The Springfield City School District is celebrating the critical employees who make up the Food & Nutrition staff on what is nationally recognized as ‘School Lunch Hero’ Day.
The District’s Food & Nutrition Department went above and beyond to ensure this group of employees felt appreciated for the service they provide to students. Announcements were sent to several buildings to encourage students to thank cafeteria staff. Cafeteria staff were also gifted with signs, cards, a ‘Lunch Hero’ button to wear and yellow carnations. Outside of the District’s efforts, there were hand-written cards by students displayed on the windows of cafeteria kitchens.
The SCSD employs nearly 100 full and part time cafeteria staff who serve an average of 150,000 meals per month to students.
“These employees don’t just serve breakfast and lunch,” said SCSD Superintendent Dr. Bob Hill. “They build relationships every time our students come through their cafeteria. Each of them are essential to a positive school experience, and the District appreciates the effort that they put toward giving our students their best.”
Nationally, ‘School Lunch Hero’ Day was established in 2013 as a collaborative effort between the School Nutrition Association and Jarrett J. Krosoczka, who was the author of the Lunch Ladies series of graphic novels about a cafeteria professional who was also a crime-fighting spy.