Students present cafeteria redesign; district staff seeks board approval in February

Student government representatives from Central Mountain High School and Central Mountain Middle School presented finalized designs for cafeteria furniture and layout updates and asked the school board to consider approval in February so the work can be put out to bid.

The presentations, led by student team leaders and supported by facilities staff and a consultant from Palmer Hamilton, outlined a bundled procurement to save cost by buying furniture for both schools together and installing over the summer. ``We got designs from John at Palmer Hamilton. And we critiqued, found what we liked and what we didn't like about the designs,'' a student presenter said, describing the iterative process and a student survey that chose a preferred layout.

Why it matters: district staff said the high-school cafeteria furniture has not been comprehensively replaced in many years and that waiting slows needed upgrades. Facilities staff asked the board to permit advertising for bids so purchase orders could be cut quickly after the board’s February voting session; staff said a three-week advertising period is required before awards and that lead times mean installation would likely occur in early July.

Key details: the high-school design reduces seating capacity from roughly 480 to about 312 in the primary dining layout; staff said that aligns with current and projected enrollment and lunch-line service times. The food nutrition services fund would pay for the furniture purchases, with a limited request to use general fund money to construct protective square wraps around damaged cylindrical pillars at the middle school; staff said Pennsylvania Department of Education rules do not permit nutrition-service funds to pay for structural construction.

Student priorities and accessibility: presenters emphasized varied table types, brighter colors and booths; they said ADA-accessible seating is included. Board member Elizabeth Lynch asked whether the designs include recycling and composting receptacles; students and staff said recycling was not previously discussed in depth but could be added into final plans.

Operations and timing: staff said they would sell removed furniture through Munisibid, aim to cut POs in late March if the board approves, and expect two-day installations (one day per school) depending on the awarded vendor. Palmer Hamilton said it would honor 2024 pricing to the district for the solicitation.

Next steps: staff requested placement of the item on the Feb. 6 and Feb. 13 agendas for formal board action and agreed to incorporate recycling, ADA clarifications, and optional naming-rights ideas into the final design materials.