Citizen Portal
Sign In

New meal contract, expanded transport service and staffing strain prompt board questions after staff and parent comments

6431740 · September 15, 2025
Article hero
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The district rolled out a new meal-provider arrangement and a West Albany ship‑out kitchen; food-service staff said the new workload and space constraints have left some kitchens understaffed and challenged, and a parent and a staffer raised concerns about students’ lunch length and kitchen capacity.

District leaders, food‑service staff and community members discussed the district’s new food‑service arrangements and operational challenges during the meeting.

Overview and contract: The district is working with a contracted provider (Genuine Foods) to operate expanded meal service and a new “ship‑out” kitchen at West Albany High School. Superintendent Andy Gardner and food‑service staff said the vendor will support a district effort to improve meal quality and increase participation; representatives from the vendor said they will continue local supervision and are sending senior staff to assist with operations.

Operational realities: Food‑service director Scott (last name not specified) reported that summer operations and the opening of the ship‑out kitchen increased meal counts and complexity. He said summer meal sites served thousands of meals and that the high‑volume changes require staff training and logistical adjustments.

Public comment and staff concerns: Two public commenters — a West Albany kitchen staffer and a parent — told the board the new system is putting strains on kitchen staff and students. A West Albany food‑service employee said the kitchen currently has “four” staff on duty and asked for additional staffing, more storage space and better equipment to meet the increased volume from the ship‑out kitchen. The employee described tight work spaces, limited freezer/cooler capacity and concerns that some menu items are still being served from prepackaged containers rather than from scratch.

A parent urged the board to address short student lunch periods, saying 15 minutes at the elementary level is insufficient for children to receive, find a seat and eat. The parent said short lunches leave children returning home hungry and asked the board to consider scheduling changes or other remedies.

Board response and next steps: Board members thanked staff, asked food‑service leaders to report back on operational fixes and directed staff to investigate staffing levels and storage options. Superintendent Gardner and staff said they would follow up and provide data on staffing costs, equipment needs and possible scheduling adjustments. The vendor’s regional director said leadership would be on site and that the company intends to support food quality improvements.

Why it matters: Food‑service operations affect student nutrition, staff workload and routine school logistics. Board members said they want rapid follow‑up so the district can ensure kitchens are safely staffed and students have adequate time to eat.

Speakers quoted in this article are those who spoke on the record in the meeting.