Linn R-2 discusses school lunch issues

By Neal A. Johnson, UD Editor
Posted 9/30/21

Linn R-2 board members at their Sept. 21 meeting discussed the reality of school lunches compared to what has been noted on social media.

What feedback has been offered — aside from one …

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Linn R-2 discusses school lunch issues

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Linn R-2 board members at their Sept. 21 meeting discussed the reality of school lunches compared to what has been noted on social media.

What feedback has been offered — aside from one person who contacted the school — has appeared on Facebook.

“It’s been very negative instead of calling me and addressing it,” said Food Service Director Kayla Schmitz of Fresh Ideas.

Board member Naomi Klouzek agreed. “I feel that some of that on Facebook, a lot of people take that as fact,” she said. “Kids are taking pictures of their lunch but it’s their lunch because they chose not to take all of the options. That’s not fair to the school when you’re posting that’s all you got when that’s not true. Those were not your only options.”

Superintendent Dena Smith explained that Linn R-2 participates in the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs, which allow schools to offer meals to students at a reduced rate because the meal costs are then supplemented through reimbursement from the federal government. 

In a typical year, these programs are also what allow R-2 the opportunity to offer free and reduced meals for families who qualify. 

These programs have also allowed all students to eat free meals during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.  

“The guidelines are pretty stringent,” said Smith.

One of the requirements relates to portion sizes, and Smith noted that schools must offer all five food components daily. A food component includes meats/meat alternates, grains, fruits, vegetables, and fluid milk.  Students must select three of the five components they are offered, at least half a cup of which is fruit or vegetable. 

“That’s why sometimes you see students come out with only two items because they chose to take two items plus a milk,” said Smith of high school lunches. “One of the things that’s hard for me to understand is a student could legitimately come out with green beans, a hot roll, and milk, and that meets the requirements.”

These requirements are the same regardless of whether a school handles its own food service or contracts it out.

Linn recently opted to contract its food service with Fresh Ideas, which also serves Helias Catholic High School.

“Helias doesn’t participate in the National School Lunch program,” said Smith.

Instead, the Jefferson City school charges for each item. Smith noted that last year, a hamburger ($2), fries ($1.75), fruit ($1.25), vegetable ($1), and milk (10 cents) would cost a student $6.10.

Linn students are offered that same meal for $1.95 at the elementary and $2.20 at the middle/high school, though last year and this year are free. Adults pay $3.02 for that meal.

“We get no reimbursement for adult meals, thus the reason they pay a little more,” Smith explained.

Right now at the MS/HS, students at Linn have the choice of three main entrée items. Elementary has the choice of two main entrée items as they do not currently have the salad option.  

“We will also be adding a la carte back at the middle school and high school levels as soon as we are able to get our products in,” said Smith.

These were the lunch choices the week of the R-2 meeting.

Tuesday: Bosco stick, Grilled Cheese, or Chicken Caesar Salad, with a choice of sides (fresh broccoli/cauliflower, garden salad, fresh fruit)

Wednesday: Chicken Nuggets, Sloppy Joe, or Italian Chef Salad, with a choice of sides (tater tots, steamed carrots, 

canned fruit)

Thursday: Chicken Patty, Salisbury Steak, or Popcorn Chicken Salad, with a choice of sides (mashed potatoes/gravy, steamed broccoli, hot roll, fresh fruit)

Friday: Meatball Sub, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, or Chef Salad, with a choice of sides (cherry tomatoes, garden salad, fresh fruit)

“Again, they do not have to take all of the items offered, but this is what was offered,” said Smith. 

Klouzek asked if students in the past were given the option to purchase additional food.

“They were, and we actually just started that last week,” said Smith. “Part of the other issue we’re having is distribution. Our commodities haven’t come in yet.”

One truck recently due on a Friday didn’t arrive until the following Monday, and some items ordered were not available, Smith added. That led to a substitution on the following Tuesday.

“There were schools that had their entire order canceled,” said Smith. “The confusion is that it’s not really a food production issue. It’s getting it from point A to point B. There’s a truck-driver shortage right now.”

Schmitz told the board that peanut butter sandwiches have not been offered as a main option because of the shortage of commodities. It has been offered a la carte and once the supply chain becomes stable, she plans to offer it as one of the main options for lunch.

Board secretary Hannah Swann said that her kids would like to eat peanut butter sandwiches if they don’t like the main items, and she has been packing lunch every day since peanut butter has not been available.

“It’s been a challenge for us and I know it’s been a challenge for other people,” said Swann.

At the elementary, requirements are not the same, Smith said.

Board President Dennis Gravedoni said he had recently visited both the elementary and MS/HS for lunch.

“At the elementary, when you see the kids coming through the line, they have a tray full of food,” he said. “For the most part, they eat their food and the teachers encourage them. The really young ones get a star if they clear their tray. At the high school, what I was seeing was trays with very few items on them. One kid came through with a little bit of fruit and a cheeseburger. He didn’t go back for additional food or anything like that, so what you’re getting is that since high-schoolers can refuse food, they do. They’re only taking food they like.”

Swann noted that some students have said the overall food quality is lower.

One concern involved not being able to get ketchup with hot dogs but students can have it with chicken nuggets. 

Smith said only one parent has reached out with concerns to the school and encouraged anyone with a question or issue to contact her.

“I know they’re always open to suggestions,” said Smith of Fresh Foods. “Typically, throughout the year, they’ll do surveys but we haven’t gotten to that point yet.”

Smith added that if students don’t like a menu item, specific feedback would be helpful.

One example is mashed potatoes. Swann said she’s been told students are daring each other to eat them. She asked if the potatoes were fresh or powdered.

Schmitz confirmed they are powdered at this time but said she will move to a better-tasting instant mashed potato once she’s used up the current stock, which was ordered for her.

“On the elementary side, those kids love the mashed potatoes,” said Schmitz. “Nobody comes and says they don’t like the mashed potatoes. I’ve tried them and don’t have a problem with them.”

Regarding ketchup, Schmitz said it was available the last time hot dogs were offered. Ketchup is served in squeeze bottles as opposed to packets in the elementary.

“At the lower level, in Pre-K and first grade, we put it on the tray for them,” said Schmitz. “At the upper levels, it’s right there on the table when they come through the door. All they have to do is grab it.”

“We can do a better job of making sure they know where (the packets) are,” said Smith. “That’s why it would be really helpful if they call us or allow us to call them. That way we can address it right then. If that was an issue two weeks ago, it’s hard to know what the drama was that day. We want feedback. We’re just not getting it and we don’t know how to fix it if we don’t know what the issue is.”

Swann reiterated that having the option of peanut butter and jelly would be a good thing.

Schmitz said it’s a commodities issue, noting a truck that was supposed to arrive on Sept. 13 had not made it as of the meeting.

“We’ll bring that back but I don’t know if it will be an everyday option since we have three options already,” said Schmitz.

Klouzek asked if that referred to “Uncrustables,” a frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich made by Smucker’s as opposed to fresh sandwiches.

“I get it if you can’t get the Uncrustables, but to me, it would be cheaper to buy peanut butter, jelly, and bread, and make them,” said Klouzek.

Schmitz said she does have Uncrustables for the upper levels.

“My kids want Uncrustables too but there’s the bread, the jelly, and the peanut butter,” Klouzek said.

Also in play are the daily requirements. Schmitz explained each cup of peanut butter and jelly would have to be measured while Uncrustables already meet the nutritional requirements.

A la carte items, meanwhile, meet the requirements the school must follow. Examples include granola bars, chips, pop tarts, beef jerky, and fruit snacks.

“I cannot get any beverages right now though,” said Schmitz. “No distributor will give me any.”

Ice cream is also back on the a la carte menu and has been a big hit, Schmitz noted.

“Basically, it’s a lot of snacky-type food that they get,” said Schmitz. “They’ve been doing really well with a la carte.”

Board member Mark Baker said a lot of parents have spoken to him about food service.

“I tried to answer their questions,” said Baker. “I tried to forward them onto the school and I asked them to come to the meeting. I will say there were a couple of parents that didn’t want to step up and say anything out of fear of retaliation against their children. That isn’t helping. I don’t know what the big deal is but I know there are several parents who are worried about complaining. That bothered me.”

Baker said that on days grilled cheese and a Bosco stick are offered, two meatless items on the menu that are essentially the same thing in a different form.

“I can change that,” said Schmitz. “This first menu cycle, I had no part of it. I’m learning what not to put on that menu.”

Some items on the menu Schmitz said she did not agree with knowing that students would not like them but she had to work with what was already in stock.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of a Hyster H40XL forklift with 1,043 hours through Missouri State Surplus at a cost of $4,000.

Baker asked where the unit would be housed and used.

Smith said it would be housed in the track shed and be used for a number of things.

Currently, the school uses a skid-steer with forks, which is often not suitable for heavy loads.

“This would be a lot safer for our people,” Gravedoni added.

* Bills were approved for payment of $408.027.06. The school has a checking and investment balance of $2,892,507.07, including investments of $470.545.91 through Mid America Bank.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

Coach Steve Samson told the board a three-day camp held in early September went very well, with 44 kids participating.

“I think the kids really enjoyed it,” said Samson. “We put in a lot of good work those three nights.”

Coaches went over fundamentals on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, showed some video to older kids to introduce the offense to them, and fundamentals were broken down into positions (quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, linemen). Coaches also introduced defense to them on the field, did a team pursuit drill, and then broke into positions, (secondary, linebackers, and lineman), and also conducted an introductory tackling drill for everyone.

Samson said he would like to hold another camp later in the school year.

* A five-man sled was purchased for $500 (normally $5,000) using donations but Samson said pads still need to be purchased.

* Also purchased were two goalposts at a cost of $100 through govdeals.com from the University of Missouri.

* About 20 brand-new footballs were donated by Blair Oaks and a trash-can full of used footballs was also donated. Samson said they will probably get a few practices out of them.

* Bags, shields, boards, and spacers have also been purchased.

Note: Remaining business will be presented next week.