NACOGDOCHES, Texas — On Wednesday, Mike Moses Elementary in Nacogdoches ISD welcomed kids in the door for the first day back to school.
This district is also helping families by providing free breakfast and lunch to all students. School administrators said this program is not only benefiting families, but also helping students succeed in the classroom.
"It is the basics of caring for our children in our community, and we should always provide that for them, because it's essential," Dana Solomon, principal of Mike Moses Elementary, said.
Mike Moses Elementary is school with over 500 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Solomon said they are taking care of students' meals so they can focus on learning.
"When children are fed and and nourished, they're more able to learn," Solomon said. "They can focus on academics, the social part of things. When you're hungry, it's so hard for you to feel well and whole."
But in order to succeed, students need the right nutrition.
"Learning is a big component of it," said Gabriel Trujillo, superintendent of Nacogdoches ISD. "A child, no matter what age they are, you give them a good, balanced meal, and they will turn on their brains. They'll be able to provide and commit themselves to the full day."
Aside from free lunch and breakfast, Nacogdoches ISD pre-kindergartners are offered home-cooked meals with a family setting to help students build communication skills when at the dinner table with mom and dad.
"Pre-K is a wonderful start for our students to really experience what it’s like to have a conversation at the table," Trujillo said. "It’s about the meal, but it’s also about the relationship you have with each other, the pieces of conversation and how you act at the table when enjoying a meal."
Nacogdoches ISD officials say a good diet is the key to a kid finding success inside and outside of the classroom. The staff said providing free meals will only benefit them in the long run and help the district see more greatness coming out of Nacogdoches ISD.
"Our students deserve every single thing we can give them to make their lives better," Solomon said. "So without good food to eat, there's really not a whole lot that we can expect of our kiddos."