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Cafeteria tests hot, grab-and-go breakfasts; renovation bids and equipment sales headed to board
Summary
School food staff tested hot breakfast items during National School Breakfast Week with high participation and plan to incorporate one hot-grab-and-go menu day per week next year. Separately, cafeteria renovation bids and requests to sell used equipment were included in agenda materials for the Tuesday meeting.
Punxsutawney Area School District cafeteria staff tested new breakfast items in hallways during National School Breakfast Week and reported strong student demand, and the district will present cafeteria renovation bid recommendations at the board's next meeting.
The cafeteria director told the board that for the week's tests the district prepared about 600 items on the first day (a pancake-and-sausage stick), 680 smoothies on the second day and about 620 egg-and-cheese biscuits on the third day. On each day staff reported they "brought very few back" and that the items were well received by students. The director said the week produced the highest breakfast counts she has seen in four years and that staff will plan to offer one hot breakfast grab-and-go day per week next year while continuing other grab-and-go items the rest of the week.
The director said the tests required extra staff coordination and borrowed warmers from the high school; she added that next year the district could budget for permanent warmers and improve routine and equipment to support a regular hot-grab-and-go service.
Separately, the board packet included bids and a recommendation for a cafeteria renovation project. The administration said several contractors downloaded bid documents but only one bid was returned; the administration recommended awarding the work to the prime contractor who submitted the single bid. That recommendation, and a request to sell some used cafeteria equipment online, were included as action items for the board's Tuesday meeting.
Board members asked whether the renovation bids were competitive and were told the project size tends to attract a single prime contractor with equipment contracted under that prime. Staff said they met with the recommended contractor and found the representative experienced and prepared.
The board did not vote on the renovation contract at the March 6 meeting; the recommendation and bid summary were attached to Tuesday's agenda for possible action.
