School District Dogged By Food Service Concerns

By Larissa Lytwyn

Nearly two months since initial concerns were raised over Chartwells, the school district’s new food service, problems have continued, according to some students, parents, and cafeteria personnel.

Following complaints made at the September 21 Board of Education meeting by several cafeteria workers that certain members of Chartwells’ management were behaving disrespectfully toward them, as well as toward students, Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff and Business Director Ron Bienkowski met with division president Keith T. Cullinan, a Newtown resident.

In addition, concern was expressed over some of Chartwells’ higher food costs.

At the board’s October 5 meeting, Dr Pitkoff discussed the results of his meeting with Mr Cullinan.

According to Dr Pitkoff, Mr Cullinan had said he wanted to ensure that Chartwells would have a successful relationship with Newtown schools, particularly considering that Newtown was his hometown.

The superintendent gave Mr Cullinan a 30-day period to implement improvements in “human relations” management as well as price reductions that would allow students the same choices at the same or lower prices that they had last year under Sodexho.

At the board’s next meeting, October 19, the board received a chart that compared menu pricing between Chartwells and predecessor Sodexho.

Mr Bienkowski explained that the Chartwells contract did not contain language specifying food prices or the time frame in which food choices had to be priced.

“What the contract states is that Chartwells is to comply with the regulations [instituted] by the Board of Education,” he said. “The Board of Education simply wanted students to have the same prices as last year for the same choices, and now, that has been accomplished.”

While the revenue produced from the pricing primarily goes back to Chartwells’ management and operating costs, any surplus is given to the school district.

Under Sodexho, students could purchase a “premium” meal, which included an entrée, two sides, and milk, for $2.25. Individual items, such as a slice of pizza or hamburger, were $2.05.

Under Chartwells, however, this “premium” meal now costs $2.05. Individual items are $2.25.

Students and parents are upset that these individual items are now more expensive.

“But [the students] actually receive a discount if they buy the whole meal,” said Mr Bienkowski.

However, cafeteria workers have noted that students often throw food out from the whole meal.

Joan Piscitelli, a Newtown High School parent, said that the current plan, while conceptually appealing, was not working in practice.

“What if a student just wants [one] item, like a pack of fries?” she said. “Why should that cost more [than the meal]?”

At the school board’s last meeting on November 3, Dr Pitkoff said that Mr Cullinan is continuing touring the schools to evaluate current conditions.

Ms Piscitelli expressed frustration over this.

“How long are you going to push this thing out?” she asked the board. “On October 5, you said that we would have answers by X date, and we are still at that same place.”

Meanwhile, she said, students, particularly at the high school level, are complaining about a lack of food quantity, as well as high a la carte prices and lack of choices.

Students have raised issues during the high school’s monthly homeroom meetings, discussing high pricing, overcrowding, and food quality.

“How many more months are we going to be dealing with this?” Ms Piscitelli demanded.

Vice Chair Lisa Schwartz replied that things were “in progress.”