On Wednesday mornings in Mrs. Gates' room, it's normal to see students and resource staff congregating in the kitchen, the distinctive hush accompanying attentiveness in the air.
"Once we get into the prep, things move pretty fast, and everyone is really concentrating on getting the orders prepared and served promptly." Mrs. Gates says.
"The Breakfast Club", as it has come to be known, is a part of Mrs. Gates' high school Life Skills class and teaches cooking, budgeting, food safety, and meal prep. A weekly menu is available to staff for pre-order, and all funds go back into the program.
"It's been such a positive thing, all around, I think," Mrs Gates says, "the students really soak in the cooking lessons, and they end up feeling really confident, and competent in their ability to prepare their own food. And the staff love it, it's really a through line of connection through the entire district, and sheds some light on some of the exciting things we're doing in the resource room."
Mrs. Gates' Breakfast Club has been operating over the last three years, and with its popularity among students and staff, seems poised to continue well into the future.