Bastrop ISD to bring child nutrition in-house; new director introduced

Bastrop ISD announced June 17 it will bring child nutrition operations in-house starting July 1 and introduced the district—s newly hired child nutrition director, Rachel Talapore. The transition includes recruiting and onboarding managers, cooks and support staff, migrating point-of-sale and menu systems to district control and participating in cooperative procurement arrangements.

"We're bringing it back in house. So they'll be BISD employees," Mike White said, explaining the district will initially use current staffing levels and estimated payroll rates to set the child nutrition budget and will return in August with more precise salary and expense numbers after hires are complete and menus are finalized.

White and Talapore told trustees the district will continue its summer feeding program at multiple campuses during the transition and that participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) means student meals remain free at participating campuses. Staff said adult meals remain priced and the child nutrition budget is a stand-alone fund; any operating savings could be reinvested in kitchen equipment and infrastructure.

Talapore was described in the presentation as having roughly 15 years of experience leading food-service operations and will work with dietitians and campus staff to finalize menus and training. Trustees asked about scratch cooking versus prepared meals, dietitian hires, and collaboration with high-school food-production programs; staff said more programmatic work will follow once operations are stabilized.

No board action was required for the informational report; staff will return with refined child nutrition budget numbers and staffing details.