District Policy
3330 - Food Services (Purpose and General Policy)
Food Services Management Washington County School District - Adopted 12-11-84
1. Purpose:
1.1. School lunch employees perform a very important service. They should maintain a wholesome, cooperative attitude toward pupils, teachers, parents and administrators. They should keep in mind that they have a very important part to play in school public relations.
1.2. It would be recognized that the school lunch program is definitely an integral part of the total school educational program. Every employee should feel a definite responsibility toward all phases of the school program, which, of course, would include the school lunch program.
1.3. The objective and policy is to make lunches available to all children in the same manner as all other services are provided to children.
2. Policy:
2.1. All food services conducted under the jurisdiction of the above named District, private school, institution or other eligible agency, will meet the established minimum nutritional requirements for varying types of meals, which meals will be offered to all children. The established price will be
2.2. The minimum made possible through existing federal and state subsidies and by using a maximum of these foods consistent with good management and menu planning.
2.3. Meals will be served at reduced cost or without cost to children who are determined by local authorities to be unable to pay full cost.
2.3.1. The application process for free and reduced priced meals can be expedited for students experiencing homelessness. Schools that have determined a student is homeless and is eligible for subsidized meals may make this determination without completing the full application process. (3-21-06)
2.4. No physical segregation of or other discrimination against any child shall be made because of his inability to pay.
2.5. School Lunch Charges (Approved 8-79) - The school lunch program is to be operated on a cash basis. Therefore, employees and students shall not charge their lunches. If there are extenuating circumstances, students should be sent to the principal's office.
3. Procedure:
3.1. The Rules and Regulations Governing School Lunch Program
3.1.1. The responsibility for directing the school lunch program in the Washington County School District rests with the District Business Administrator. The District Business Administrator is assisted in this assignment by the District supervisor of the school lunch program.
3.1.2. All matters pertaining to school lunch management within a given school are the responsibility of the principal of that school. The District school lunch supervisor works with the principal in coordinating and directing the lunch program in each school.
3.1.3. Food service workers are required to have a current Food Service Personnel Permit issued by the Utah Health Department.
3.1.4. All work incident to banquets or luncheons for school or community groups, shall be properly compensated for by the group being served. Such compensation shall be in addition to the regular salary paid lunch employees. All payments for use of lunch facilities shall be made to the principal of the school. Payments to employees for services rendered must be paid by check from the District office. School lunch kitchens shall not be used by other groups unless a school lunch employee is present to supervise the use of the facility.
3.1.5. It shall be the duty of the school lunch personnel to do all cleaning necessary to the operation of the kitchen. They shall wipe up all spillage which occurs in the dining room and shall keep tables and benches in a clean condition. The sweeping, mopping and other necessary cleaning of the dining room floor shall be the duty of the custodian.
3.1.6. School personnel are strictly prohibited from taking from the school, any food, leftovers or garbage.
3.1.7. Any adult school personnel or any visitor at the school whose interest is in the school program, may eat lunch and pay the regular adult charge.
3.1.8. Any salesman or other person having business with the school should not pay any less than the amount of an adult meal.
3.1.9. School lunch tickets shall be sold on a weekly basis. Only in extreme cases of emergency should daily tickets be sold. Refunds or a credit on the next week's lunch ticket will be given when a student is absent from school provided the parent notifies the school prior to the time that food preparation has taken place.
3.1.10. The price of lunch tickets shall be determined by the Washington County Board of Education.
3.2 School Lunch Program Restructured (Approved 6-11-91)
3.2.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT: Over the last several years the Board of Education has had a goal to have a quality/cost effective school lunch program. Many different concepts have been implemented during this period of time, with the most recent being a contract with a private contractor for school lunch management services. During this period of time, lunch participation has increased by 30%. However, because of the economic factors of reduced federal and state subsidies to the program, along with increasing costs, it has been determined that dramatic changes are needed in the program in order for it to continue. Increased participation alone is not the answer. It has to be coupled with cost containment and efficiency measures.
3.2.2 GOAL: Based upon the fact that by state definition, the school lunch program is to be operated on an enterprise fund basis, meaning that the revenue is to at least equal the expenses; therefore, the goal is to operate the highest possible quality program on a cost effective basis.
3.2.3 KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM: (To begin July 1, 1991)
3.2.3.1 SITE-BASED MANAGEMENT: The school lunch program in each school is to operate under the direction of a school level council with representation of the principal [chairman](or his/her designee), teachers, parents, lunch workers and students (on the secondary school level). When it is deemed appropriate, multi schools should combine into a council where the same cooking kitchen is serving the schools. The determination as to whether or not a school lunch program is provided in the school(s) will be up to the school meeting the above-mentioned goal. Site-based management, like most new programs, does not bring results overnight; therefore, all involved need to be careful of the "nay sayers" and give it time to succeed.
3.2.3.2 PROGRAM COORDINATION: The program will be coordinated on a District basis by a coordinator who has training, expertise and successful experience in the following areas: management, finance, purchasing, personnel, marketing and the food industry. The District coordinator is to see that the program is operated in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, and School District policies, unless a written waiver is received from the appropriate authority. The coordinator is to see that the necessary training, coordinating, accountability and support is given to enable the program goal to be achieved.
3.2.4 STANDARDS FOR THE PROGRAM:
3.2.4.1 MEALS PER WORKER HOUR: The number of meals served and the meals per worker hour should be established and monitored on a monthly basis so that the goal is achieved.
3.1.4.2 PRICE PER MEAL: The meal prices should be carefully monitored and modified as needed. Set the paid meal price at the total cost of the meal.
3.2.4.3 OVERHEAD COST: An overhead cost for each meal is to be assessed annually for overall District support of the program (coordinator, secretarial help, benefits, delivery, program supplies and other related costs).
3.2.4.4 CONSOLIDATION OF COOKING KITCHENS: Each cooking kitchen is to have a manager, with a base crew of regular employees (to be reached by attrition of current employees) with a supplemental crew of part-time employees that are dropped or added commensurate with the count of meals in that kitchen. Cooking kitchens are to be consolidated to the maximum possible.
3.2.4.5 JOB DESCRIPTION PHILOSOPHY CHANGE: If it is needed to meet the goal, the job description of food workers will be changed from preparer of food to the dispenser of food. The program is to move toward all preprocessed food products. When the District gets USDA commodities, they are to be made into fast food types of products as much as possible, such as:
3.2.4.5.1 Chicken into patties and nuggets;
3.2.4.5.2 Pork into sandwich meats and other types of patties and finger steaks;
3.2.4.5.3 Send flour to baker vendor to use in the frozen baked goods the District purchases, and
3.2.4.5.4 Buy all baked goods ready-made and frozen.
3.2.4.6 MONTHLY PARTICIPATION AND FINANCIAL REPORT: A monthly report of the program is to be provided to each school council, to evaluate and make the necessary modifications in the program to meet the goal.
3.2.4.7 STANDARDIZED MENU: A limited number of standardized menus are to be used to allow benefits of volume bidding and purchasing on a District basis.
3.2.4.8 PORTIONS: Must not exceed USDA guidelines.
3.2.5 CONCEPTS FOR PROGRAM CONSIDERATION:
3.2.5.1 SALAD BARS: Implement as appropriate, feature low calorie items.
3.2.5.2 ALA CARTE BARS: Implement as appropriate with typical fast food items (no subsidy for these programs).
3.2.5.3 AESTHETICS IN LUNCH ROOM: Do things to "make it the place to be" for lunch and to associate with friends.
3.2.5.4 LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS: Don't have more than is needed.
3.2.5.5 OPTIMIZE STUDENT LABOR: Don't have more than is needed.
3.2.5.6 MULTI LUNCH PERIODS: Use this concept where more space is needed. Some schools in the state are operating successfully with four.