#Snowmagedon and Always Putting Students First

#Snowmagedon and Always Putting Students First

When Jes Eldridge, principal of Battle Creek Montessori Academy in Michigan, learned that some of her students wouldn’t eat during the back-to-back snow days because of #snowmagedon, she and a few of her staff did something about it!

“All of the students at Battle Creek Montessori depend on the free breakfast and lunch,” Eldridge said. “We were hesitant to close the school because we didn’t want our students to go hungry.”

Early in Eldridge’s career, her former boss shared with her that snow days mean kids go hungry. She never wanted that for her students, especially now that she is the principal serving nearly 200 kids.

Eldridge, teacher Natasha Northcutt, bus driver Samantha Salyers and a volunteer parent went and delivered food the school had prepared to 16 different bus stops, as well as more than a dozen students’ homes who needed it the most.  

“My favorite part about it was the expressions and comments from the students who saw my face when they opened the door,” Eldridge said. “Most were excited and some even said this is my worst nightmare, jokingly, of course!”

From fruit to string cheese and crackers, students were able to collect enough food to eat the whole week.

“They loved it,” said a mother of a BCMA student. “They thought it was so neat just to see the school bus pulled out of in front of our house. They absolutely love the kids. It’s like a big family at the school.”

This is just another example of how Battle Creek Montessori Academy puts the needs of students first.

Check out the Battle Creek Enquirer’s story here.

View the photos here.