MANSFIELD — Michelle Dials rolled the old TV cart down the hallway.
Two of her eighth grade students followed, one wearing plastic gloves and the other carrying a money pouch. Boxes of donuts, styrofoam cups and little tins of creamer and sugar packets filled the shelves.
Dials is an intervention specialist and the advisor for the Rolling Bean, a coffee cart that delivers donuts and fresh coffee, hot chocolate and tea every Friday to teachers at Mansfield Middle School.
“He wants a chocolate donut — the round cake donut,” Dials said, handing a paper plate to Kaitlynn Champion and placing the tasty treat inside.
She turned to James Wilson, who was waiting to knock on a teacher’s door.
“We have a coffee and a donut. How much does he owe?” Dials asked.
Wilson did some quick mental math.
“Three dollars,” he responded.
Dials founded the Rolling Bean earlier this month as a practical way for students in the school’s resource room to practice their manners, social skills, math and money-handling ability.
Dials said students enjoy getting to walk around the building and interact with others. Students take turns manning the cart each week during first period, with one student handling food and the other handling money.
The chance to staff The Rolling Bean is an educational opportunity, but also an incentive to do their best in the classroom.
“They have to earn it,” Dials said. “They have to do good in class. They have to have good attendance. Their behavior has to be good.”
Staff members have to submit their drink and donut orders to Dials by Wednesday. Administrators at the school say staff now look forward to Friday mornings.
“They love interacting with the kids because a lot of times, they may not interact with those kids,” Principal Jason Douglas said.
Dials said multiple students have asked if they can also purchase sweets from the cart.
While The Rolling Bean won’t be accepting orders from students any time soon, Dials has thought of a way to get them involved.
The school will have a canned food drive in November for families in need. The winning class will get donuts on the house.
“It’s kind of like a win-win,” Dials said. “Who doesn’t want coffee and donuts on a Friday morning?”
