Hoping to provide nutritious meals to Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 students that they will eat rather than throw them in the garbage, the Board of Education dumped its vendor of the past three years, replacing it with a provider that officials hope will meet the youngsters’ needs.
When board member Christine Lensing learned students were getting sweet rolls and Pop-Tarts for breakfast and a majority of the food served was going in the garbage, she began to push for a change of vendors. She said hungry students will not learn as well as they could.
“My goal is our students are going to eat the food so they have full bellies so they can actually access our education we’re trying to provide them on a daily basis,” she said. “If they’re hungry, they’re not going to do it. And, if they’re not eating their food, they’re going to be hungry.”
The District 60 Board of Education unanimously approved a contract with OrganicLife on July 14 at the Education Service Center in Waukegan to provide elementary, middle and high school students with free breakfast and lunch daily.
Initially agreeing to a one-year contract for $8 million, the pact provides for four one-year extensions. Board member Anita Hanna had concerns about the price. Gwen Polk, the district’s associate superintendent for business and financial services, said it is appropriate.
“It’s comparable,” Polk said. “Some years it’s $10 million. It all depends, but $8 million is not out of the ordinary for one year. We get food service reimbursement so the school district is not paying that entire cost.”
Board Member Carolina Fabian said the previous vendor did not provide all of what it initially promised, which prompted the board to seek a new provider late in the last school year. She said a plan to monitor performance is essential.
“I would like to see there is a plan for consistent and continued evaluation of this food service program early on so if we need to change we’re able to do so in a timely manner so we’re not at this crunch again,” Fabian said.
An evaluation plan is in place. LeBaron Moten, the district’s deputy superintendent for operational supports and programs, said in an email Friday the contract contains provisions for the necessary oversight.
“District staff will meet regularly with OrganicLife’s management team to review operations, address any concerns and ensure the company is delivering on the commitments outlined in its proposal and contract,” Moten said.
Moten also said OrganicLife will conduct student surveys to learn which meals are popular and which are not. These will start early in the school year. The district also has information it gleaned last school year about student and parent ideas for the menu.
“Student and family feedback has emphasized the importance of greater menu variety, culturally responsive meal options and choices that accommodate dietary needs,” he said. “The district works collaboratively with our service provider to develop menus that reflect those priorities.”
Food desired by the school community, which OrganicLife agrees to provide, may not make the menu. Alicia Williams, manager of transportation and child nutrition, said there is a caveat. All menus are submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and must be approved there.
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“We submit all menus to ISBE for approval so they see all the menus,” Williams said. “They have specific guidelines every vendor must follow.”
Williams said OrganicLife’s menu is more “food-driven” than the previous provider. The company uses surveys, and student feedback is part of the procedure. All school food providers must follow the same federal guidelines, so the food and ingredients will be comparable.
Along with selecting a new food service vendor, the board unanimously approved the sale of the former Welcome Center at 742 Greenwood Avenue, disposing of a building the district no longer uses for an inflow of cash.
With the Welcome Center now located in the Education Service Center in downtown Waukegan, there was no longer a need to keep the building on Greenwood. Moten said the district will net approximately $572,000 for the structure and a parking lot across the street.