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FOOD SERVICE

BY DON HARRIS
Brian Haenel Patti Bilbrey Jason Woods
Food Service Employees Deal with

Unprecedented Times to Feed Kids

Like a lot of AASBO members, most food service workers toiled are allowed to serve it. We’re doing our best to keep every person
through a torrid summer compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic working, and tying to find ways to shave some dollars here and
that closed school buildings. there.”
In a July 30 webinar presented by AASBO, food service directors He emphasized the need to order appropriate amounts of food and
from two Valley districts told of the challenges they faced and what milk so there will be no spoilage. The district looks for individually
to expect as the 2020-21 school year unfolds. The event, moderated wrapped food items that are shelf stable. “We’re keeping our
by Brian Haenel, Operations Manager/Contract Meal Service & inventory low and our waste low,” he said.
Special Projects, Scottsdale Unified School District, featured Patti
Bilbrey, Child Nutrition Director of SUSD, and Jason Woods, Child At Scottsdale, Bilbrey recommended serving breakfast and lunch
Nutrition Director of Buckeye Elementary School District. meals at the same time curbside. Regarding individually wrapped
items, she suggested doing that in-house to save money.
Amid the unprecedented times of meals being served curbside,
threats to the financial viability of some programs and families in “I tell people to get as creative as possible,” Bilbrey said. “Throw an
desperate need, Haenel asked about district plans for reopening and idea on the wall and see what sticks.”
what the primary method of food service will look like.
Haenel posed this question: “What are some things you think school
Woods said Buckeye will follow the governor’s guidelines and all business officials should be aware of regarding food service in the
students would have the option of learning virtually. Meals will COVID 19 environment?”
be provided as a drive-through service at all of the district’s seven
schools, and in partnership with the Transportation Department three
pick-up sites will be located near schools and in walking distance for
many families, he said.

“We are making sure that we are serving as many meals as we can, so
we can maintain some sort of financial stability,” Woods said.

Bilbrey said Scottsdale would provide curbside meals at five of
the district’s 19 schools and that cafeterias would be open while
maintaining social distancing.

The two food directors were asked if they are anticipating financial
losses in their Nutrition Department as a result of COVID-19.

Bilbrey said she expected a loss of $700,000 to $900,000 for March
through June, but greater reimbursements for summer meals helped
the bottom line. The summer food service program operated seven
days a week and allows any child under 18 to receive a free meal, she
said. Under the national school lunch program during regular school
days, only enrolled students are eligible. Bilbrey said the Food Service Department should not be a liability
to the district, it should be an asset. She strongly urged Food Service
Woods confirmed that after the shutdown Buckeye received directors to communicate with the Business Office. “Let them know
significantly more money for each meal served. “I assume that we we’ve struggled,” she said. “And if the Business Office is not hearing
will see some financial losses because we won’t be serving as many from the Food Service Director, they should reach out, because
students,” he said. “We won’t be able to get all of those kids into our they may not know what they may not know. It’s a pretty volatile
cafeteria like we used to.” environment for all of us. The two departments need to talk to one
another more than ever.”
Asked what strategies they will be using to reduce any financial
losses, Woods said Buckeye was doing everything possible to reach She added that doing inventories at the beginning and end of the
every student, including those who qualify for reduced-price meals. school year is not good enough. “Do monthly inventories,” she said.
“We’re getting out to neighborhoods where we know those kids are,” Woods noted: “Until now, we’ve had a captive audience. We had
Woods said. “We know what we’re allowed to serve and how we students in our schools who really had a very limited choice in what
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