Student representative highlights free meals, local-food grants and halal meal efforts

Student representative Alex Davidson told the South Portland School Board that food services remain free for all students and described ongoing local-food initiatives and grants.

Davidson said, “First of all, a reminder that all meals are free to all students, including a free second meal,” and reported that menus have been simplified temporarily during an interim leadership transition. He identified Lisa Riley as the district’s interim director of food services and said Riley previously managed the five elementary kitchens.

Davidson outlined two grant projects: a three-year grant with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to bring local fish into cafeterias, and a partnership with the Maine Immigrant Greens Collaborative to feature local greens and recipes developed by community partners. He said the district is working with chef Khadija Ahmed and the Halal School Meals Network to pursue third-party halal certification for middle- and high-school kitchens; until certification is achieved, premade halal meals and many fish and vegetarian recipes that meet halal standards are being served.

Davidson also noted a pilot cafeteria food-waste composting program at Brown Elementary that diverted more than 200 pounds of food waste from landfill, and listed planned student-facing programs including a Harvest-of-the-Month initiative and a cafeteria advisory internship for South Portland High School students.

Board members thanked Davidson and acknowledged Amy Stiklunas (district food program member) and interim director Lisa Riley; no formal board action on food services was taken at the meeting.