Submitted article
One of the most thankless jobs in education is that of a food service specialist. From students complaining about menu choices to constantly changing state and federal regulations, these individuals are unsung heroes in the education world. For their tireless efforts, the Bucyrus Food Services staff each received a commendation during the regular Board of Education meeting April 25.
Over the past two years, the staff has worked diligently to learn and implement new guidelines for the Healthy Hunger-Free Kid Act.
“Learning and implementing those guidelines was a major challenge for the entire department,” Food Services Manager Lorie Pennington said. “They have done a terrific job making sure we are in compliance with not only the federal guidelines, but also the health code regulations, leading to our department’s receipt of Double Gold on the Sodexo Food and Safety Audit.”
The staff participated in monthly professional development training activities, allowing them to answer questions posed during the audit. The audit requires that staff be able to answer questions to show they completed required trainings.
“The Sodexo Food and Safety Audit is important because it shows the students, staff, administration and community that we are following the health codes and federal regulations,” Pennington said. “This is audit is much more rigid than the local health inspection because it shows that our staff is knowledgeable and well-trained on food safety and physical safety topics.”
“This is an important group of staff members in our district that deserves to be recognized and commended for their hard work and dedication to our students’ healthy dietary needs,” Superintendent Kimmel said. “Mrs. Pennington was out of the district during the audit, and her staff did a tremendous job ensuring their department received the best ratings possible. I’m extremely proud of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice to help feed the students in our district.”