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PEQUANNOCK - Schools may add hot lunch provider
(by April Plantamura - Staff Writer - June 18, 2008)
PEQUANNOCK - Members of the Home and School Associations (HSA) at the district’s three elementary schools might be required to find alternative ways of raising money if the Board of Education votes to implement a new hot lunch program for the 2008-09 school year.
Parent volunteers of the HSA at Hillview, North Boulevard and Stephen J. Gerace elementary schools have provided hot lunches for the students for several years as a way to raise money for their organizations. The groups order food from local vendors and then make it available to the students for purchase at school Monday through Friday. Representatives from the groups said that, on average, they raise approximately $8,000 a year through this program.
“We are slightly worried because this is one of our biggest fundraisers,” Maureen Lilienthal, member of North Boulevard’s has, said. “But, if it means providing a nutritious meal to our children, then we will support it.”
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Larrie Reynolds said that the district began looking into replacing the hot lunches provided by the HSA with an outside food service company for several reasons. One of the main reasons for considering other options, Dr. Reynolds said, was because this is a “180-day fundraiser” for members of the HSA.
“I know the staffing can be difficult at times,” the superintendent said. “It requires a lot of work.”
Dr. Reynolds also said that he recently met with members of all three schools’ HSAs and that they assured him that they would be able to raise money in other ways. The district also said that the food service company selected, Pomptonian Food Services, located in Westwood, will offer nutritious, balanced meals to the district’s students.
“There will be a cold sandwich and a hot lunch option,” Reynolds said. “All the meals also come with milk.”
Several school board members raised questions at their Monday, June 16 meeting regarding not only the negative effect switching services might have on the HSA but also what liabilities the lunch aides and volunteers might be subjected to if food is served and a child becomes sick.
“I’m sorry but I can’t support this,” Board Vice President Alberta Alleva said. “At the high school and middle school it’s fine, but the elementary schools use this as a main fundraiser. I thank the members of the Home and School Associations for all they have done.”
Board Member Tom Molica brought up the question of what the liability would be for the district and its lunch aides to serve food to the students, especially with the recent concern expressed over precautions for district children who suffer from peanut and other food allergies.
“I think that needs to be looked at a little more carefully,” Molica said.
If the district were to bring in Pomptonian Food Services to provide hot lunches for all five district schools, it would require the purchase of equipment, including trays and a large food heater. The heater would be housed at the high school, where the lunches would be prepared and heated. The lunches for the three elementary schools would then be transported out.
Business Administrator and Board Secretary Steven DiGeronimo, said that if the board decides to allow Pomptonian to provide hot lunches for the elementary schools, the company would sign up for a one-year contract with the ability to renew it for four years. The menu the company offers rotates on a two-week basis and it provides a site manager to monitor and organize the lunch distribution at each school.
“One of our paid lunch aides will also assist the site manager,” DiGeronimo said.
Because the board members voiced several concerns and still had many unanswered questions regarding implementing a new hot lunch program in the school, the board voted to table the two policies that would allow for it to move forward. The board, however, did vote to allow the current hot lunch program in the secondary schools to continue.
“I like the idea of tabling (the two policies),” Board President Ken Hardaker said. “It gives us more time to discuss and consider it.”
Before the next school board meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, July 14 at 7 p.m., DiGeronimo would like to provide the board members with copies of Pomptonian’s rotating menus, as well as a price list for Pomptonian and two other food service companies that the district considered.
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