Lunchtime Attendance Line: 403-817-3330
It is important that you call the lunchtime program attendance line if your child is absent.
Lunch Supervision
The Calgary Board of Education provides students with the option to stay at school for lunch. Lunch Supervision is offered to all students in Grades 1- 6 and in our full-day kindergarten programs for an annual fee. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for information.
Students in Grades 7-9 are permitted to leave the school campus over the lunch hour, however it is important to note that our lunch hour is only 40 minutes in length. This is a very short time to get to the various stores and restaurants in the community. Students who chronically return late will lose the privilege to leave campus during lunch. We would appreciate families having this conversation with their students ahead of time to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Attendance is taken in all class periods and late entries will be recorded in MyCBE for families to monitor.
Students in Grades 5-6 are not permitted to leave the school campus over the lunch hour, unless they have a waiver signed that allows them to go home for lunch. In the absence of this waiver, students will be supervised by lunchroom supervisors inside for the first half of lunch and outside for the second half of lunch, at a mandatory cost of $30 per month. Students will get a physical copy of Lunchroom Waiver Grade 5-6 to sign on Thursday as well.
Eating Expectations
- Remain seated for safety purposes
- Use appropriate table manners
- Clean up after yourself
- Wait to be dismissed
Attendance is taken in the lunchroom everyday so it is very important to notify the school if the student is not staying for lunch.
Students are required to stay in the lunch areas until 12:35 PM unless other arrangements have been made with teacher supervisors for clubs and intramurals.
Grade 7, 8 and 9 are at liberty to leave school provided they return in time for classes. Students who choose to eat lunch at school and remain at school will be supervised.
Allergies
We are Allergy Aware and students with allergies have the opportunity to eat at a separate table inside each lunchroom. Parents must indicate any special health concerns on the school registration for their child and are encouraged to ensure classroom teachers are also aware of health issues. For more information about this and other health concerns visit our Illness & Medical page.
Fun Lunches
Periodically, the Grade 8/9 CTF Business class organizes and provides varying lunch opportunities for the school. This is outside of what is normally provided by our in-house Servery. Items in the past have included wraps, salads and snacks. Whenever possible, efforts are made to respect various culture's dietary restrictions.
Healthy Hunger
For the 2025-26 school year, Ted Harrison School is thrilled to offer 13 different Healthy Hunger fun lunch or fun snack options!
Healthy Hunger is fundraiser for students to order snacks and/or lunch from local restaurants and have it delivered to them at lunch hour. A percentage of the proceeds for Healthy Hunger will go to Ted Harrison School.
See our Calendar for the Fun Lunch dates and options.
Parents can make an account and pre-order all lunches directly online at www.healthyhunger.ca
***All orders must be placed by the Friday prior to each fun snack or fun lunch***
Home-Packed Lunch Tips for Parents
Lunch is an important part of your child’s day at school. Here are some tips to help you provide a lunch that is safe and nutritious with less waste.
Food Safety
- Keep cold food cold by using an insulated lunch bag and 1-2 ice packs.
- Keep hot food hot by using an insulated container. Preheat your container with boiling water before adding hot food. Microwave ovens are not available for elementary students.
- Pack non-perishables, such as granola bars and whole fruit, that can be kept at room temperature.
- Most CBE schools are nut-aware, please check with your child’s teacher for more information on nut allergies and other allergies in your child’s classroom.
Help Reduce Waste
- Bring a reusable water bottle.
- Pack just enough for a child to eat during lunch.
- Many schools participate in “boomerang lunches” (pack in/pack out), where all leftover items are returned home.
Tip: Pack a sealable bag or container labeled ‘garbage’ for uneaten food or open containers to avoid mess in the lunch bag.
In 2024, ten CBE schools participated in a waste audit conducted by Green Calgary. Here are a few suggestions from the audit to help minimize waste produced by packed lunches:
- Send less selections of food. Younger children have difficulty deciding what to eat when there is a lot of choice and sometimes end up not eating.
- When possible, use reusable containers for foods such as crackers and cut up fruits or vegetables.
Other Tips
- Make sure your child can open all packages by themselves.
- Involve your child in packing their lunch. Children involved in food preparation may be more likely to try new foods and eat what is packed, minimizing food waste.
- Aim to include a food from each food group – lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables should be eaten daily (as per Canada’s Food Guide 2019).
- Some items, such as sandwiches, can be made ahead and frozen to save time. Note that some fillings such as fresh vegetables do not freeze well.
- Designate a shelf in the fridge/pantry at home for lunch items. This may help make packing lunches quicker and encourage independence for children packing their own lunches.
References