Students petition to keep long‑time lunch staff as district considers Sodexo contract
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Summary
Trustees heard a student‑led petition with more than 130 signatures asking the district not to replace long‑time lunch staff and to reconsider awarding food‑service to a new provider. The board approved a food‑service management contract with Sodexo and said it would meet with the vendor to discuss operations.
A student‑driven petition asking the Mount Vernon district not to replace long‑time lunch staff and to retain current food‑service workers was presented at the June 17 meeting, where trustees also approved a food‑service management contract with Sodexo.
Trustee Grama said the petition originated at Denzel Washington and included more than 130 signatures from students in grades six through 12 asking the district not to bring in an outside provider or to remove current lunch staff. "If we're not listening to the babies, then we're not paying attention to anybody," a trustee said when relaying the petition’s scope.
During the consent agenda, trustees approved a food‑service contract with Sodexo. Trustees requested the district upload the Sodexo contract to the public record after some file issues during the meeting and planned to meet with Sodexo representatives to discuss operations and timelines. Trustees indicated the board could meet the vendor within days to arrange transition details.
No formal objection by a majority stopped the contract vote; trustees asked administration to ensure a public copy of the contract is available and to schedule vendor briefings for trustees.
