Parents and students – we would like you to enter and exit the cafeteria on the east side. Please look for and follow the posted signs.
Granite Nutrition Services is working tirelessly to ensure we transition smoothly to feeding students during the school dismissal announced today by the State Superintendent Dixon & Governor Herbert. We are working with the State of Utah Child Nutrition Program to approve the transition of our sites to a program that can increase the availability of FREE breakfast and lunch to all children and teens <19 years of age in areas surrounding approved schools within the Granite School District. This will also ease the operation for staff and limit the potential for transmission of COVID-19. We will post the approved schools and times on the Nutrition Services and District websites as soon as the list is finalized early this weekend.
To help ensure this transition is smooth and to limit confusion amongst staff, students, and parents, Nutrition Services school staff are instructed to do the following:
- All foodservice workers and managers are expected to work their regularly scheduled shift.
- Foodservice is a large system and relies on the work of all its employees to properly prepare and serve meals to all of our students.
- Changing start and stop times for meal service will require us to change staff shifts and truck route deliveries. This can be very difficult for a department with approximately 600+ employees and 97 schools to deliver to.
- All breakfast and lunch times will be served at the regular meal times for each school.
- Being consistent with meal service times will help our staff’s shifts align with our meal service times (as stated above) and limits confusion for staff, students, and parents.
- In order to remain compliant with program guidelines, Nutrition Services is expected to have breakfast and/or lunch available to any student who wants a meal during this specified time frame.
- All breakfast and lunch programs will be cooked and served as a ‘grab and go’ in the school cafeterias.
- Following state guidelines to help limit exposure of students, all food will be served as a quick and easy ‘grab and go.’
- Keeping food service in the cafeteria helps ensure we maintain strict food safety guidelines and helps avoid keeping food and students out in inclement weather. This direction came from the Superintendent.
- Students must enter through one door and exit out another.
- Pin pads will not be used to limit the possibility of transmission at point of service. An easier point of sale operation will be available to increase the speed at which students can receive meals and leave campus.
- If at all possible, our staff will stagger the rate at which students enter the cafeteria. We are expecting lesser numbers than on a usual school day but we want to ensure that all health guidelines are met.
- Students are not allowed to eat in the cafeteria, nor on campus according to previous District communication.
- Students will be directed to take meals home to be eaten to help support social distancing.
- Special diets will be provided as we are able.
- Due to the increase of food bought at local grocery stores, items we use for special diets for students could be limited. We understand the importance of ensuring all students receive a meal that they can eat. Therefore, we will continue to provide special diets to students as specialized items are available.
By following these processes, we will ensure that our deliveries, preparation, and service of food can occur successfully and efficiently for all staff, students, and parents involved. We appreciate your support in helping ensure our students receive meals and stay safe during these next two weeks.
