawith has been principal of Dimboola Memorial Secondary College for five years, and involved in education in the region for 25. She said in that time she had seen the need for meal support grow.
"I think changes in society are reflected in schools - one doesn't cause the other," she said.
"Children going to school without meals comes about as a combination of quite a few different issues - some of our kids struggle to come to school on time let alone have breakfast. I think schools are well-positioned to deliver these services."
The government also announced schools already involved in the program would start serving lunches and providing holiday supplies in term 3, which is taking place now.
This includes Murtoa College, Stawell and Stawell West primary schools, Warracknabeal Primary and Special Development schools, Edenhope College and Horsham Primary and Special schools.
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