Board proclaims National School Breakfast Week and CACFP Week; recognizes national school-counselor award and Arts Education Month

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama State Board of Education unanimously adopted two resolutions March 14 recognizing March as National School Breakfast Week and declaring March 16, 2024, as Child and Adult Care Food Program Week in Alabama.

Both proclamations were approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The items were presented early in the meeting as part of the board's routine resolutions.

Later in the meeting the board recognized Dr. Dana Virgil of Daleville High School, who the department said was named National School Counselor of the Year. Dr. Virgil spoke briefly and thanked the board, her principal Howard Akers and superintendent Joshua Robertson, and said she was grateful to represent Daleville City Schools and the state. "I am so blessed to be able to represent not only Daleville City Schools with Daleville High School, but the great state of Alabama," Virgil said.

Board staff also noted March as Arts Education Month and mentioned a series of student visual-arts recognitions and upcoming musical performances at the department offices during the month, including a performance at 11:10 a.m. on the meeting day.

Why it matters: Proclamations and recognitions signal priorities and highlight school nutrition initiatives, counseling and arts education; they do not create policy or funding changes but serve to acknowledge programs and achievements.

Each recognition and proclamation passed by unanimous voice vote as part of the meeting's consent or routine-resolutions section.