MARLBORO — Birthday parties in Marlboro K-8 School District classrooms may be a bit less sweet in the 2012-13 school year.
The second reading of a regulation that will ban foods from birthday celebrations in the district’s schools is set to take place in August. The board held the first reading at its July 17 meeting.
The district “strongly supports and encourages the recognition of a child’s birthday during the school day,” the regulation reads. “…However, while there are many wonderful and creative ways to celebrate a child’s birthday in school, birthday celebrations shall not include food treats.”
Reasons for the end of the practice include the prevalence of food allergies, the possibility of additional instruction time in the classroom, and a “conflict with healthy eating messages taught in health and physical education classes,” according to the document.
The regulation also prohibits the distribution of gifts and goodie bags during such festivities. Balloons and similar decorations will no longer be permitted as well.
Some alternate means suggested by the district to celebrate student birthdays include a visit from the school’s principal, a birthday crown or card created by the class, and the donation of a book to the library, along with several other recommendations.
A report compiled by district administrators showed that many parents, parentteacher organization members and staff members did not find the new regulation to be detrimental to children’s in-school birthday parties.
Several nearby K-8 school districts have implemented similar policies, according to the report. One neighboring district allows food for birthday celebrations if the product meets strict health guidelines.
The regulation would apply to the Marlboro Early Learning Center and the district’s five elementary schools. Student birthdays are not celebrated in either of the district’s middle schools.
In other news at the July 17 meeting, the board took action to provide a number of district teachers with training in Google Docs, an online office and storage service.
About 75 educators will take part in the eight-hour training initiative before the start of the 2012-13 school year.
Participants will receive a total of $300 for the effort, at a training rate of $37.50 per hour, according to the resolution. The funding for the initiative is provided by Title IIA.
“I think the training with Google Docs (documents) is a fantastic idea,” board member Cynthia Green said. “I think it will work really well. I’ve seen it from friends who do it in their districts.”
Green said she was disappointed that only one teacher from the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School is scheduled to receive training for the application.
District administrators are aware of that situation and are “working on changing that,” Superintendent of Schools David Abbott said.