Chartwells staff preview new menus, report hundreds of thousands of meals served

Chartwells, the district’s food‑service vendor, presented a behind‑the‑scenes overview of kitchen operations, training, menu innovations and participation gains at the Dec. 18 board meeting.

Area director Tenera Winters and in‑house director Lisa Bishop said the company negotiated higher wages for food‑service employees, provided staff ServSafe training and introduced student‑choice lines such as a 'SoDeli' sandwich line and fresh‑made pizzas at middle and high schools. Presenters said the district has served well over 200,000 lunches and more than 150,000 breakfasts since the start of the school year.

Chartwells described steps to expand student choice (three options in high school, seven in middle school and three in elementary schools), menu demonstrations and plans to transition meal counts to Skyward. Trustees sampled food at the meeting and asked questions about menu variety and preparation; staff explained pizzas are prepared from premade crusts and finished on‑site with fresh sauces and toppings.

Chartwells staff said further initiatives will include Discovery Kitchen demos, expanded student choice pilot programs and spring audit preparation. The vendor framed the partnership as immediately operational and said most short‑term costs are covered under existing contract terms.