Date: Fri 06-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-food-cafeteria

Full Text:

Food Service In The Schools Rebounds From Criticism

(with photos)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Hawley students said that their cafeteria food was cold.

Forty-two percent of the middle school students said that the cafeteria staff

were not helpful.

At the high school, 33 percent of the students reported that they did not like

the food served in the lunch room.

That was five months ago, when the Gordon Black Survey was given to all the

staff, students and parents in the Newtown school district.

Today, it seems most of those complaints have been dealt with. New Food

Service Director Karen Cook, hired last September, said that things are much

better.

The sampling of students and teachers, questioned informally, agree.

Jessica Blauvelt, freshman, commented that the high school started having a

lot more choices since last October and November [when the survey was done].

What one student disliked, others loved, but overall the comments were

positive.

Jessica Boorman, freshman at the high school, said that sometimes the fries

are cold and too salty.

Jacky Melycher, across the table, piped in, "I like them that way!"

Kim Rosenthal, arriving at the table with her chicken nuggets and fries, said,

"Their fries kick! Very cool."

She said they also have great homemade pizza.

Kim was not always satisfied with the freshness of the food last year.

She said that back in 1996 at Newtown Middle School, she remembers that "I got

my milk and it said September 25 [on the `best before' date stamp] and it was

in October."

Newtown Middle School

On the Gordon Black Survey, 42 percent of the middle school students reported

that the cafeteria staff were not helpful.

Mrs Cook restaffed the middle school cafeteria at the beginning of the year,

including a new manager.

According to Mrs Cook, Lenore Carloni, the new manager, is doing a tremendous

job.

Ms Carloni has expanded on the student menu to include homemade soups, bagels,

cereals, fresh-popped popcorn (every Friday) and a new line of snack foods in

response to student and staff suggestions.

Teachers and students alike seem to approve of the way they are being served

now.

Chester Washburn, English teacher, said, "The kitchen staff is the best. They

are courteous, responsive and always have been that way."

About the food, he said, "It was always good, but now it's even better. I love

it, absolutely love it!"

Mr Washburn was helping himself to a stir fry at the new teachers' buffet as

he spoke. The teachers' buffet gives teachers wider menu choices two days a

week.

Mrs Cook said that "our primary concern will always be the students but at

Marriott, we consider everyone a customer."

Elementary

Mrs Cook admitted that there was a problem keeping food warm at Hawley School,

but she said that the use of new thermal carts, started last September, has

made a big difference.

(Hawley School lacks a kitchen so the food is prepared at the middle school

and sent over to Hawley.)

Participation rates at Hawley have climbed, according to Mrs Cook, and they

have not had complaints of cold food since the thermal cart system was put in

place.

March is nutrition month and Mrs Cook is planning to promote nutritious snacks

with an activity in all the public elementary schools.

She will have "lucky tray days" every Wednesday.

Those children who find a lucky sticker under their tray will get free snack

coupons and enter a drawing for a fruit and nutritious snack basket at the end

of the month.

She said, "We did it in Hamden, and it went over really well."